Vancouver Canucks - 2014 - what if Jim Benning never happened?

[CanuckJohnny]

Free Agency Preview

It looks to be a pretty quiet year on the free agency front, with not a lot of top end talent available and most of the bigger names being older veterans on the downswing of their career arc.

Names Available

RW Radim Vrbata (VAN) 35yo, 77gp, 26-25-51, -7
Vrbata is probably the best talent available, he played all year in a mostly top line role for the Canucks and although he's getting up there in age he should still be good for 25-30 goals in the right environment.

C Carl Soderberg (BOS) 30yo, 82gp, 6-14-20, -8
Soderberg has a lot of tools and had a breakout year two seasons ago, hitting career highs of 16 goals and 32 assists and looking like a late blooming power forward hitting his stride. The offense has fallen off the past two seasons and this year he went from a plus player to a minus eight, but somebody will bet on his size and potential in this light free agent class.

LD Paul Martin (PIT/CAR) 35yo, 75gp, 4-11-15, +5
The Pens acquired Martin for their playoff push and although he failed to deliver offensively for them (only 3 points in 18 games) his two way results and defensive impacts looked much better in a better environment, going +9 in 18 games after being -4 through 57 games in the mess that was the Hurricanes.

G Eddie Lack (PHI) 28yo, 8gp, 2.14gaa, .916sv%, 2w, 1so
Lack was acquired from the Canucks last season and looked poised to carve out a more significant role than he has. He has been pushed down the depth chart although he has looked decent in the NHL icetime he's had and some team is likely to take a flyer (pun intended) on him for his age and untapped potential.

C Joe Thornton (SJS) 36yo, 74gp, 10-23-33, -7
Jumbo Joe is apparently tired of the lack of playoff success in San Jose and is looking to move on to a contender in search of his first Stanley Cup.

F Maxim Lapierre (STL) 31yo, 51gp, 2-4-6, -5
A versatile and defensively responsible fourth liner, the chippy Lapierre has seen his offense continue to decline. He still brings an edge and can be plugged in at any forward position.

RW David Clarkson (TBL/SJS) 32yo, 53gp, 11-7-18, -5
After a decent start with the Sharks, getting ten goals in the first half of the season, Clarkson slowed down considerably with Tampa, managing only two points in twelve games with them while sporting a minus four and not even making the physical impact he has been known for.

LD Barret Jackman (STL) 35yo, 33gp, 1-2-3, E
Jackman is still widely respected for his defensive prowess but saw a drop off in his play, his plus minus and his icetime this season.

LW Chris Porter (STL) 32yo, 67gp, 10-9-19, +6
Porter is an underrated bottom six winger who cracked ten goals this season and is a combined +25 in his last two NHL seasons.

LD Luca Sbisa (SUI) 26yo, SWI 48gp, 9-32-41, -1
Sbisa was once a highly touted NHL prospect with all the size and tools and a top four upside but after being traded from Vancouver to San Jose after the 14/15 season he found himself without a contract when the dust settled on free agency and eventually signed in his home country on a one year deal. His performance overseas will surely garner him some attention in this sparse free agency class and he may yet find his way back to the show.

LW Artemi Panarin (RUS) 24yo, RUS 56gp, 32-54-86, -1
The most sought after Russian free agent for years, Panarin has NHL ready skills and could be a gamebreaker for whoever lures him across the pond. There are questions on his play in the defensive end and his size will always be noted by his detractors, but many clubs will be vying to bring his elite talent to join their team.

[CanuckJohnny]

FREE AGENT FRENZY




WPG signs C Joe Thornton - 1 yr, $5.04M AAV
The first signing to come through this morning is hands down the biggest name out there. Thornton has slowed down due to age, and many will accuse the Jets of an overpay, but he is a historically good playmaker who brings the intangibles of leadership and experience. Joe has made no bones about the face he wants a Cup and he clearly believes the young but rising Jets are his best option for that.

VAN signs LD Paul Martin - 1yr, $4.75M AAV
The Canucks were rumoured to be in on Martin last offseason and this year they were very aggressive and get their man. Martin will bring a stabilising presence and legitimate experience to a Canucks blueline that could really use it after a tumultuous year.

DAL signs C Carl Soderberg - 3 yrs, $3.23M AAV
The Stars make a longer term bet on Soderberg's size and skill despite his lack of production recently, doling out the most total money so far early into this offseason.

FLA signs RW Radim Vrbata - 1 yr, $5.16M AAV
Vrbata comes in as the highest salary per year so far but only gets a one year deal. There hasn't been a lot of term given out so far in this go-round of free agency, perhaps managers are finally learning from some of their historic mistakes in previous years.

VAN signs LW Maxim Lapierre - 1 yr, $2.75M AAV
The Canucks overpay for a reunion with a part of their 2011 Cup Finals run team. Lapierre has experience and will bring grit and defensive acumen and an antagonistic edge as well. Again we see a contract of only one year, which retains flexibility for the team while keeping the salary high for the player.

CHI signs G Eddie Lack - 3 yrs, $1.72M AAV
After moving out star goalie Corey Crawford to the Flyers in an attempt to alleviate their cap situation the Blackhawks replace him with the former Flyer who wasn't getting icetime in Philly. Lack should be the best goalie in Chicago right away so this is his chance to show out with a good lineup around him.

NYR signs LW Chris Porter - 2 yrs, $1.05M AAV
The Rangers add some forward depth to strengthen their bottom six at a reasonable price tag. Porter is defensively responsible and scored ten goals last year.

WSH signs RW David Clarkson - 2 yrs, $1.58M AAV
Clarkson gets a two year deal with Washington, who are hoping his spirited play and willingness to stick up for teammates and mix things up will be a valuable addition, especially come playoffs.

COL signs RD Barret Jackman - 2 yrs, $1.28M AAV
Jackman gets a two year pact when many were only getting one, but he doesn't get much in the salary department. Colorado will expect him to be a reliable veteran in a depth role and that room will look to his experience and natural leadership in times of adversity.

PHI signs LD Luca Sbisa - 2 yrs, $1.08M AAV
The Flyers make a two year commitment to the Swiss defenseman, who finds himself back in the NHL and with a chance on a thinner blueline to earn key minutes consistently.

MTL signs RW Anton Rodin - 2 yrs, $850k AAV
Rodin was once a promising prospect for Vancouver, but he never stuck in the NHL. After two very productive seasons in the SHL the Canadiens bring him back across the pond for another crack at the NHL. Now in his prime, Rodin has good wheels and slick hands as well as being noted amongst his peers for his strong leadership qualities. He should have a good shot on a Montreal team that is short on quality winger depth, especially wingers capable of producing significant offense. He should certainly get time on PP2 and maybe could surprise some people who overlooked him.

PHI signs RD Chris Butler - 2 yrs, $1.06M AAV
Philadelphia adds another depth blueliner, making sure they have competition and worthy NHLers on their blueline to start the year.

*Trade Alert* DAL acquires C William Karlsson (23yo, 56gp, 5-7-12, -3), 2017 ANA 5th; ANA acquires C Nate Thompson (31yo, 75gp, 10-13-23, -4) @ 20% retention, LW Curtis McKenzie (25yo, 13gp, 1-0-1, -2), 2018 DAL 3rd. Analysis - The Stars turn a potentially ill advised signing last offseason (Thompson) into a promising two way forward in William Karlsson. It costs them a 3rd rounder and retaining 20% of Thompson's salary. The Ducks feel confident of their ability to contend immediately and so make a move for a veteran bottom six center.

