The Vancouver Canucks have treated their fans to some excitement and drama so far in the 2024 Playoffs. They should be called the “Comeback Canucks” at this point given their propensity to dig deep and never give up despite being down multiple goals. They did it in the first round against the Nashville Predators in Game 4, shocking the Bridgestone Arena crowd by notching two goals in less than two minutes and winning it in overtime off the stick of Elias Lindholm. Then, in another crescendo of exciting hockey, Conor Garland provided the dramatics in Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers with his cheeky game-winner where he faked out Stuart Skinner with a slapper and slid it five-hole. That goal completed the comeback after Lindholm, JT Miller and Nikita Zadorov scored three unanswered to tie the game at four.
What do both of those comebacks have in common? Zadorov and Lindholm have helped either key it or finish it. In other words, general manager Patrik Allvin‘s two biggest acquisitions this season are paying immediate dividends in the playoffs and have helped push the Canucks to the second round and three wins away from the Western Conference Final.
“Big Z” Delivering the Goods in the Playoffs
Zadorov has lived up to his nickname “Big Z” so far in these playoffs. He has thrown every bit of his 6-foot-6 frame at the opposition with 25 hits and has three goals and five points in seven games. We all expected the former, I don’t think anyone expected the latter. He has arguably been the Canucks’ best defenceman – yes, even better than Quinn Hughes – and is a big reason why the Canucks have a series win under their belt and a 1-0 lead against the Oilers.
Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Hub
Zadorov was a beast in the first round with two goals – and nearly the series winner in Game 5 – skating miles alongside Ian Cole. He has averaged 20 minutes of ice time so far and has given everything (and more) that the fans and Allvin were hoping for when he was acquired in November for nothing but a couple of later-round draft picks. He didn’t take long to make his presence felt in the second round against the Oilers, tying the game at four with a rocket from the blue line and starting the rush with a long stretch pass to Dakota Joshua, who found Garland for the eventual winning goal.
Big Z’s performance in the playoffs should also net him a big payday in free agency, but that’s a discussion for another day. Right now, he’s making hay on the scoreboard and giving Canucks fans reason to believe that 2024 could be the year the Stanley Cup returns to Canada.
Lindholm Dusts Off Regular Season & Catches Fire in the Playoffs
I think it’s safe to say that everyone has forgotten about how underwhelming Lindholm was in the regular season. Since his return against the Arizona Coyotes on April 10, he’s been dynamite on the scoresheet, notching four goals and eight points in 11 games – including three goals and five points in the playoffs. He has essentially taken Elias Pettersson’s spot on the depth chart and elevated the so-called “third line” to second-line status with his combination of elite two-way play, faceoff prowess (52.6 percent in the playoffs), and clutch goalscoring. Basically, like Zadorov, he’s been everything the Canucks expected him to be when they acquired him from the Flames in a blockbuster deal before the trade deadline.
That definitely wasn’t the case for most of Lindholm’s tenure as fans and analysts alike were dubbing the deal a win for the Flames and a massive loss for the Canucks. Starting on the wing with Pettersson, the hope was that the two Swedes would elevate each other and give head coach Rick Tocchet another dynamic duo to go along with Miller and Boeser and Joshua and Garland. But that never happened, and Lindholm was bandied between center and wing on multiple lines as Tocchet tried to find the right fit for his new weapon.
It wasn’t until Tocchet finally aligned Lindholm between Garland and Joshua that his game took off. It’s like he’s been reunited with former linemates Johnny Gaudreau (Garland) and Matthew Tkachuk (Joshua). They developed instant chemistry and have already given Canucks fans some highlight reel moments, the height being Lindholm’s snipe in overtime following some great work by Joshua along the boards and a patented behind-the-back spin pass from Garland. The latest, however, was Joshua tapping it to Garland in full flight in the neutral zone in Game 1 which eventually led to the game-winning goal. The bottom line is, Lindholm is looking more and more like the man who scored 42 goals and was nominated for the Selke Trophy in 2021-22 than the one that struggled after Gaudreau and Tkachuk left in free agency and trade respectively.
Hopefully, the Canucks can find a way to re-sign both Lindholm and Joshua to reasonable deals or Garland will suffer the fate of Lindholm and lose his linemates all in one offseason. But again, that’s a discussion for another day. For now, fans should bask in the sunlight that is this line and hope that they can do what the Tampa Bay Lightning trio of Barclay Goodrow, Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman did in 2020 and 2021 and lead their team to a Stanley Cup.
Allvin & Rutherford’s In-Season Moves Paying Off Big Time
I’m sure Allvin and Jim Rutherford are excited to see their big-name acquisitions performing in the playoffs – even though they don’t show any shred of happiness in the press box. They added Zadorov and Lindholm to move the needle, and they are doing just that right now. Heck, they aren’t just moving the needle, they’re blowing it right off the dial. From dramatic goals that tie the game to big hits and overtime heroics, they are making it exciting to be a Canucks fan.
What do they have in store for Game 2? Find out later tonight as Rogers Arena gets ready to rock for another (hopefully) dramatic and fun outing.
