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Canucks getting way more offence from their defence this season

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Oct 31 2023, 1:32 am
Canucks getting way more offence from their defence this season
Simon Fearn-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in forever, the Vancouver Canucks are getting consistent offence from an unlikely source: their blue line.

We’re not just talking about one player, we’re talking about their entire defence.

Last season, the Canucks ranked dead-last in the NHL with a total of 22 goals scored by defencemen.

This season, they’re tied for third in the NHL with seven combined goals from their blue line.

So, what has changed?

Canucks’ Quinn Hughes looks rejuvenated offensively

We didn’t even think this could be possible.

Quinn Hughes is already sixth in terms of all-time points by a Canucks defenceman. To put that in perspective, Hughes sits 24th all-time in terms of games played among Canucks blueliners.

Last season, Hughes set a record for most points in a season by a Canucks defenceman with 76. He did that by breaking his own record, which he set the year prior.

Although Hughes has no problem putting up points, goal-scoring has never been his forte.

He seems dead set on changing that narrative this season.

 

“I’m just trying to shoot it more. I feel a lot more dangerous than I have in the past,” Hughes told reporters after the Canucks defeated the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.

“[Last summer] is starting to kick in for me right now. Body feels good, and so far it can keep up with what I’m trying to do.”

Hughes is certainly shooting the puck more this season. He actually leads the Canucks with 27 shots so far this season.

Prior to the season, Hughes vowed to have a “shot mentality,” telling Daily Hive in early September that “there’s always room for improvement.”

“[I’m going to try] to score more and get myself in spots where I can shoot more and change my mindset to shoot more,” he added.

The Canucks captain is firing 8.5 shots on goal per-60 minutes. Throughout his NHL career, he’s averaged fewer than five shots per-60.

While he’s unlikely to continue scoring at the 31-goal pace he’s on right now, this does seem like the year where Hughes will smash his career high of nine goals.

Can Canucks’ defence continue scoring streak?

If the Canucks’ defence is going to continue scoring goals, they’re going to need guys not named Hughes to step up.

Thankfully, that’s been the case so far.

Newcomer Carson Soucy, who has only played six games this season, already has two goals.

While not an offensive juggernaut, Soucy did manage to score 10 goals for the Seattle Kraken back in 2021-22.

And perhaps most surprisingly, the much beleaguered Tyler Myers has already scored twice, which includes a shorthanded goal scored against the New York Rangers.

Prior to the start of this season, Myers had two goals in his last 161 games played.

While the Canucks can’t rely on those bottom pairing defencemen to score goals, they can rely on newcomer Filip Hronek.

The former Detroit Red Wings defenceman hasn’t scored yet, but he’s been an absolute difference-maker otherwise. Hronek has seven assists in eight games and has a history of producing offence.

He had nine goals in 64 games last season for Detroit. For his NHL career, Hronek has averaged nearly eight goals per season on a 82-game basis.

It was fair to wonder if Hronek’s numbers might dip in Vancouver since he plays on the same team as Hughes. So far, that hasn’t been the case. It helps that Hronek is averaging a career-high 24:33 of ice time so far this season.

While the Canucks’ early-season offensive boost from their blue line has been a bonus, don’t expect this team to continue being one of the top scoring blue lines in the NHL.

However, if they can get to league-average, that would be a win.

The average NHL team last season got 37 goals from their defence, nearly double the 22 goals that Canucks blueliners scored last season.

There’s a path for the Canucks to get there, but it mainly involves Hughes and Hronek leading the way.

However, the Canucks’ dynamic duo on defence might be able to muster up 20 goals on their own. If they can accomplish that, then the Canucks just need another 15-20 goals from the rest of their defence to make up the rest.

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