*Trade Alert* TBL acquires G Michal Neuvirth (28yo, 40gp, 2.51gaa, .904sv%, 3so, 24w), RW Tye McGinn (26yo, 67gp, 7-5-12, -3); SJS acquires G Karri Ramo (30yo, AHL 75gp, 2.28gaa, .922sv%, 47w), rights to LW Jake Lucchini (21yo, NCAA 42gp, 10-20-30, -4), 2017 TBL 4th, 2019 TBL 3rd. Analysis - in isolation this is a bizarre move for the Lightning, who already have rising star Andrei Vasilevskiy competing for the crease with established starter Ben Bishop, as well as for the Sharks who downgrade to a backup who played all season in the AHL last year and is older than Neuvirth. There are some rumours that Ryan Miller was unhappy splitting starts with Neuvirth last year, and that Neuvirth wasn't about to accept a lighter load, but he won't see anymore ice with the current depth chart in Tampa. Insiders do report the Lightning are on the brink of making another move involving one of their goalies.

*Trade Alert* STL acquires G Ben Bishop (29yo, 20gp, 1.89gaa, .934sv%, 2so, 11w); TBL acquires RD Colton Parayko (23yo, AHL 82gp, 7-28-35, +4, 141pim), 2017 STL 3rd. Analysis - The Blues get a game changing starting goalie for pennies on the dollar because the Lightning were in a bad spot. Bishop was overshadowed by rookie star Andrei Vasilevskiy and also hampered by injuries last season, but his reputation as one of the better NHL starting goalies is still strong. The Lightning didn't have many takers, especially when they were specifically shopping for young, NHL ready defensemen to shore up their weak blueline. They do get Parayko, who most expect to make his NHL debut this year. The massive defenseman is solid in his own end and the Bolts hope he can develop into a long term partner for their other tower of power, Victor Hedman.

WSH signs LW Artemi Panarin - 2 yrs, $975k AAV
After much work from Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, the highly sought after Russian free agent chooses the Capitals, who will finally be blessed with another highly skilled winger to play with Ovi.

BOS signs LW Frank Vatrano - 2 yrs, $750k AAV
After two straight point per game seasons in the NCAA, Vatrano turns pro with the Bruins on a two year deal.

[CanuckJohnny]

Vancouver Free Agency Recap




DAY 1 DEALS:
Linden again pursued Paul Martin aggressively and this time he got Martin to commit for one year to the Canucks. The veteran should slot into the top four and play a regular role on the blueline. He also added Max Lapierre for his experience, sandpaper and overall versatility and responsibility. Lapierre will make sure any young guns trying to make the team will have to earn it.

SIGNING: LW Nikita Filatov (RUS 56gp, 27-43-70, -5) - 3 yrs, $915k AAV
An offensively skilled winger with good skating ability, Filatov was once a highly touted prospect. Trevor Linden lured him back to this side of the ocean for one last chance to prove he belongs in the best league in the world. He can be inconsistent at times and is a defensive liability, but with the right fit he could play a PP role with limited 5 on 5 minutes and find success due to his abundant talent.

SIGNING: C Marcel Goc (GER 48gp, 15-20-35, -2) - 2 yrs, $575k AAV
Goc spent a year overseas after playing a depth role with Pittsburgh the year previous in their Cup run. The 32 year old pivot won't net you many points but he is responsible in his own end and decent at faceoffs and brings some experience and intangible.

TRADE: CAR acquires LD Nick Holden (82gp, 5-16-21, -6), 2018 VAN 7th, 2019 VAN 7th; VAN acquires rights to LW Brandon Tanev (AHL 81gp, 15-33-48, +1, 127pim). Analysis - with the signing of Martin, Holden's spot in Vancouver's top four was pretty clearly taken and rather than pay him second pair money for third pairing minutes they ship him out, along with a couple late round future draft picks, for the rights to RFA Brandon Tanev. Talks had stalled between Tanev and Hurricanes management so they flip him to Vancouver for an NHL defenseman. Tanev won't get you a lot of points at the NHL level but he plays a gritty, defensively sound game with a lot of energy and the Canucks are needing some depth in their bottom six after moving out some of their role players like Richardson and Letestu.

SIGNING: LW Brandon Tanev (AHL 81gp, 15-33-48, +1) - 3 yrs, $675k AAV
The Canucks put pen to paper to get their most recent acquisition on the ice for training camp.

SIGNING: G Casey DeSmith (AHL 39gp, 2.00gaa, .934sv%, 26w) - 1 yr, $575k AAV
Vancouver shores up their minor league goaltending depth (Stolarz was the lone goalie under NHL contract in Utica) by signing DeSmith. At 25, DeSmith may have some potential to develop into an NHL backup but time is running short to make an impression.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks Pre-Season Preview




Vancouver Breaks Camp with 34 on Roster

Some of the top performers from training camp are already back with their teams, as Mikhail Sergachev looked great and improved a lot but is already back with his team in the QMJHL. Ty Ronning is also back in junior, having returned to the WHL after showing some good development and playing well in camp. Rasmus Andersson and Will Butcher both had good camps and showed good growth but are back in Utica. Colin Blackwell and Danton Heinen are two others who showed well but have already been reassigned to Utica. Josh Anderson and Jake Virtanen have both had a great camp so far and management is looking forward to getting a good look at them in preseason. There are spots up for grabs on the wings. Brandon Tanev also looked really strong and grew by leaps and bounds. He will try to make the team with a strong preseason showing. Casey DeSmith showed a lot of improvement and coaches are excited to see him in a few preseason games before inevitably moving him to Utica to split starts with Stolarz.


Can Markstrom prove he is an elite NHL goalie this season? The Canucks will be largely dependent on his heroics if they are aiming at a playoff berth this year.



Between the Pipes:

G Jacob Markstrom (26yo, 57gp, 2.44gaa, .929sv%, 5so, 27w)
The de facto number one in Vancouver after fully establishing himself last season, Markstrom looks to build on his first full NHL season and push to have his name in the Vezina conversation with elite company. Scouting: Talent B, Potential A.

G Thomas Greiss (30yo, 27gp, 2.72gaa, .922sv%, 1so, 9w)
The 30 year old backup is in the last year of his deal and looking to prove to the NHL that he is deserving of a good look for a tandem situation when he comes up for free agency if Vancouver doesn't extend him. His Stanley Cup playoff experience is valuable as he mentors the younger Markstrom and provides stability for the locker room. Scouting: Talent C+.

G Casey DeSmith (25yo, AHL 39gp, 2.00gaa, .934sv%, 26w)
The recent signee looks to show enough in pre-season to be in the conversation as an NHL backup next year and also earn starts from Stolarz in Utica. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential C.



Derrick Pouliot has big expectations as he will be expected to carry the offensive load for what was a lacklustre blueline last season.


Blueline:

LD Derrick Pouliot (22yo, 59gp, 12-20-32, -9)
The Canucks have big plans for the young offensive defenseman. He is very comfortable on his off-side and Bylsma will probably use him there with Hamhuis and Martin anchoring the left side on the top two pairs. Look for him to have every opportunity to prove he belongs in the top four. Last year the Canucks couldn't generate any offense from the back end and it hurt them. By the end of the year they had resorted to journeyman Brad Hunt running the PP1 - they are counting on Pouliot to improve on his production with Winnipeg last season and provide what they were missing last year, while cleaning up his act in his own end. Scouting: Talent B-, Potential B.
LD Dan Hamhuis (33yo, 72gp, 8-14-22, -1)
The ageing defender should have some help this year after being heavily leaned on in all situations last season. As one of the assistant captains he should bring leadership and experience to the table as he continues to be a highly capable defender. Scouting: Talent B-.

LD Paul Martin (35yo, 75gp, 4-11-15, +5)
The veteran free agent signing should make an immediate impact on the top four. Don't expect a lot of points but he should bring stability and savvy to whatever younger defenseman he's paired with. Scouting: Talent C.

