It’s been four games since the Vancouver Canucks shook up their roster and jettisoned J.T. Miller, Vincent Desharnais, Danton Heinen, and Erik Brannstrom, and added Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, Marcus Pettersson, and Drew O’Connor. It’s a very small sample size, but they are 3-0-1, and look like a totally different team than the one that was drowning in drama and mediocrity and couldn’t put together consistent efforts from one game to another. They are also doing it without their captain and MVP Quinn Hughes, who has been out with an undisclosed injury and hasn’t played a single game with the new (and seemingly improved) lineup.
Related: Canucks’ Elias Pettersson Will Greatly Benefit From 4 Nations Face-Off Break
So, what has contributed to this transformation? Let’s take a look.
Filip Chytil & Drew O’Connor Have Added Game-Changing Speed to the Forward Group
Four games into their Canucks tenure and Chytil and O’Connor look like they have played in the blue and green for years. Not only have they added game-changing speed to the top-six – something the Canucks have needed all season – but they have also developed some instant chemistry together, recently aligned with Brock Boeser on the second line. Before they were acquired, the forward group would mostly play a dump-and-chase style, despite head coach Rick Tocchet’s desire to initiate more off the rush. But since their debuts on Feb. 2 against the Detroit Red Wings, the team has looked faster and more creative, especially when this new duo has been on the ice.
Chytil and O’Connor have speed to burn, and they have showcased it many times already, mostly carrying the puck into the offensive zone instead of dumping it in. Tocchet has said that he hopes the rest of the team takes notes on how they play, and seemingly, they have, as the whole roster appears to be faster and more engaged off the rush and on the forecheck. They have both produced on the scoreboard as well, with Chytil notching three points and O’Connor scoring two goals – including the overtime winner on a penalty shot against the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 6.
“I don’t want to overstate it, but I think Chytil and Drew O’Connor, the speed and their willingness to take the puck in the middle on a rush, it’s a little breath of fresh air…When you see he’ll take that puck, he goes in the middle of the ice and that’s when things happen. Just adding those two guys has helped our rush game. You can see (assistant coach) Yogi (Svejkovsky) — we’re smiling, because that’s the stuff we need.”
– Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet
Marcus Pettersson & Elias Pettersson Have Transformed the Defence
It’s amazing how different the blue line looks with Marcus Pettersson and Elias Pettersson in the lineup over Vincent Desharnais and Noah Juulsen. Since Marcus joined the team and Elias was re-inserted, it’s been night and day, especially when it comes to moving the puck out of their own zone and starting rushes the other way.
Related: Meet the New Canucks: Chytil, Mancini, Pettersson & O’Connor
Looking at the advanced stats over the last four games, the Canucks have controlled play more often than not and haven’t been stuck in the defensive zone for long periods of time. Both Petterssons aren’t wired to just chip it out and simply relieve the pressure, but rather make a pass to a forward or skate it out of danger. This has made a huge difference, and as a result, the defence isn’t a source of frustration anymore, but something to be proud of.
All in all, it appears two Petterssons are all the Canucks needed to turn their defence from a weakness to a strength, trickling down to two guys who have been in the lineup most of the season. Elias has even turned veteran Carson Soucy’s season around, as the pairing holds the highest Corsi for percentage (CF%) of all duos that have played more than 20 minutes together, sitting at an impressive 65.85. As for Marcus, he has formed instant chemistry with Tyler Myers, prompting Tocchet to remark, “They’re just always in the way. It feels like they’ve been playing together for a couple of years.”
Filip Hronek Has Stepped Up in Quinn Hughes’ Absence
The defence has had to deal with the absence of Hughes for four games now, and surprisingly, they haven’t suffered as much as everyone probably expected them to. Why is that? Well, three reasons; the aforementioned Pettersson squared and Filip Hronek stepping up his game. Hronek has arguably played his best hockey with Hughes sidelined, teaming up with Derek Forbort on the top pairing to create a shockingly effective duo. Over the past four games, they have not allowed a goal against at five-on-five, and the Canucks have outchanced opponents 18-15 (7-4 high-danger) with them on the ice. They also hold a solid 56.63 CF%, second only to Soucy and Pettersson for pairings who have played more than 20 minutes together.
Hronek has always been a good puckmover and top-pairing defenceman, but he seems to take control of the game more when he is not paired with Hughes. It makes sense why he doesn’t want to handle the puck a lot with Hughes by his side, considering he is one of the best in the league with the puck on his stick. That’s why it might be better to have Hronek with a partner like Forbort, who will let him have the puck more often. The problem is, when Hughes gets back, Forbort will likely be the odd man out, especially with how good the other two pairings have looked lately.
Regardless of what happens when Hughes returns, Hronek has stepped up as the number-one defenceman in his absence, and that’s good news with the Canucks battling for a playoff spot.
Thatcher Demko Is Back…
Before Thatcher Demko‘s latest injury – which apparently isn’t serious – he was looking more and more like the Demko that was in the Vezina Trophy conversation last season. He was making highlight-reel saves and exuded confidence befitting an elite starting goaltender. The numbers from his starts against the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks were as Vezina-worthy as you can get: 0.5 goals-against average, .983 save percentage (SV%), and one shutout. Hopefully, his latest injury doesn’t derail this turnaround, and he can return with the same swagger he showed against the Avalanche and Sharks (and the first ten minutes against the Maple Leafs) when the Canucks are back in action on Feb. 22.
…But Kevin Lankinen Is Still Needed
Even if Demko returns to the crease right away and continues his rise back to stardom, Kevin Lankinen should not be forgotten as a big piece of the Canucks’ goaltending story. He put an exclamation point on that fact when he came in cold against the Maple Leafs and shut the door, eventually leading his team to a 2-1 win. Like Demko at his best, Lankinen looks calm and collected in the net, and makes highlight-reel saves look easy – like this one against the Maple Leafs when he absolutely robbed Auston Matthews of a sure goal.
Lankinen will be key to the Canucks making the playoffs and should be used in a 1A/1B tandem with Demko for the rest of this season and beyond. It would be in Patrik Allvin’s best interests to get him signed asap to keep the good times rolling and create one of the league’s top tandems, similar to what the Canucks had in Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider during the Presidents’ Trophy era in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Canucks Need to Keep Momentum Going After 4 Nations Face-Off Break
It’s kind of a shame the 4 Nations break had to happen now when the Canucks were finally starting to gain some traction in their season. Having said that, there are a lot of positives to it as well, especially when it comes to Hughes and Demko’s health. They can both rest and recuperate their injuries and come back strong for the final push to the playoffs. As of the break, they were still three points up on the Calgary Flames for the final wild card spot and two points back of the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division.
Despite all the drama and changes to the roster, the Canucks are still in a great position to return to the postseason for the second straight year. If the last four games are any indication, fans should be in for an exciting finish to the season, and hopefully, another run in the playoffs that leads to more than just the second round.
All advanced stats are from Natural Stat Trick
