The Canucks are never dull. Will the up-and-coming squad make the playoffs? Can their D-corps stay healthy? What will happen to impending UFAs Jacob Markstrom and Chris Tanev? imacSportsnet has more on what to watch for in the second half ⤵️
Really, considering they have two of the most exciting young players in the National Hockey League in Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, it is almost impossible for the Canucks to be boring. But you just never know what you’re going to get from this up-and-coming Vancouver team.
In less than half a season, the Canucks have taken three out of four points from the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, but lost twice to the New Jersey Devils. They finally beat the Vegas Golden Knights and also won in Washington against the Capitals, but were blitzed in Chicago vs. the Blackhawks and blew a three-goal, third-period lead to lose to the Penguins in Pittsburgh.The clear, if unspoken, objective for the Canucks this season was to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
In November, when the Canucks endured a 1-5-2 slump, a high draft-lottery finish looked more plausible than a high finish in the Pacific Division standings. But Vancouver bounced back before Christmas to inch back within two points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Are they a playoff team? Odds remain against them. But the Canucks have beaten some excellent teams and, at the very least, look capable to stay in the fight until April, which itself would represent significant progress over the last four years.As we’ve said many times, the franchise has never had a defenceman like Hughes.
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