RD Chris Tanev (26yo, 78gp, 8-13-21, -6)
Don't let last season's minus six fool you, Tanev has emerged as one of the league's premier young defensive defenseman and took on the opponent's best players every night while blocking 271 shots and scoring a career high 8 goals. He's a lock in the top four, the only question is will he continue to join partner Hamhuis in forming a formidable shutdown pairing or will he be paired up with newcomer Paul Martin? Scouting: Talent C, Potential C.

LD Kris Russell (29yo, 78gp, 5-16-21, -3)
Russell knows who he is and coach Dan Bylsma knows what he brings. He should be the frontrunner on the left side of the bottom pairing. He's a shot blocking machine who plays his role and defends well despite his shorter size thanks to competitiveness and good skating. Scouting: Talent C-.

LD Nick Schultz (34yo, AHL 70gp, 3-21-24, -2)
Two seasons ago Nick Schultz played twenty minutes a night for the Flyers while putting up 20 points and a plus 30 rating, playing in all 82 games. Somehow he found no takers in the offseason after his contract expired so he spend the past season on an AHL contract hoping for one last look at an NHL job. Trevor Linden came calling and Schultz is looking to prove that was the right call. The left shot defenseman is equally capable playing his off side and that versatility should serve him well as he battles for a sixth or seventh defense spot. Scouting: Talent D.
RD Zbynek Michalek (33yo, 82gp, 2-13-15, -13)
Michalek played all 82 games for Vancouver after being an understated free agent signing. He was forced at times to play a bigger role than maybe he should have due to their lack of depth, but competing for a 6/7th D role is exactly where the veteran should be. His spot on the roster is in no way guaranteed, but he is probably pencilled in as the number six guy due to his familiarity with Bylsma from last year. Scouting: Talent D.

LD Brad Hunt (28yo, 26gp, 4-6-10, -1)
Vancouver plucked Hunt from the minors (for Edmonton's organization) and dropped him onto their first powerplay unit and overall he showed well but with a deeper blueline this season he will be hard pressed to even make the team and continue his NHL career. Scouting: Talent D-.

RD Frank Corrado (23yo, AHL 82gp, 7-33-40, -1)
After playing most of the year with the big club the previous year and leading the team in plus minus, Corrado was pushed down the depth chart last season and spent the year in Utica, where he performed reasonably well. He's looking to earn his NHL spot back but there's a lot of competition and he'll have to really stand out to get a job on opening night. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential D+.

LD Ben Hutton (23yo, AHL 79gp, 13-33-46, +11)
Hutton looked amazing in his first AHL season out of college and earned a two game cup of coffee in the NHL where he picked up his first career assist but looked a little out of his depth. The smooth skating two way defenseman has his work cut out for him if he wants to start up with the Canucks this year. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential C-.

RD Scott Mayfield (23yo, AHL 82gp, 3-23-26, +8)
Mayfield is a big, physical defensive defenseman. He looked good in his first AHL season but probably will need some more seasoning before pushing for an NHL spot. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential D.

Will Cole Cassels earn a full time NHL role as early as this season? The two way center is well suited to a fourth line position with his defensive responsibility.



Forwards:

LW Daniel Sedin (36yo, 82gp, 19-29-48, -4)
Daniel had a real bounce back season after looking like he was washed the previous year when he only managed 12 goals and 39 points. A full year reunited with Henrik under Bylsma was just what the doctor ordered. He's more of a middle six winger at this stage of his career but will probably be depended on for a lot more than that. Scouting: Talent C.

LW Chris Higgins (33yo, 82gp, 16-22-38, -10)
The model of consistency, Higgins will get you 35-40 points and play responsible two way hockey at any forward position you ask as a middle six forward. Scouting: Talent C.

LW Nikita Filatov (26yo, RUS 56gp, 27-43-70, -5)
The skilled winger will get his chance to make an NHL roster but the defensive warts may hold him back from getting enough icetime to make an impact five on five. It's expected he'll be involved on the powerplay, provided he makes the team. Scouting: Talent D, Potential D.
LW Dustin Jeffrey (28yo, 38gp, 2-4-6, -2)
The versatile journeyman wasn't as impactful last season and now has a lot of young guns who want his job but he has two years with the organization and will lean on that experience and familiarity with his coaches to try and make the team this year. Scouting: Talent D.
LW Jared McCann (20yo, OHL 66gp, 29-41-70, +4)
When McCann signed his ELC after his final year of junior, it was expected he would percolate in Utica for a season before pressing for a job but if training camp is any indication he'll expedite that schedule if he has anything to say about it. Scouting: Talent D, Potential C.
LW Alex Burrows (35yo, 53gp, 5-5-10, -14)
Burr is beloved by teammates and fans alike but if last year is any indication he is fading fast. His pedal to the metal style has taken a toll on his body and his game, always predicated on passion, hustle and hard work more than skill, has taken a hit. He may finish his Canucks career how he started it, in the minors, but he's a fiery competitor and he may yet have something to say about that. Scouting: Talent D-.

LW Brandon Tanev (24yo, AHL 81gp, 15-33-48, +1)
Brandon would like nothing more than to join brother Chris on the opening night roster but he will have to beat out some more accomplished NHLers and more highly touted prospects for a bottom six role. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential C-.

LW Ronalds Kenins (25yo, AHL 82gp, 17-42-59, +4)
Kenins, the Latvian bowling ball, brings energy and intensity but probably not enough in the skill department to earn a full time job. You know you'll have his best effort every night though. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential D-.

LW Alex Iafallo (22yo, AHL 82gp, 28-32-60, +4)
The two way winger isn't ready for the big leagues yet, but he has upside and will get a taste of NHL preseason action before going back to Utica to work on his game and further acclimatize to the organization that acquired him this past summer. Scouting: Talent F, Potential B-.
C Henrik Sedin (36yo, 82gp, 12-51-63, -5)
The captain rediscovered his playmaking prowess under Bylsma, picking up 51 assists while centering the first line. He is no longer in the conversation for leading the league in scoring but the veteran still brings it every night with consistency and confidence and doesn't look to be slowing down yet. Scouting: Talent B.

C Bo Horvat (21yo, 82gp, 6-14-20, -13)
Horvat will be expected to take a step this year, to be more productive offensively and more consistent in his own end as well. He's pencilled in as the third line center to start the year. Scouting: Talent C+, Potential B.

C Nick Bonino (28yo, 82gp, 14-25-39, +2)
Bonino hasn't brought quite as much offense as the Canucks hoped for from their (hopefully) second line center but he has played a reliable two way game while still putting up respectable numbers. Scouting: Talent B-.

C Cole Cassels (21yo, AHL 81gp, 24-42-66, +3)
Cassels has a chance to earn a fourth line role as early as this year. He was productive in the minors last season and plays an effective two way game. Can he play that in the NHL? Bylsma hopes preseason will answer that question. Scouting: Talent C-, Potential C.

C Brendan Gaunce (22yo, AHL 82gp, 33-29-62, E)
The defensively reliable pivot isn't known for his offense but impressed in Utica with 33 goals in his rookie season. He will be competing will fellow rookie Cole Cassels for a chance to center the fourth line, but if either of them fail to solidify that role it's likely Linden and Bylsma will elect to play them more minutes in the minors over keeping them in the press box in the NHL. Scouting: Talent D, Potential C.

C Marcel Goc (33yo, GER 48gp, 15-20-35, -2)
Goc plays a responsible game in his own end and Bylsma will be at least a little familiar with him from Pittsburgh. He doesn't bring much offense and will have to prove he deserves the fourth line center job more than the two young guys he's competing with. Scouting: Talent D.

RW Justin Williams (34yo, 82gp, 25-18-43, +4)
Williams had an incredible return to form with Vancouver after LA gave up on him following a seven goal, twenty six point season. The pressure's on, as with Vrbata gone he seems the likeliest to take that spot with Sedins and they will need him to at least repeat his twenty five goal performance last year if this team is going to be offensively viable. Scouting: Talent C.

