The Vancouver Canucks are coming off one of their best seasons in franchise history, and that means expectations will be significantly higher than they were a season ago when they were still treading water after missing the playoffs again. The expectation then was to either be in the playoff mix or make it as a wild card team. Now, heading into 2024-25, they are expected to defend their Pacific Division crown and contend for the Stanley Cup. Talk about a jump in expectations, right? Here are five burning questions as we continue to count down the days to September and the unofficial start to Canucks hockey season: the Young Stars tournament in Penticton.
Are the Canucks Contenders Now or Was 2023-24 a Flash in the Pan?
There wasn’t anyone in the hockey world, fan or otherwise, that predicted the Canucks to have a season where they flirted with first in the Western Conference. If you said you did, you’re lying. They surprised everyone and became a contender, with people even discussing them as a team that could win the Stanley Cup. Getting to 50 wins for the first time since 2011-12 and only the third time in their history (the other two times, they won the Presidents’ Trophy), Canucks Nation was in a tizzy experiencing consistent winning hockey going back to the days of the Sedins and Roberto Luongo.
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With a new coach that demanded defensive structure and accountability, the Canucks thrived as one of the best in the NHL. But, does this mean they have finally gotten over the hump of mediocrity and missing the playoffs year after year? Going into 2024-25, the core of the team remains the same with JT Miller, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, and Thatcher Demko leading the way. They have a deep roster with new forward additions Jake DeBrusk, Daniel Sprong, and Kiefer Sherwood, but a bit of a question mark with their defence, as they lack mobility apart from Hughes, Filip Hronek, and Tyler Myers. But considering what Adam Foote and Sergei Gonchar did with the same uncertain defence (remember, they only had Hughes and Hronek as incumbents going into free agency) last season, I wouldn’t count out the unit becoming one of the best in the league again.
On paper, it appears the Canucks have the group to at least match what they did last season by making the playoffs as a division seed. Beyond that, we will just have to wait and see.
How Will Elias Pettersson Gel With His New Linemates?
Rick Tocchet doesn’t appear to be fond of putting together the Lotto Line for significant periods of time, so Elias Pettersson will likely have two new linemates on opening night. With the trade of long-time duet partner Ilya Mikheyev, he will have to gel quickly with at least one to give Tocchet another duo to run with. Right now, he has Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, and Miller and Boeser as his go-to’s. Ideally, he would have three to cycle through, but until Pettersson shows some chemistry with someone, he will probably see a revolving door of wingers – at least to start.
First in that revolving door will be DeBrusk, given general manager Patrik Allvin’s comments when he was signed. He expects him to play with Pettersson, and give him the scoring winger he hasn’t had since Tyler Toffoli’s brief 17-game stint in 2019-20. As for the other winger, Sprong, Heinen, Vasily Podkolzin, Nils Hoglander, and maybe even Kiefer Sherwood and rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki will get looks there in the preseason to see who might fit as the third member of the line. I’m sure Tocchet is hoping DeBrusk has an instant connection with Pettersson, and he can confidently deploy three duos regularly.
How Will Brock Boeser Follow Up His First 40-Goal Season?
Brock Boeser‘s production last season was a big reason why the Canucks finished first in the Pacific. He hit the 40-goal milestone for the first time in his career and was the dangerous goal-scoring threat that everyone anticipated he would be after his rookie season in 2017-18. He was also healthy, dressing for a career-high 81 games; he would have played all 82 if Tocchet didn’t dress a skeleton lineup for the final game of the season.
Boeser’s big campaign started early with his first four-goal game against the Edmonton Oilers on opening night. It continued from there as his longest scoring drought was only seven games, along with two hat tricks against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets, and six more multi-goal games. He was as close to a machine as you could get, and now it begs the question, will he be able to do it again? The last three 40-goal scorers the Canucks have had in Todd Bertuzzi (2002-03), Daniel Sedin, and Ryan Kesler (both in 2010-11) couldn’t replicate their success the following season, or the rest of their careers for that matter. Can Boeser break that trend in 2024-25?
Hopefully, the blood clot Boeser suffered before Game 7 against the Oilers is a one-time thing and he can return healthy and ready for another full season. With a center like Miller on his line, anything is possible, so I wouldn’t count out a second 40-goal season from the Minnesota native.
Will Dakota Joshua Live up to His Big Contract?
Joshua is hands-down Allvin’s best free agent signing since he became GM of the Canucks. From a depth grinder to a versatile, two-way power forward, he has blossomed before our eyes and is now a vital piece of the roster. Of course, that meant a huge raise on the budget-friendly $850,000 average annual value (AAV) he was earning when he first joined the team. After two career seasons, he got a four-year extension worth $3.25 million AAV, and all the expectations that come with it.
At that kind of money, fans will be expecting at the very least 15-20 goals, possibly more. The good thing is, Joshua’s value doesn’t just come from goals and points. He also brings physicality (467 hits over the last two seasons), elite penalty killing, and arguably solidifies the Canucks’ identity of being tough to play against. If he just continues to play like he has since coming to Vancouver, the $3.25 million will be well-earned.
What About Vasily Podkolzin?
Before the Canucks signed Sprong, Podkolzin had a good chance of breaking into the top-six with a solid training camp and preseason. Now, it’s a bit more murky. He has to clear waivers to be sent to the American Hockey League (AHL), and while they might be able to sneak him down during the preseason, it’s a risk they probably shouldn’t take. So, he either beats out the competition for a spot or Allvin tries to trade him for an asset. In my mind, those are the two options.
Fans are hoping Podkolzin can mirror Hoglander’s 2023-24 season and become a full-time NHLer. After a development season in the AHL in 2022-23, Hoglander broke out to the tune of 24 goals (all at even strength) and spent most of the campaign in the top six alongside Pettersson. In 2023-24, the Canucks gave Podkolzin the same treatment, keeping him in Abbotsford for nearly the entire season. He finished with 15 goals and 28 points in 44 games, showing tremendous growth in his defensive game and even added another weapon to his arsenal – a lethal one-timer on the power play. He then came up to the NHL for 19 games and didn’t look out of place, showcasing an extra level of physicality with 70 hits – 14 off the total he threw in his rookie season when he played 79 games.
Podkolzin appears to be ready to make a mark on the league this season, the only question is, do the Canucks have room in their lineup for him to do it?
Questions Will Start to Be Answered On Oct. 9
We are now under two months away from the regular season when the Canucks will take on the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. All of these questions won’t be fully answered until 2025, but we will start to get a sense of where they’re heading very early on. With the Young Stars tournament set for Sept. 13 and the preseason Sept. 24, hockey is getting closer by the day.
