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10 Reasons why Canucks aren't playing like they did last season |
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Last season, the Vancouver Canucks were the toast of the NHL. They were a spirited, energetic group that found many ways to win, even though the Canucks hadn’t seen the playoffs since 2014-15. They were the Pacific Division’s highest scoring team and a playoff qualifier.
The Canucks shocked the defending champion St. Louis Blues in the first round of the playoffs, and looked as if they were on the fast track toward being a contender.
But they have lost their mojo this season. Instead of continuing their rise, they are 6-11 and sit second-to-last in the North Division. Here are 10 reasons why they are not the same team they were last season
1. We overrated last season’s success: The Canucks were strong early, gained momentum, and rode that momentum to a quality season. They were fun to watch, highly entertaining, and they confirmed the franchise is headed in the right direction. The Canucks are still learning how to be a championship caliber team. We should have expected them to have ups and downs.
2. Jacob Markstrom is in Calgary: How many times did Markstrom bail out the Canucks last season? Too many to count. He was a significant contributor to their success. The Canucks’ inability to re-sign him has undermined their rise.
3. Canucks’ team defense is lacking: This was a problem last season as well, but goaltending and timely scoring made that deficiency seem less egregious.
4. Vancouver’s goaltending has been subpar: It’s fair to blame the defensive lapses, but you don’t pay goalies to make easy saves. You pay them to step up when the defense is struggling. That’s what Markstrom did last season and Braden Holtby and Thatcher Demko are not doing this season. The NHL’s average save percentage is down to .905 this season, but Demko is at .896 and Holtby is at .884.
5.All-Canadian Division is unforgiving: Every team in this division is on the rise, and even the Ottawa Senators are not the pushover their record indicates.This division demands consistency every night, and the Canucks have been inconsistent.
6. Elias Pettersson has been less productive: We should have anticipated this as well. He’s 22 and just starting the exploration of his ability. He was bound to have more ups and downs. He will pick it up. He has five points and his past five games. Pettersson should be the least of the Canucks concerns.
7. Power play decline: The Canucks rank 21st this season on the power play at 16.1%, compared to 4th last season at 24.2%.
8. Chris Tanev is in Calgary: This isn’t a major factor, but he was Quinn Hughes’ partner last season and it was a good fit. Tanev supplied responsible defense and Hughes could be an elite puck mover. Hughes is even more dynamic offensively this season, but his defensive inexperience is more noticeable
9. Shared blame: This not a situation where a coach is blamed for the team’s failure to thrive. Travis Green was behind the bench last season when the Canucks were among the NHL’s most exciting teams.He didn’t forget how to coach. However, one of the tenets that coaches have taught me through the years is that coaches can make the greatest impact on the defensive side of the game. You can’t convert someone into a 50-goal scorer if he lacks talent, but you can convert anyone into a defensive zealot. These defensive issues were here last season. Green bears some responsibility for the lack of progress in their defensive prowess..
10. Psychology of Sports: We should understand by now that winning begets more winning, and losing begets more losing. The Canucks started well last season, and their confidence grew exponentially. This slow start has had the opposite impact. They expected to win last season, and it doesn’t seem like they expect to win these days. It seems clear that Bo Horvat and the veterans on this team need to take the lead in pulling the team forward. It shouldn’t be up to Pettersson and Hughes, even thoough they are the team’s most skilled players.
Blogger •HHOF Writer's column on the NHL • 
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