RW Maxim Lapierre (31yo, 51gp, 2-4-6, -5)
Linden gave a massive contract out to a player who barely played fifty games last season and didn't crack ten points, but he believes in the intangibles of Lapierre and the attitude he brings. Max should have a lot of opportunity to earn a regular spot on the wing in Vancouver. Scouting: Talent C.

RW Alexandre Mallet (24yo, AHL 81gp, 22-35-57, -3)
Mallet is close to having his career defined as an AHLer and the current wide open competition at wing with the Canucks may be his best chance ever to crack an NHL roster and prove he belongs in the big leagues. Scouting: Talent D, Potential D.

RW Josh Anderson (22yo, 21gp, 2-4-6, -12)
The big, physical winger got a chance last season to play NHL games with Vancouver and looks to make that more permanent by breaking camp on the opening night roster but he is by no means guaranteed his spot. He'll have to impress in pre-season or he'll be starting in Utica. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential C-.

RW Jake Virtanen (20yo, WHL 65gp, 35-44-79, -6)
The speedy and physical Virtanen will get his first shot to crack an NHL lineup. He impressed in junior but many critics question if his dominance will translate against men. His skillset is a bit one dimensional and he'll have to learn to play in his own end, probably in Utica before in Vancouver but you never know. His shot and speed are tantalizing and you just hope he manages to put it all together. Scouting: Talent D-, Potential D+.

In other news, Derrick Pouliot has just been extended for five years at an AAV of $1.96M as Vancouver commits to their offseason acquisition and shows a lot of faith in his potential.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in PRESEASON




L 7-5 vs OTT - Brad Hunt looked great (blocked 6 shots) even though he was -2 on a pairing with Scott Mayfield who looked way out of his depth. Kris Russell had a solid game at both ends, was +1 and had a goal and two assists. Bo Horvat was the only forward who looked particularly good. He had two assists on the night, threw four hits and was plus one. Cole Cassels was a -2 and looked lost in his own end, while Gaunce had 3 giveaways and created little offensively.
L 3-2 vs BUF - Dustin Jeffrey scored his second preseason goal in as many games. He wants to stick around. Michalek and Hunt were paired together and looked amazing in their own end. Paul Martin endeared himself to coaches, teammates and fans by blocking five shots in his first preseason game with the team. Oh yeah, he also scored a goal on one of his four shots. Jared McCann and Josh Anderson both looked rough at both ends of the ice, not helping their cases to make the team. Max Lapierre was good in his preseason debut, throwing eight hits and getting an assist. Brendan Gaunce struggled in his own end and was -2. Veteran Alex Burrows looked rough in his own end for the second straight game.
** First Round of Cuts **
D Scott Mayfield assigned to Utica
LW Alex Iafallo assigned to Utica
LW Ronalds Kenins assigned to Utica
LW Jared McCann assigned to Utica
**
L 4-0 @ DET - well, Hamhuis and Tanev had an incredibly solid game, allowing no goals against, playing their roles to perfection and combining for four takeaways, seven blocked shots and four hits. Corrado had four blocked shots but didn't play great and was -3. Russell was decent, Schultz was awkward in both ends. Burrows had another rough game and was -3. Brendan Gaunce was -4 and looked awful, especially on defence. Goc didn't do much to help his case. Cassels was quiet but solid, 62.5% on faceoffs and a takeaway. Josh Anderson was -3 and ineffective. Virtanen threw four hits in eight minutes of icetime.
L 4-2 vs BUF - Bo Horvat had both Canuck goals and was the best forward on the ice for them. Ben Hutton had a picture perfect game defensively and also took three shots on goal. Pouliot and Martin were -3 together. Everybody was mediocre at forward besides Williams and Horvat. Virtanen and Mallet both looked terrible defensively, however Mallet did pick up an assist and make three hits.
L 7-1 @ TBL - Brad Hunt stood out as the best defenseman for the Canucks, scoring the lone gals and blocking three shots while doing his job well in all three zones of the ice. Nikita Filatov notably played his defensive role very well. Dustin Jeffrey, Marcel Goc and Alexandre Mallet had an abysmal game and went -4 as a line. Jeffrey did do his job offensively better than any other forward but had nothing to show for it. Cole Cassels was -1 but played well defensively, had a takeaway and was 70% in the circle. Gaunce also looked decent and had an assist, two blocked shots and three hits but was only 50% on faceoffs. Brandon Tanev threw two hits but otherwise wasn't noticable. Josh Anderson had an assist and three hits in his best game of the preseason. Virtanen didn't look good in his own end but he did have five hits.
**Second Round of Cuts**
G Casey DeSmith assigned to Utica
D Frank Corrado assigned to Utica
C Brendan Gaunce assigned to Utica
RW Alexandre Mallet assigned to Utica
**
W 3-2 @ CBJ - Paul Martin had a stellar game paired with Chris Tanev, scoring a goal and playing his defensive role perfectly. Brad Hunt was the second best defenseman on the ice, with three shots, a takeaway and three blocked shots. He was paired with Michalek, who didn't play well in his own end but did score a goal. Cole Cassels had another solid game, picking up an assist and taking three shots while being plus one for the night. Neither Josh Anderson nor Jake Virtanen really seized their opportunity as they both struggled in their own end and made very little impact on the game. Virtanen had a hit and two shots and Anderson a shot and two hits. Marcel Goc was abysmal. Nikita Filatov played well, looked confident offensively, took four shots and had an assist and a takeaway while being plus one. Brandon Tanev had five hits and had a good overall game at both ends.
SOW 3-2 vs FLA - Brad Hunt didn't look great playing his off side. Hutton had another solid defensive showing, he will probably be a victim of the numbers game but staying around this long is a testament to how much the coaching staff appreciates him. Alex Burrows looked like his old self alongside the twins, scoring a goal on two shots. Josh Anderson had a sloppy game defensively and failed to contribute offensively as well. Virtanen had two hits and two shots and was plus one. Henrik and Daniel both scored in the shootout to to end the preseason on a good note.
**Final Round of Cuts**
D Ben Hutton assigned to Utica
D Nick Schultz assigned to Utica
RW Josh Anderson assigned to Utica
**

[CanuckJohnny]

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?

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in OCTOBER




L 2-0 vs CGY - In a close checking game the Canucks just couldn't generate many chances and didn't finish any against Devan Dubnyk, who had the 23 save shutout. Markstrom only allowed two goals, to Giordano and Strome, but it was enough to sink the Canucks. Brandon Tanev was fired up for his NHL debut and finished with five hits.
L 2-1 vs CAR - The Canucks again play a relatively even game but come out on the wrong end of the goaltending matchup. Carter Hutton surrendered only one goal (Vancouver's first of the year, by Jake Virtanen - also his first of his career) on 32 shots while Greiss allowed four on as many shots, three of them to Elias Lindholm whose hat trick earned him first star honours.
L 2-1 vs STL - This game was not as close as the score indicates. Markstrom made 35 saves in the losing effort as he watched the team in front of him muster only 13 shots. Max Lapierre scored the lone goal against his former team.
L 2-1 vs BUF - An ugly fourth straight loss to open the year for the Canucks. A stellar 38 save performance from Markstrom was wasted as Vancouver scored only one goal on 25 shots, Derrick Pouliot's first as a Canuck.
L 3-1 @ LAK - Something needs to change in Canuckland as they are outshot 47-17 by the Kings. Max Lapierre's second of the season was their only goal. Markstrom made 44 saves but again goes home with the L.
L 3-1 @ ANA - Josh Anderson gets the early season callup and plugs into the third line while Virtanen moves up to play with Sedins and Burrows is scratched. Marcel Goc is placed on waivers for assignment to Utica. All the roster shuffles are for naught as again the Canucks lose. They are yet to score multiple goals in a game, six games into the season. The lone goal was Cole Cassels' first of his career.
W 4-1 vs OTT - At long last, after seven games the Canucks take home their first win of the season, in their first multi-goal game of the year. Markstrom makes 36 saves and is rewarded with a W. Nikita Filatov showed up to play with a goal (the game winner) and an assist, Hank and Danny both scored powerplay markers and Cole Cassels had two assists as that fourth line really shone.
L 5-3 vs EDM - Outshot 40-21 at home, the Canucks suffer yet another embarrassing defeat and may not make it out of October with multiple wins at this rate. Filatov did his part, scoring two more goals, but Markstrom ran out of magic and allowed five goals on 31 shots before being pulled for Thomas Greiss who finished the game saving nine of nine.
W 4-1 vs WSH - Brad Hunt, Dustin Jeffrey and Alex Burrows all draw into the lineup at the expense of Zbynek Michalek, Chris Higgins and Jake Virtanen. Vancouver earns its second win of the month, inspired by an early Josh Anderson fight with Tom Wilson but still mostly carried by goaltending as Thomas Greiss made fifty saves. Filatov had a goal and two assists and is looking like a reasonably good signing. Burr got his first of the year, assisted by the twins.

