Canucks are only team left in NHL that hasn't won a single game

This year was supposed to be different.

After a disastrous start to their season one year ago under Travis Green, the Vancouver Canucks came to training camp hungry and motivated. With the belief they could make the playoffs, they knew they needed to get off to a good start.

Somehow, they’re worse.

The Canucks were 2-2-1 after five games last season. This season, they’re 0-3-2.

Vancouver became the first team in NHL history to blow four consecutive multi-goal leads to lose their first four games of the season. They didn’t blow a multi-goal lead Thursday in Minnesota, but they did squander another third-period lead and lost 4-3 in overtime.

It was Minnesota’s first win of the season. Also winning for the first time on Thursday night was the San Jose Sharks.

That leaves just one team in the NHL without a win, and that team is your Vancouver Canucks.

The bottom of the overall standings. (NHL)

Despite having played at least one more game than 19 other teams, the Canucks are the NHL’s only team without a win this season. They have at least picked up two points by virtue of having two overtime losses, giving them a points percentage of .200, which ranks 31 out of 32 teams. Their goal differential (-7) is tied for fourth worst in the league.

And they haven’t even played their home opener yet.

There are some signs of hope, though.

The Canucks have points in back-to-back games and probably deserved a better fate in Minnesota. And they’ll play at home for the first time on Saturday, against the Buffalo Sabres.

Those are the positives that Bruce Boudreau is hanging onto anyway.

“When things aren’t going well, things aren’t going well all over the ice,” Boudreau said in response to a reporter’s question referencing a broken stick leading to the tying goal in Minnesota.

“For the most part, I thought we were really good. We’re not quitting, we just keep plodding away. We didn’t get the wins, we got two points on the road here, on a tough road trip, now we get to go home in front of our fans, and I think it’ll be a different story.”

“We’ve been tied with seven minutes to go in every one of the games and we haven’t come up with a win, and that’s very frustrating. We know what we’re capable of doing and when we do turn it around, it’ll turn around for a long time. We just want to do it quick.”

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