The Vancouver Canucks are almost certainly going to make the NHL Playoffs. They’re currently first place in the entire NHL and have not lost more than two consecutive games in a row all year.
With the possibility of hosting a playoff game at Rogers Arena for the first time since 2015 looking increasingly probable, the attention is starting to turn to the team’s postseason pathway.
The better team of the two division winners will get to start their playoff run against the lesser of the two Wild Card teams. The Canucks currently are four points up on the Colorado Avalanche with the same number of games played, and so would earn the rights to play the weakest playoff team.
You can see the current state of the race for the Wild Card spots in the Western Conference below. If the season were to end today, the league leaders would face off against the St. Louis Blues in the first round.
The Blues are the same team the Canucks played in the official first round during the COVID-affected 2020 NHL Playoffs, which the Canucks played at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
NHL.com
The Blues have won most of the games between these two teams this year, earning four points in three meetings. However, there have been some very close games, including some controversial endings.
- October 27: Canucks 5, Blues 0
- January 4: Blues 2, Canucks 1
- January 24: Blues 4, Canucks 3 (OT)
If the Canucks did manage to beat the Blues, they would then advance to the second round to face off against the winner of the second and third seeds in the Pacific Division. As of right now, those teams are the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers.
NHL.com
Those two teams are both top contenders and among the favourites to win the Stanley Cup at most sportsbooks. Despite having the higher seed, the Canucks would likely be underdogs in a series against either of those teams.
One advantage that could help the division leaders is the fact that a Golden Knights vs. Oilers series in the first round would be a battle, which could cause some wear and tear.
Things staying as they are right now with the Canucks on top of the Pacific Division — and the Western Conference as a whole — is crucial for the Canucks if they’re hoping to avoid facing a Stanley Cup favourite in the first round.
All in all, if the NHL season ended at this moment, the Canucks would face the Blues in the first round, and then winner of the Golden Knights vs. Oilers series in the second round. From there, it’s on to the Western Conference Finals, and then, hopefully, the Stanley Cup Finals.
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