Record: 2-7-0, 4 pts, 7th in Pacific

Player Stats:
Goals - Filatov (4), Cassels, Russell, Lapierre (2)
Assists - Henrik (5), Filatov (4), Cassels, Martin (3)
Points - Filatov (8), Henrik (6), Cassels (5)
Plus/Minus - Filatov (+3), Cassels, Lapierre (+2)
PIM - C. Tanev (16), Lapierre (14), Anderson (10)
Shots - Pouliot (24), Filatov (19), Daniel (17)
Hits - B. Tanev (35), C. Tanev (27), Russell, Horvat (14)
Takeaways - Horvat, Martin, Bonino, Henrik (6)
Blocks - Russell (42), Martin (28), Hamhuis (24)
FO% - Horvat (56.6), Cassels (55.1), Henrik (54.7), Bonino (50.5)

Goalies:
Markstrom - 1-5-0, 2.40 GAA, .936 SvPct, 4.53 GSAA
Greiss - 1-2-0, 2.26 GAA, .946 SvPct, 3.96 GSAA

Injuries:
C Bo Horvat DTD (Face)

Summary:
To call October a disappointing start would be a gross understatement. This teams had hopes to exceed last year with a stronger blueline and make the playoffs. However one month in they find themselves in the absolute basement of the West. Derrick Pouliot hasn't seen much in the way of results offensively so far. Sedins are struggling. The second line of Higgins, Bonino and Williams that looked so strong last season has managed to go nine games without a single point between any of them. The only player to have more than 2 goals one month into the season is team scoring leader Nikita Filatov. Another bright spot has been the play of Cole Cassels, whose five even strength points are tied with Filatov for the team lead. There has been no answer found for the right side next to Hank and Danny, or for consistent team scoring in general though. Incredible goaltending from Markstrom and Greiss has kept them in games but they are regularly dominated and outshot. Something will need to turn around very soon or their playoff chances will be all but gone well before Christmas.

Prospect Watch:
RW Conor Garland (QMJHL) 10gp, 6-8-14, E
Garland's playmaking has improved, as well as his reads defensively.

LD Mikhail Sergachev (QMJHL) 10gp 1-8-9, -2
He has been effective at checking his opponents and nullifying their chances, is demonstrating better stamina to last long into games without slowing down and his puck control skills are growing.

G Alexandar Georgiev (RUS) 8gp, 3.37gaa, .888sv%, 6w
Georgiev has been more in control of rebounds this season and has carried himself very professionally.

LW Alexei Goloshumov (RUS) 8gp, 3-3-6, +1
He's looked stronger and more aggressive and his shots have more zip to them.

LW Kirill Kaprizov (RUS) 8gp, 4-8-12, +3
His agility and puckhandling have gotten even better this year.

G Thatcher Demko (NCAA) 4gp, 1.71gaa, .939sv%, 4w
Demko has been amazingly sound so far while showing marked improvement in his teamwork and puckhandling ability.

C Blake Lizotte (NCAA) 6gp, 1-0-1, -2
For a 5'7" pivot he has been hitting very well and his shot has looked more accurate this year.

RD Charlie McAvoy (NCAA) 6gp, 0-1-1, -1
McAvoy is showing improvement in his teamwork, puckhandling, agility and defensive reads.

RW Ty Ronning (WHL) 8gp, 3-2-5, +1
His first step is looking quicker.

[CanuckJohnny]

October Recap




The Sharks have started well in the Pacific, with only one regulation loss through nine games. Ryan Miller has been steady in net and their scoring depth (they lead the league in goals per game) has been impressive, including the offense they've gotten from the blueline especially from Burns and Streit. The Wild lead the Central, with Pominville (2-7-9) and Haula (3-5-8) leading the way offensively for them. They currently have the best powerplay in the NHL.

Detroit sits third in the Atlantic despite the dominant duo of Dylan Larkin (10-7-17) and Gus Nyquist (4-12-16) leading the league in scoring. Their powerplay is clicking at the second best rate in the league. Philadelphia is the second best team in the league in goals against, and the story over there is how Antti Niemi has taken the lion's share of starts over star Corey Crawford who was acquired in the offseason to be the number one. Niemi has amazing numbers right now and coach Craig Berube is riding the hot hand.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - San Jose (4.0), Boston (3.6), Tampa Bay (3.6), Washington (3.4), Chicago (3.3)
GA/gm - Colorado (1.7), Philadelphia (1.8), Anaheim (1.9), Buffalo, Carolina, Tampa Bay (2.0)
PP - Minnesota (32%), Detroit (30%), Tampa Bay (28%), San Jose (27%), Winnipeg (26%)
PK - Arizona (96%), Colorado (93%), Edmonton (93%), Winnipeg (91%), Toronto (90%)

Goalie Leaders (min 5gp):
GAA - Varlamov (COL) 1.32, Niemi (PHI) 1.34, Vasilevskiy (TBL) 1.36, Hammond (BUF) 1.38, Gibson (ANA) 1.44
Sv Pct - Niemi (PHI) .962, Varlamov (COL) .953, Gibson (ANA) .946, Hammond (BUF) .944, Vasilevskiy (TBL) .942
GSAA - Niemi (PHI) 9.85, Bernier (TOR) 7.32, Varlamov (COL) 6.36, Lehner (OTT) 6.14, Kuemper (MIN) 6.03
SO - Bernier (TOR), Dubnyk (CGY), Skapski (NYR), Varlamov (COL), Vasilevskiy (TBL) 2

Rookie Leaders:
Points - Meier (CBJ) 3-3-6, D. Strome (CGY) 2-4-6, Cassels (VAN) 2-3-5, Point (NYR) 2-2-4, Matheson (FLA) 1-3-4, Parayko (TBL) 1-3-4, Provorov (WIN) 0-4-4

Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - Giordano (CGY) 15, Shattenkirk (STL) 12, DeKeyser (DET) 11, S. Jones (NSH), Kruger (LAK) 9
Hits - Borowiecki (SJS) 44, B. Tanev (VAN) 35, Backes (STL), Lowry (WIN), Simmonds (PHI) 33
Blocked Shots - Russell (VAN) 42, C. Murphy (ARI) 36, Brodie (CGY) 35, Brodin (MIN), Gustafsson (PHI), Karlsson (OTT) 34
PIM - Clarkson (WSH) 37, E. Kane (WIN) 35, T. Wilson (WSH) 26, R. White (PHI) 24, Hartnell (ANA) 23
FO% - Engqvist (NJD) 62.9, J. Staal (CAR) 62.4, O'Reilly (COL) 61.8, Kopitar (LAK) 61.2, Schmaltz (CHI) 60.8
+/- - Despres (PIT) +10, Backstrom (WSH), Dillon (DAL), Nieto (SJS), Ovechkin (WSH), Saad (SJS) +9

