If the Canucks return to the playoffs next season, this is how they'll do it (imacSportsnet)
Whatever he can’t get in free agency, Benning will look for in trade. But despite having some surplus bodies in the bottom half of the lineup, the Canucks possess very few pieces of any value that management would consider expendable. This is why Jake Virtanen is frequently mentioned in trade conjecture. The former sixth-overall pick, still only 22, scored 15 goals last season and has the size, speed and power that teams covet.
Benning won’t trade any of his young core pieces, and other assets like veteran, injury-prone defenceman Chris Tanev and goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko aren’t at peak value.Despite their overall improvement, the Canucks scored only one more goal this season than last: 219 vs. 218. But their power play production the season after the retirement of Daniel and Henrik Sedin actually declined by 10 goals, to 43.
Hughes is going to help the power play, which dropped to 22nd in the NHL from ninth , and so should more experience and NHL practise for Pettersson and Boeser. And Tanner Pearson, acquired in February for Erik Gudbranson, had nine goals in 19 games for the Canucks and should provide better net-front presence. Ten more power-play goals could mean six or eight more points in the standings.Yes, that four-letter word. The Canucks’ 319 man-games lost to injury this season were fifth-most in the NHL.
The Canucks definitely have the potential to make the playoffs next season. We’re not saying that they will. But not saying they won’t, either.
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