2009-2010 Vancouver Canucks Preview

For some odd reason, the Canucks seem to be the forgotten Canadian franchise. I’m not really sure why that is, but most people, when asked to name all six Canadian hockey teams, routinely name Vancouver last or forget about them entirely. That’s their loss, as one of the continent’s most beautiful cities boasts a strong hockey tradition, including two trips to the Stanley Cup finals and some really cool jerseys. Can the Canucks finally force their way into the greater hockey consciousness and make a run for Lord Stanley’s chalice?

Looking Back at 2008-2009

Vancouver came out of the basement in 2007-08 and won the Northwest Division crown! Their 45-27-10 record was enough to earn the Western Conference’s 3rd seed and a first round matchup with St. Louis. The Canucks dispatched the Blues in quick fashion but lost a barnburner in the 2nd round to the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite the playoff exit, Canuck fans were truly enthused about a season which saw goalie Roberto Luongo perform at an elite level and the Sedin twins fulfill their extraordinary promise by scoring 82 points apiece.

The Offseason

The Canucks had an incredibly important offseason. The re-signed the Sedin twins and Luongo to long term contract extensions, thus keeping their star players on the West Coast for the long term. Even better, they brought in a strong group of new players, including winger Mikael Samuelsson from Detroit and three strong defensemen in Matthieu Schneider, Christian Erhoff and Brad Lukowich. The only major loss for the Canucks was defenseman Mattias Ohlund.

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2009-2010 Outlook

The Canucks should have quite the set of scorers on this year’s team, led by the excellent Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel. Both scored 82 points last season to lead the team and will be counted on to repeat their excellence. They’re surrounded by a strong young cast that includes center Ryan Kesler (26 goals, 59 points), winger Alex Burrows (28 goals, 51 points) and center Kyle Wellwood. Plus, don’t forget the savvy Samuelsson, who was very strong in Detroit the past two seasons. On top of that, the Canucks have a two former 1 st round draft picks at center who appear ready to break into the lineup. The only major concern about the offense is that winger Pavol Demitra will miss about a month due to offseason surgery. Sadly, it isn’t his time out that is the concern: Demitra makes $4 million per year and the Canucks will have to make a trade to get him back in the lineup because they’re currently about $2 million over the salary cap once he becomes an active player. Thus, there will be some lost productivity somewhere up front before Thanksgiving.

However, the Canucks’ biggest change this year will come on the blue line. Head coach Alain Vigneault wanted to move to a more mobile group which could join the rush and the acquisition of the speeder pair of Schneider and Erhoff should make the Canucks much more dangerous. Along with the newcomers are a steady and productive group already in place that includes Kevin Bieksa, Alexander Elder and Sami Salo. This has to be one of the NHL’s most versatile groups of defenders and I expect a very strong season.

However, the Canucks will go as far as their superstar goalie takes them. Roberto Luongo is the team’s captain and best player. He’s shown the ability to win games singlehandedly for Vancouver and is the type of goaltender that a team needs to make a run at the Stanley Cup. Assuming Luongo shakes off a tough final showing against Chicago, the Canucks have one of the best goaltenders in the world at their disposal.

PREDICTION: Some people are expecting the Canucks to take a step back after exploding onto the scene last year. Not this writer: Vancouver is going to have a great set of defensemen, all of whom will be a force at both ends of the ice. They might not possess the elite talent that Calgary has at the top end, but their depth is as good as any in the NHL. Playing in front of Robert Luongo will also certainly make their lives easier as well.

I haven’t even mentioned the Canucks’ three scoring lines! This team possesses a lot of speed and talent and should find plenty of scoring that isn’t produced by the prolific Sedin twins. When you combine a strong forward corps with an elite unit of defensemen and one of the five best goalies in hockey, then you have the formula for a bonafide Stanley Cup contender. I think that the Canucks will repeat as Northwest Division Champions and make a deep playoff run. However, they’ll need to pull an upset to get past favored Detroit and I think that the Canucks will fall short of the Stanley Cup Finals. However, there is absolutely no doubt that this team is capable of winning the Stanley Cup.

By Matt Baxendall
DFN Sports & ProHockey-fans.com Staff Writer

Feel your team is underrated? Tell Matt Baxendell why at matt.baxendell@gmail.com

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