Notable Injuries:
C David Krejci (BOS) DTD (back)
RW Mikko Rantanen (DAL) OUT 1-2 months (concussion)
RW Jordan Eberle (EDM) OUT 3-4 months (shoulder)
D Ryan Suter (MIN) DTD (abdomen)
LW Alex Galchenyuk (MTL) OUT 1-2 months (upper body)
D Shea Weber (NSH) DTD (jaw)
D Kris Letang (PIT) OUT 1-2 weeks (shoulder)
C Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH) OUT 1-2 months (hand)

[CanuckJohnny]

Struggling Canucks move veteran forward for minor league prospect




Nov 17th, 2016 -
As they come to grips with what is already looking like a lost season, the Canucks management team has moved into sell mode, and is already offloading one veteran early in the year with the trade of Max Lapierre to the Ducks. In return the Canucks get twenty three year old winger Stefan Noesen. Noesen is having a solid year in the AHL, with 14 points through 12 games, but the time has to be soon for him to crack an NHL lineup before he slides into a spot as a career minor leaguer. Perhaps this move will see him earn an opportunity and prove his mettle in the big leagues.

The Trade: VAN acquires RW Stefan Noesen (23yo, AHL 12gp, 6-8-14, -2); ANA acquires F Maxim Lapierre (12gp, 2-1-3, +3).

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in NOVEMBER




W 3-2 @ MTL - Brad Hunt had two assists and Justin Williams finally scored his first of the season. The Canucks were still outshot by the basement dwelling Canadiens and depended on Thomas Greiss making 39 saves to get the victory.
L 6-3 @ OTT - Bobby Ryan had two goals and two assists as the Sens pummelled the Canucks, outshooting them 45-24. Chris Tanev had an amazing game, with an assist, plus one, three shots, seven blocked shots, a hit and two takeaways.
L 4-1 @ TOR - Justin Williams had the lone Canuck goal and Markstrom struggled, allowing three goals on 21 shots.
L 7-4 @ NYI - Markstrom with another poor showing, allowing five on 27 shots before being pulled. Derrick Pouliot played well and had a goal. Bonino was excellent defensively and added an assist.
L 5-2 @ NYR - Another losing skid as it's been four straight now. Vancouver can't seem to find their way. Higgins and Cassels had the Canuck goals. They were outshot 39-24.
L 7-4 @ DET - Horvat had two powerplay goals but the Canucks allowed seven for the second time in two weeks. They were again outshot by a wide margin, 44-21. Derrick Pouliot also sustained an injury that should keep him out a couple weeks.
L 4-3 vs DAL - Same old story for this battered Canucks team - outshot 42-17, Markstrom's heroics kept it close but in the end they were overall anemic at home.
L 3-2 vs NYR - Goals from Horvat and Daniel (his 900th career point) were not enough to lift the Canucks over the Rangers. Now on a seven game losing streak, fans are restless and frustrated with this year's version of the Canucks.
W 5-3 vs ARI - A victory over fellow basement dweller Arizona snaps Vancouver's losing skid but they are already so far gone they traded Max Lapierre only a month and a half into the season after signing him. Acquisition Stefan Noesen picked up his first Canuck assist this game.
W 3-1 vs CHI - Even in the midst of an abysmal season it feels good to get a W against an old rival. The Canucks were miserably outshot again, 34-14, but they were opportunistic in the chances they did have, getting goals from Daniel, Williams and Horvat while Markstrom's 33 saves sealed the deal.
L 3-1 @ ARI - For the first time in too long Vancouver outshot their opponent but Brandon Tanev had the only goal in a losing cause as they were taken down by such household names as Brendan Shinnimin and Lauri Korpikoski.
L 4-3 @ DAL - Another loss but at least the Canucks were competitive with two goals from Horvat and Jeffrey's first of the year. Martin had two assists and has been having a solid year offensively with 13 points through 21 games.
W 3-2 @ COL - Filatov had a goal and an assist and Greiss had 45 saves in a surprising win in Denver. Pouliot had an assist in his return from injury.
L 5-2 vs MIN - Tom Pyatt had a goal and an assist to lead the Wild to win over Vancouver. The Canucks were outshot 27-21, which is a good defensive showing for them. Brandon Tanev and Bo Horvat were the goal scorers for Vancouver.

Record: 6-17-0 (4-10-0), 12 points, 7th in Pacific

Player Stats:
Goals - Horvat (9), Filatov (6), Daniel (5)
Assists - Martin (10), Filatov (8), C. Tanev (7)
Points - Filatov, Horvat (14), Martin (13), Daniel (11)
Plus/Minus - Noesen (+3), Tanev, Michalek (+1)
PIM - Horvat (40), Michalek (26), Tanev, Anderson (20)
Shots - Filatov (45), Daniel (41), Pouliot (40)
Hits - B. Tanev (63), C. Tanev (51), Hamhuis (42)
Takeaways - C. Tanev (17), Bonino (14), Martin (12)
Blocks - Tanev (85), Russell (77), Martin (76)
FO% - Horvat (55.7), Henrik (50.5), Bonino (49.1), Cassels (44.3)

Goalies:
Markstrom - 2-14-0, 3.34 GAA, .909 SvPct, -4.21 GSAA
Greiss - 4-3-0, 2.82 GAA, .930 SvPct, 3.68 GSAA

Injuries:
none

Summary:
After starting the year with high hopes the Canucks have hit rock bottom. They have the second worst record in the league, only the two-win New Jersey Devils have fewer points heading into December. Trevor Linden has already moved Max Lapierre while he felt he could get a return for him, despite Lapierre performing reasonably well in his role. They realize at this point they probably already have to cut bait with this season and recoup what they can. This may be it for fielding a competitive team for the Sedin's twilight years as it seems the Canucks are moving into full rebuild territory. Rumours are that any veteran players not tied down with NTCs are being made available to buyers around the league.


Bo Horvat has been a pleasant surprise, scoring at a thirty goal pace, and Brandon Tanev has developed into a reliable and energetic bottom six winger already. Filatov is looking to be a savvy acquisition this offseason as he proves his offensive chops are NHL worthy. Markstrom has struggled and not lived up to his previous form that saw him carry the team for stretches of last season. He has only two wins so far on the year. Can he turn things around and salvage something of this season?


Prospect Watch:
LD Mikhail Sergachev (QMJHL) 19gp, 4-16-20, -3
Sergachev has been playing with aggression and making good offensive reads while producing at a point per game pace as a defenseman in junior.

LW Alexei Goloshumov (RUS) 16gp, 7-8-15, +3
The young Russian has been thriving over in his home country, skating with better speed and showing improved endurance, while being an effective checker and also finding open ice in the offensive zone.

RD Rasmus Andersson (AHL) 23gp, 6-11-17, +5
Andersson has been thriving in his first professional season, making crisper passes and getting involved in a couple fights to stick up for teammates as well.

LD Will Butcher (AHL) 22gp, 2-8-10, +2
Butcher hasn't been super productive but he has been improving his gap control and stickwork in his own end and he is getting better at finding open ice on offense.

RW Ty Ronning (WHL) 17gp, 8-7-15, -1
Ronning has improved at getting open and continues to show a quicker first step while also carrying himself with a lot of professionalism off the ice.

