OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Vancouver Canucks - 2014

CanuckJohnny · 11-23-2023, 08:45 PM

Vancouver Canucks Season Preview

Opening Night Lineup

Daniel - Henrik - Burrows
Higgins - Bonino - Williams
B. Tanev - Horvat - Virtanen
Filatov - Cassels - Lapierre

Hamhuis - Tanev
Martin - Pouliot
Russell - Michalek

Markstrom
Greiss

HS: Jeffrey, Goc, Hunt

Analysis

Burrows will open the year in a familiar place, next to Henrik and Daniel on the top line. Bylsma was reportedly impressed with their chemistry when he tried them together in the final preseason game, and this allows him to keep last year's second line of Higgins, Bonino and Williams together. On the third line, Horvat is the elder statesman so to speak, as both Tanev and Virtanen are rookies. It's an extra level of responsibility for Horvat, but Bylsma is confident in his young center who shows good leadership qualities already this early into his career. Nikita Filatov will play PP1 with the twins but he feels like an odd fit on what is otherwise a defensively oriented fourth line. Perhaps the hope is that Cassels and Lapierre will make up for his defensive lapses. Bylsma is planning to roll his forward lines very evenly, at least to start the season, and depth and teamwork will be the name of the game for this forward group that looks a little light on scoring and mostly too inexperienced or else too long in the tooth.

Alex Burrows hopes to make the most of his opening day spot reunited with the Sedins.

Hamhuis and Tanev should start the season together again and handle the toughest matchups. Martin and Pouliot will hopefully balance each other out and Pouliot will also be tasked with running the Canucks powerplay almost exclusively. Russell and Michalek opened last season as the Canucks second pairing, so starting as the third pair this year just shows the improved depth on the blueline. No surprises in net as Markstrom is the number one and Greiss should get twenty or so games backing him up.

New addition Paul Martin should be a steadying influence in the top four.

This iteration of the Canucks has more firepower and depth on defense than last season, but they are missing a key offensive contributor in Vrbata, who signed with Florida in the summer. Can new additions like Filatov and rookies like Virtanen add enough scoring to compensate? Will Markstrom build on last season's performance (where he slowed down a bit in the back part of the schedule) to grow into a consistent, dominant force and steal enough games to bring the Canucks back into the playoffs where "anything can happen"? Only 82 games of hockey will tell, but it seems unlikely that a team with this little star power up front will scored enough to make the playoffs, and equally unlikely that a team with this good of goaltending will tank for a good pick. It could well be another year in the mushy middle for annoyed Canucks fans.

Jake Virtanen makes the opening night lineup. Can he stay there?

11-23-2023, 08:45 PM	#106
CanuckJohnny All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2022 Posts: 554	Vancouver Canucks Season Preview Opening Night Lineup Daniel - Henrik - Burrows Higgins - Bonino - Williams B. Tanev - Horvat - Virtanen Filatov - Cassels - Lapierre Hamhuis - Tanev Martin - Pouliot Russell - Michalek Markstrom Greiss HS: Jeffrey, Goc, Hunt Analysis Burrows will open the year in a familiar place, next to Henrik and Daniel on the top line. Bylsma was reportedly impressed with their chemistry when he tried them together in the final preseason game, and this allows him to keep last year's second line of Higgins, Bonino and Williams together. On the third line, Horvat is the elder statesman so to speak, as both Tanev and Virtanen are rookies. It's an extra level of responsibility for Horvat, but Bylsma is confident in his young center who shows good leadership qualities already this early into his career. Nikita Filatov will play PP1 with the twins but he feels like an odd fit on what is otherwise a defensively oriented fourth line. Perhaps the hope is that Cassels and Lapierre will make up for his defensive lapses. Bylsma is planning to roll his forward lines very evenly, at least to start the season, and depth and teamwork will be the name of the game for this forward group that looks a little light on scoring and mostly too inexperienced or else too long in the tooth. Alex Burrows hopes to make the most of his opening day spot reunited with the Sedins. Hamhuis and Tanev should start the season together again and handle the toughest matchups. Martin and Pouliot will hopefully balance each other out and Pouliot will also be tasked with running the Canucks powerplay almost exclusively. Russell and Michalek opened last season as the Canucks second pairing, so starting as the third pair this year just shows the improved depth on the blueline. No surprises in net as Markstrom is the number one and Greiss should get twenty or so games backing him up. New addition Paul Martin should be a steadying influence in the top four. This iteration of the Canucks has more firepower and depth on defense than last season, but they are missing a key offensive contributor in Vrbata, who signed with Florida in the summer. Can new additions like Filatov and rookies like Virtanen add enough scoring to compensate? Will Markstrom build on last season's performance (where he slowed down a bit in the back part of the schedule) to grow into a consistent, dominant force and steal enough games to bring the Canucks back into the playoffs where "anything can happen"? Only 82 games of hockey will tell, but it seems unlikely that a team with this little star power up front will scored enough to make the playoffs, and equally unlikely that a team with this good of goaltending will tank for a good pick. It could well be another year in the mushy middle for annoyed Canucks fans. Jake Virtanen makes the opening night lineup. Can he stay there?