Will the Canucks miss the playoffs?

[yave1964]

  The Vancouver Canucks spent years feasting off have nots such as the Wild, Avalanche, Flames and Oilers, with the realignment the Canucks are in a division with the three studly California clubs as well as the always underrated Coyotes. Along with these four also in the West are the Blues, Blackhawks, Avalanche and Wild.

 

  Current Standings in the West show the Canucks in 9th place.

1.   Ducks        37

2.   Hawks        36

3.   Blues          35

4.   Sharks        35

5.   Avalanche   34

6.   Wild             34

7.   Kings           33

8.   Coyotes       32

_________________

9  Canucks        28

 

Dallas, Nashville and Winnipeg are four points behind the Canucks.

 

  Roberto Luongo is not the problem, as the club is 6th best in Goals against, playing stingy defense. The Sedins are down a bit but are still a force, Ryan Kesler is playing solid hockey, Santorelli and Ryan Stanton have been surprisingly good as low cost additions. The defense in general while overpriced and a tad overrated is not playing badly.

  So what is the problem? Secondary scoring after the top four forwards.

Burrows has yet to score a goal this year. David Booth has one. Jannick Hansen has three. Supposed top prospect Jordan Schroeder has zero and got hurt. Pre-season acquisitions Zac Dalpe and Jeremy Welch have been non entities. 

  This club has one of the two or three worst farm systems in the game, no NHL ready help down on the farm. They also are up against the cap with no room for additions. They are in big trouble.

  If they keep up at their current pace, they need some help from the clubs ahead of them, someone needs to blink and fall off for the Canucks to make it, because I don't see this club being capable of going on a hot run and pushing their way into the mix without help.

  Candidates would be the Coyotes, underrate at your own risk, the Wild who look as if they have it together, the banged up and injured Kings and the overachieving Avalanche. I think it is a long road ahead for the Canucks and at best a 50/50 proposition for them to still be playing come postseason. If Hansen and Booth don't get it together I truly do not see it happening. 

 

[ruxpin]

The back is separating a bit, huh?   I agree with you that they are in big trouble.  The Sedin twins seemed to sign their contract and have taken the rest of the year off.   And since no one not named Sedin or Kesler can score, it looks pretty bad in Canuckville.

 

They're in the wrong conference this year.  If they're in the east they're perfectly fine.