[CanuckJohnny]

November Recap




The Pacific Division is looking stronger than it has for years, with the Sharks and Kings both establishing their claims as the top team in the west and Calgary and Anaheim nipping at their heels. The Sharks lead the league in goals for per game and sit tied for third in goals against, benefitted by their scoring depth, and outstanding season so far from roving defenseman Brent Burns and a resurgent performance from veteran goalie Ryan Miller. The Kings are led by Drew Doughty who leads the entire NHL in scoring through November as a defenseman and is on an astounding 107 point pace. Jonathan Quck has fourteen wins already. Anaheim boasts the best goalie tandem in the league, alternating Freddy Andersen with rising star John Gibson and receiving Vezina calibre play from both of them. The Stars sit comfortably atop the Central, rolling primarily wih Cam Talbot in net in spite of Lehtonen's reputation and record last season and it's been working out fine for them. Offensive defenseman John Klingberg leads them with 10 goals and 20 points but is no liability in his own end as he also leads the team in plus minus with a +14.

The Bruins are simply looking dominant at this point, with only three regulation losses through two months. They've been getting stellar goaltending from Tuukka Rask and have team buy in and scoring depth. All Star Patrice Bergeron leads the way for them with 10 goals, 22 points and a +12 even strength goal differential. 20 year old sniper David Pastrnak is producing at a point per game clip as well. The Sabres are surprising some folks with 31 points, good for second in their division, due in large part to amazing goaltending from the unheralded Andrew Hammond who is quietly having a near Vezina level season. Offensively they are of course led by generational sophomore talent Connor McDavid with 24 points through 22 games. Dylan Larkin of the Red Wings leads the league in goals with sixteen and they won't be going away any time soon. The Rangers lead the Metro with the Flyers and Penguins in hot pursuit. Henrik Lundqvist has had his net stolen from him by upstart Mackenzie Skapski who at 22 years old in just his second NHL season already has 3 shutouts and fourteen wins. Philadelphia is performing on the ice but controversy is brewing in their very divided locker room. Star goalie Corey Crawford was brought in only to be upstaged by Antti Niemi who has taken the lion's share of the starts and tensions have started to boil over, with Michael Raffl apparently in the center of it. Raffl has rubbed some of the veteran leaders of the team the wrong way but has backing from some of the younger players in the room. The Penguins are cruising along, helped by a tremendous season from 25 year old Simon Despres who has stepped up and played solidly at both ends of the ice and is tied for the league lead in plus minus currently.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - San Jose (3.71), Los Angeles (3.43), Washington (3.33), Boston (3.17), Tampa Bay (3.00)
GA/gm - Anaheim (2.04), Buffalo (2.14), San Jose, Boston (2.17), Tampa Bay (2.21)
PP - Winnipeg (28.6%), Buffalo (26.7%), Boston (24.2%), San Jose (23.7%), Detroit (23.4%)
PK - Colorado (90.7%), Philadelphia (89.7%), Anaheim (89.2%), Pittsburgh, Boston (87.3%)

Goalie Leaders (min 10gp):
GAA - Hammond (BUF) 1.61, Gibson (ANA) 1.64, Vasilevskiy (TBL) 2.02, Andersen (ANA) 2.06, Rask (BOS) 2.10
Sv Pct - Gibson (ANA) .944, Andersen (ANA), Hammond (BUF) .940, Niemi (PHI) .934, Bernier (TOR) .933
GSAA - Bernier (TOR) 14.71, Dubnyk (CGY) 12.67, Niemi (PHI) 11.03, Hutchinson (WPG) 10.71, Andersen (ANA) 10.02
SO - Miller (SJS) 4, Bernier (TOR), Dubnyk (CGY), Skapski (NYR), Varlamov (COL), Vasilevskiy (TBL) 3

Rookie Leaders:
Points - Marner (CAR) 5-7-12, D. Strome (CGY) 2-8-10, Provorov (WPG) 1-9-10, E. Gustafsson (TOR) 4-5-9, Cassels (VAN) 4-5-9

Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - Giordano (CGY) 27, K. Hayes (NYR), Stone (OTT) 21, Hedman (TBL) 20, Shattenkirk (STL), Slavin (CAR), Vlasic (SJS) 19
Hits - Borowiecki (SJS) 105, Lucic (BOS) 93, Landeskog (COL) 87, A. Lowry (WPG) 75, Backes (STL), Matteau (NJD) 74
Blocked Shots - Bouwmeester (STL) 91, C. Murphy (ARI) 88, Brodie (CGY) 86, C. Tanev (VAN) 85, Goligoski (DAL), E. Karlsson (OTT) 84
PIM - Cormier (WPG) 67, Borowiecki (SJS) 66, Latta (WSH) 57, E. Kane (WPG) 54, Wilson (WSH) 53
FO% - Tavares (NYI) 61.1, Kopitar (LAK) 60.1, Bourque (NSH) 60.0, Bergeron (BOS) 59.9, Hishon (COL) 59.5
+/- - Couture (SJS), Despres (PIT) +20, Nieto (SJS), Ovechkin (WSH), Saad (SJS) +17

Injuries:
D Cam Fowler (ANA) DTD (upper body)
F Kyle Palmieri (ANA) DTD (shoulder)
F Zemgus Girgensons (BUF) OUT 1-2 months (finger)
F Mikhail Grigorenko (BUF) OUT 1-2 months (elbow)
F Mikko Rantanen (DAL) DTD (concussion)
F Pavel Datsyuk (DET) DTD (back)
F Jordan Eberle (EDM) OUT 2-3 months (shoulder)
D Justin Schultz (EDM) OUT 3-4 months (ankle)
F Brandon Sutter (NJD) DTD (face)
F Boyd Gordon (PHI) OUT indefinitely (eye)
D Kris Letang (PIT) OUT indefinitely (hip)
F Leo Komarov (TOR) OUT 1-2 weeks (ankle)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH) OUT 1-2 weeks (hand)

[CanuckJohnny]

Vancouver takes care of some contract business

Dec 3rd, 2016
The Canucks got some extensions in place today, announcing that young forwards Josh Anderson and Cole Cassels have been extended on identical three year contracts. Dustin Jeffrey also received a two year, two-way contract extension. Bo Horvat made a splash by putting pen to paper on a five year extension with an AAV of $2.35M.

[CanuckJohnny]

Daniel Sedin suffers serious knee injury




Dec 13th, 2016 -
Canucks winger Daniel Sedin went down in their win over Carolina and team doctors have reported that he sustained a third degree MCL sprain. Daniel is expected to miss at least a month with the injury. Sedin has seven goals and nine assists through thirty games.

[CanuckJohnny]

The beat goes on for surging Canucks but Williams goes down to crippling injury


Dec 18th, 2016 -
Vancouver has actually managed to put together a four game win streak in their best run of the season. They saw Markstrom post a shutout two days ago against the Lightning and haven't slowed down since Daniel's injury but more bad news tonight after Justin Williams was assessed with a major UCL tear following the 4-1 victory over Columbus. The arm injury will keep Williams out indefinitely and is a blow to the Canucks who depended on his veteran leadership and solid depth scoring. Williams had five goals and ten assists through 32 games and will be missed in the lineup.

[CanuckJohnny]

Things go from bad to worse for beleaguered Canucks as captain sustains injury




Dec 20th, 2016 -
Not only was their season best four game winning streak snapped against the Jets despite a two goal performance from rookie Cole Cassels, the Canucks can't seem to buy a break on the injury front as they endeavour to claw their way out of the basement. Captain Henrik Sedin fractured his wrist and they will be without him for at least a month. Rookie Jared McCann will be called up to replace him. McCann has 13 goals and 23 points in Utica. Henrik had eighteen points in thirty three games.

