This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.
Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a few weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.
Key exits: Nils Hoglander (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Marcus Pettersson (D), Jiri Patera (G), Evander Kane (LW), Pierre-Olivier Joseph (D), Derek Forbort (D), Nils Aman (C), Curtis Douglas (C), Joseph LaBate (C)
Key Arrivals: Jamie Oleksiak (D), Luke Schenn (D), Brendan Gallagher (RW), Trey Fix-Wolansky (RW), Akil Thomas (C), Paul Cotter (LW)
Top prospects: Caleb Malhotra (C, 18), Jonathan Lekkerimäki (RW, 22), Braeden Cootes (C, 18), Adam Novotny (LW, 18), Kirill Kudryavtsev (D, 22), Sawyer Mynio (D, 21), Aleksei Medvedev (G, 18), Brooks Rogowski (C, 18)
The Vancouver Canucks are tearing it down to the seams, which explains why the exits are bigger names than the arrivals, and also why they seem to be collecting 18-year-old prospects - because they are.+
What makes their odds look good:
The last time Thatcher Demko suited up for more than half the games, he had stellar numbers: 5 shutouts, a 2.45 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in 51 games, finishing as the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy - but that was in 2023-24. Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek are solid pieces, either to help guide the rebuild, or as trade chips.
Question marks:
Elias Pettersson led the team in points last season... with 51. How much longer will the Canucks wait before deciding what their plan is with him?
Outlook:
New General Manager Ryan Johnson, and Co-Presidents Henrik and Daniel Sedin have tapped first-time head coach Manny Malhotra to lead a full rebuild, a multi-year process they hope will resemble how Martin St-Louis impacted the Montréal Canadiens. Only time will tell if these are the right people for the job, but their mandate is clear.
Prediction:
8th in the Pacific Division (last in the NHL).
Over the years, many superstar forwards have suited up for the Canucks: the afore-mentioned Sedin twins, Trevor Linden, Pavel Bure, Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi... but few have captured fans' hearts and imagination as much as Dave "Tiger" Williams, the NHL's all-time career leader with 3,971 penalty minutes.
A Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick (second round, 31st overall in 1974, and also third-overall in that year's WHA draft by the Cincinnati Stingers), Williams was often in the team's top-five goal scorers, potting around 20 per year; he was traded to Vancouver midway through the 1979-80 season with Jerry Butler for Bill Derlago and Rick Vaive, who would hit the 50-goal mark three times in Toronto.
He would have a dream season in 1981-82, scoring 35 goals to lead the team, with 27 assists for 62 points (fourth on the team) along with a league-leading 343 penalty minutes in 77 games, earning an All-Star Game appearance where he played on a line with two of the game's best-ever goal scorers, Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
He briefly played for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins before retiring in 1988 and pretty much immediately began playing in the NHL Alumni program, as well as Leafs Alumni. He was accused of sexual harassment on one such visit to Latvia, for which he charges were eventually dropped after he apologized, although the victim feels the trauma suffered during the incident cost her her flying career. Here he is wearing the white (home) Legends Of Hockey jersey (with the Canucks' logo on his helmet), on card #AF-TW from Upper Deck's 2008-09 SP Game-Used Edition set and Authentic Fabrics and Dual Jerseys sub-sets:
No comments:
Post a Comment