Thanks to an impressive batch of talented young players, the Vancouver Canucks gave the heavily favored Vegas Golden Knights just about all they could handle in the 2020 NHL postseason. What will they do for an encore?
For one, expect even more out of the otherworldly Elias Pettersson. And seeing Braden Holtby in a non-Washington Capitals crease will be captivating. Here's everything you need to know prior to opening night of the 2020-21 season:
Big question: Have the Canucks lost their safety net?
Jacob Markstrom finished 15th for the Hart Trophy last season, and there's an argument he should have been higher. The goalie posted a .918 save percentage in 43 games for Vancouver, winning 23 of them. He was the last line of defense for a team still learning how to play defense at a championship level. Markstrom took his talents to Calgary as a free agent, as his contract demands were too lofty and lengthy for Vancouver.
Former Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, whose numbers have slid since the second of his Vezina Trophy nominations in 2017, replaces him, alongside incumbent (and brief playoff sensation) Thatcher Demko. The Canucks can't be as reliant on that duo as they were on Markstrom. They have to be a better all-around defensive team.
Did realignment hurt or help?
Hurt. The Canucks bring the Oilers and Flames with them, but leave the California teams back in the West, upgrading to the Jets, Maple Leafs, Senators and Canadiens.
Offseason comings and goings, plus the cap situation
Holtby arrives as a replacement for Markstrom on a two-year contract, hoping to recapture some of the magic he had with the Capitals leading up to their Stanley Cup win. With work with goalie coach Ian Clark will be essential. The other notable flip-flop was on defense: Defenseman Chris Tanev was also signed by the Flames. To replace him, the Canucks acquired defenseman Nate Schmidt from the capped-out Golden Knights, bringing one of the NHL's most buoyant personalities onto a roster with a lot of them already.
One other significant departure: Winger Tyler Toffoli, a trade deadline win for GM Jim Benning, left for a four-year deal with Montreal. Vancouver will be just under the cap when the season starts, with little room to maneuver. That $6 million in space dedicated to spare part forward Loui Eriksson continues to haunt them. Of course, there is one more unsigned person for next season getting attention: Coach Travis Green, who is in the last year of his contract.
Bold prediction
Elias Pettersson will be Hart Trophy finalist. Every season there's a new flavor of MVP that gets attention. If the Canucks are a playoff team again, that player could be Pettersson this season. The 22-year-old center has hovered around a point-per-game pace in his first two NHL seasons, with a great balance of goal scoring and playmaking. He's an underappreciated defensive player who loves to possess the puck. Maybe it's this year, maybe it's in a few years, but "MVPetey" could certainly happen.
Breakout candidate: Nils Hoglander
Losing Toffoli impacts the Canucks' top six, as he fit in perfectly with how they play. Could a Swedish rookie help fill that void? Hoglander is a 20-year-old winger who has a couple of seasons of professional hockey back home to his credit, including the first few months of this Swedish Hockey League season. He's been the Canucks' best player in camp. Granted, that doesn't portend anything for the regular season, but he may be given a shot with Bo Horvat on the team's second line.
Biggest strength: Top line
Pettersson in the middle, with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser on his wings. When coach Travis Green assembles this trio, the results are startling: They scored over 67% of the goals while on the ice at 5-on-5, and are a plus-10 on average in shots. According to Evolving Hockey, they were a plus-2.16 on expected goals per 60 minutes, ranking them third in the NHL for lines that played more than 400 minutes together -- and ahead of Boston's top line, considered by many to be the NHL's best.
Biggest weakness: The blue line
Rookie Quinn Hughes was a sensation last season, with incredible offensive skill and a defensive game that has a high ceiling. Schmidt is solid. Alex Edler is, too, although the years are catching up to the 34-year-old. But Tyler Myers and Jordie Benn were sub-replacement level players last season, and there's a lot of inexperience behind them.
Canucks in NHL Rank
No. 21: Elias Pettersson, C
No. 28: Quinn Hughes, D
No. 83: Bo Horvat, C
No. 93: Brock Boeser, RW
Prospect perspective
Pipeline ranking: 19
Prospects in the top 100: No. 23 Vasily Podkolzin (RW), No. 52 Nils Hoglander (RW)
Fantasy facts to know
Forward J.T. Miller is the real deal in ESPN's new standard scoring settings. Scoring? Check. To the tune of 27 goals and 45 assists in 69 games in his first season with the Canucks. Power-play production? Check. Hits and blocked shots? Those too. Skating alongside star center Elias Pettersen, Miller should satisfy fantasy managers across the board. And we might (finally) be in for a breakout season from Jake Virtanen. The 24-year-old could finally hit his productive stride in a full-time top-six role aside Pettersen or center Bo Horvat. He should, in any case.
Defenseman Quinn Hughes is a star -- this we know. Forecast to be paired with Nate Schmidt -- brought in from Vegas following the departure of Chris Tanev -- Hughes shouldn't miss a beat after contending for the Calder Trophy his rookie season. Hughes is one reason Vancouver's power play ranked fourth overall in 2019-20. Just don't expect too many blocked shots or hits from the more diminutive defenseman. Veteran Alexander Edler, on the other hand, should be coveted in leagues that reward blocked shots. Only Edmonton's Oscar Klefbom averaged more blocked shots per game than Edler (2.75) in 2019-20. Plus, he can score.
It will be interesting to gauge how the battle for playing time unfolds between Thatcher Demko and former Capitals' No. 1 Braden Holtby during this compact season. While Holtby likely has the edge to start, if he flounders at all -- coming off the worst statistical season of his career -- the Canucks won't hesitate in turning to their younger netminder. This renders both less attractive as early fantasy options compared to other preferred starters around the league. -- Victoria Matiash