[CanuckJohnny]

Rookie McCann making the most of his opportunity




Jan 9th, 2017 -
It was a disappointment for Jared McCann when he failed to make the team out of training camp, and although coaches were impressed with aspects of his game they felt it was best he hone his skills in the AHL. Well he played with that chip on his shoulder all year and produced 13 goals and 23 points in thirty AHL games before his opportunity came. With team captain and first line center Henrik Sedin out due to injury the Canucks needed a top six center with skills and McCann got the call. He hasn't wasted the opportunity, still carrying himself with that chip on his shoulder and playing every game to prove he always belonged here. In his first nine games with the big club McCann has 4 goals and 2 assists and has played a key role in the current 8 game winning streak as Vancouver climbs back towards the playoff race against all odds after a self-destructive season opening slide and serious injuries to three key forwards. Now with neither Henrik or Daniel Sedin or Justin Williams in the lineup they are on an absolute tear, led down the middle by youngsters Bo Horvat, Jared McCann and Cole Cassels.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks Prospect Report




Feb 1st, 2017 -

Forwards:

Conor Garland (QMJHL) 38gp, 20-30-50, -1 -- Garland has been dominating in what will by all accounts be his las year in junior. He is on pace to surpass his previous career highs at this level. Also a little under the radar has been his improved discipline this season, tracking for much fewer penalties than last year. He has shown improvements recently in his game, including in his overall foot speed and his creativity and offensive zone reads. He has played with aggressiveness and uses good stick work when checking opponents.

Kirill Kaprizov (RUS) 32 gp, 22-29-51, +3 -- The talented Russian winger has continued to trend in a positive direction statistically this year and is controlling play in Russia. He has improved his passing and playmaking acument which shows in a more balanced statistical profile. While staying disciplined, he has also added a more physical element and finishes his checks consistently. He looks NHL ready now and the sooner Vancouver can get him over the better.

Ty Ronning (WHL) 37gp, 16-16-32, -4 -- Ronning has been a consistent competitor, proving detractors wrong when he is doubted for his diminutive stature. His stats don't pop off the page but he is respectably productive in the Dub and notably has greatly reduced his penalties this year. Recently he has demonstrated a more accurate shot and shown improvement in his defensive zone positioning as well. He is consistently getting quicker with his first few steps and showing NHL level acceleration already.

Blake Lizotte (NCAA) 25gp, 8-12-20, E -- Lizotte is a small forward who doesn't have eye popping skills but works hard and pays attention to details in his own end. He had a good month and is proving he can be decently competitive even as a younger and smaller forward in the NCAA. He is making smart, quick decisions with the puck in the offensive zone and consistently wins his matchups defensively.

Danton Heinen (AHL) 48gp, 10-21-31, -1 -- Danton was acquired by Vancouver after putting up 20 goals in his first AHL season. He failed to match that last year and his offense seems to have trailed off a little more yet this season but he is continuing to earn icetime by contributing in other ways and competing at both ends of the ice. His foot speed is improving and he has shown growth in his defensive reads while also becoming more adept at screening the goalie and fighting for that valuable ice at the top of the crease. He has demonstrated fearlessness in all aspects of the game and is being noted for his bravery on the ice.


Defense:

Erik Cernak (OHL) 37gp, 1-19-20, -5 -- As defensive a defender as you will find, Cernak will make the NHL based on his physicality and proficiency in his own end. He only has one goal all year but has been working on his shot and it is heavier and he gets it on net more than at the start of the year. He has also gotten even better at clogging lanes and blocking shots this year and is playing with more aggression.

Mikhail Sergachev (QMJHL) 39gp, 9-26-35, -5 -- The Russian born Sergachev has been pushing a point per game pace as a defenseman in junior. His game is growing by leaps and bounds as he continues to play a key role for his team. He has shown a willingness to stick up for his teammates and also an increased commitment to shot blocking. His top end speed looks better than ever and he has been finding open ice and making himself available as an option in the offensive zone. His shot is heavier and should only continue to improve as he grows into his 6'3" frame.

Vince Dunn (OHL) 38gp, 4-25-29, -4 -- Dunn hasn't really taken the step offensively that you would look to see in a twenty year old playing in junior but he has rounded out his game well. He was always more of a playmaker and facilitator than a goal scorer and that trend has contindued. However, his shot blocking and commitment in his own end have developed considerably and he has improved in communicating with and playing in sync with his teammates.

Charlie McAvoy (NCAA) 25gp, 1-13-14, -1 -- The steady American blueliner has regressed statistically compared to his freshman year but make no mistake he is looking more and more NHL ready every game. He is playing a key matchup role against the opponent's best players night in and night out and being trusted in all situations by his coaches. In the past couple of months he has notably improved his balance on his skates and his stick checking and puck control skills. He also plays with courage and never hesitates to go into dangerous areas for the puck.


Goalies:

Casey DeSmith (AHL) 41gp, 1.88gaa, .938sv%, 27w -- The 25 year old keeper may not count as a typical prospect but he has yet to play meaningful NHL games to this point of his career. That may change soon, whether with the Canucks organization or elsewhere, as he has shown his mettle at the minor league level. DeSmith has taken the crease from fellow prospect Anthony Stolarz and run with it, leap frogging him on the organizational depth chart and looking like he could challenge for a backup role with the big club next year. He has improved his communication with teammates and also his recovery skills to get back and compete after giving up a rebound in a scrambly play.

Thatcher Demko (NCAA) 22gp, 2.71gaa, .907sv%, 14w -- While "Demmer's" numbers are down this year, some of that is the nature of college hockey with fluctuating rosters and a different team in front of you every year. He has still shown steady improvement as the Canucks allow him to hone his craft at the collegiate level before bringing him to the pros. Lately his blocker side has been much more consistent at keeping pucks out. Rumour has it he puts in long hours working on his reflexes and that is showing in his quickness with the blocker.

[CanuckJohnny]

John Carlson signs team friendly extension with Washington




February 2nd, 2017 -
Carlson and the team announced the extension in a press conference today. It is 3 years at an AAV of $4.37M. "I believe in this group and I want to be a part of keeping it together," said Carlson before adding, "I didn't want my contract situation to become a distraction for the guys or the fans going towards the playoffs so I'm glad to get the business stuff out of the way so we can focus on playing hockey."

Carlson has 8 goals and 38 points in 35 games so far this year in an incredible season for him and the Capitals. Washington sits at second in the Metro by quite a good margin and barring a collapse should be in the playoffs as the second Metro seed.

[CanuckJohnny]

Forsberg signs bridge deal with Predators




February 9th, 2017 -
Filip Forsberg and the Nashville Predators have come to terms on a 2 year contract extension that comes in at an average annual value of $5.22M. The team wanted a longer term deal but Forsberg and his agent insisted on the bridge contract, betting on himself and looking for a bigger payday in two years. After an off year last season Forsberg has bounced back in a big way, with 22 goals and 32 assists in 53 games.

[CanuckJohnny]

Struggling Oilers make coaching change




February 10th, 2017 -
Sitting at 15 points outside of the last Wild Card spot in the West, the Oilers decided now was the time to pull the trigger on a coaching change that had been rumoured for at least a month. Dallas Eakins was in his fourth year behind the bench for the Oilers and the team is mired in it's worst season under him yet. Expectations had been much higher for a team with multiple recent top picks and a lot of offensive fire power but injuries and lack of results ended up costing Eakins his job as Edmonton's front office looks for answers.

Their answer for now behind the bench will be well known hockey name Brent Sutter. Sutter will bring his hard nosed personality to the job and see if he can get more from this group than Eakins did. Sutter has spent time coaching in the NHL for Calgary and New Jersey. He is good at managing games and adjusting tactis, great at coaching the forward group and is a decent talent evaluator as well. The native of Viking, Alberta will look to turn around the fortunes of this Alberta franchise. Sutter won't pull any punches with his new players, saying today that "A lot of people might see this as a flawed team. I think they would be right. But it isn't going to stay that way for long."