9 things we've learned about the Canucks after four games
The Vancouver Canucks are no strangers to nightmares in October.
However, after blowing multi-goal leads in four straight games, this feels like a new low.
Here are nine things we’ve learned about the winless Canucks after four games.
1. They’ve never had a worst start to a season
The Canucks have endured some horrific starts in their team history. The 1984-85 season where head coach Bill Laforge lasted 22 games, going 4-14-2 comes to mind.
However, this Canucks team just accomplished something that no other squad in team history has done before — losing four straight games to start the season.
There were three occasions where the Canucks lost their first three games of a new campaign. They also went winless in four straight to start the season in 1994-95, although that included one tie.
2. Canucks set infamous league record
According to OptaStats, the Canucks are the first team in NHL history to lose four straight games after holding a multi-goal lead in each contest.
— š šø š» š· (@spookyghourl) October 19, 2022
I mean…at least we know they can score?
3. Canucks are wasting Pettersson’s magic
There’s basically been just one silver lining for the Canucks this season.
Elias Pettersson looks like he’s about to have a special season.
The 23-year-old has looked like a man on a mission since training camp, and he’s carried that over into the regular season.
1ļøā£0ļøā£0ļøā£ goals in the @NHL for EP40 pic.twitter.com/Oe5xqYgWzO
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 18, 2022
Pettersson has scored in three of the four Canucks’ games and he leads the team with six points. No matter who’s been on his wing, any line with Pettersson has been the Canucks’ most effective line at even strength.
The only knock on Pettersson so far is that he still struggles to win faceoffs. He won just three of 16 draws against the Columbus Blue Jackets and has won only 37.5% of his faceoffs on the year.
4. The defence is still a mess
Who could have seen this coming?
The Canucks defence, which was propped up by superb goaltending last season, was returned intact after a subpar performance in 2021-22.
Well, to no one’s surprise, they’ve struggled out of the gate.
Through four games, only two Canucks defencemen have an expected goals-for percentage above 50%.
Just two defenceman have an xGF% above 50% (NaturalStatTrick.com)
One of those defencemen, Kyle Burroughs was a healthy scratch on Tuesday against Columbus. The other, Tyler Myers, has played just one game.
The forwards are also to blame for the Canucks’ horrendous early-season defensive miscues. Blown zone coverages and lazy skating on the backcheck have been evident in every game so far.
5. Miller and Hughes are bleeding goals against
The Canucks’ two best skaters from last season have been on the ice for far too many goals against early on.
At all strengths, only Dmitry Kulikov of the Anaheim Ducks has been on the ice for more goals-against than J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes.
Miller used some colourful language to describe his play after the Canucks’ loss to Philadelphia, but not much has changed since.
Remember when Miller said he needed to stop puck-watching in his own end? pic.twitter.com/A7i95oXKDF
— Jason Brough š (@SadClubCommish) October 19, 2022
6. The penalty kill is still terrible
The Canucks penalty kill went from historically bad to okay after Bruce Boudreau arrived last season.
Well, the Canucks PK right now looks a lot like it did at the beginning of last season.
Vancouver’s penalty kill efficiency sits at 57.1%, good for second-worst in the NHL.
Miller has also been on the ice for five shorthanded goals against, tied for the league-worst with Seattle Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak.
However, Oleksiak has skated for 12:43 shorthanded, while Miller has played just 4:37.
Luke Schenn and Curtis Lazar are tied for second worst, with each skater being on the ice for four shorthanded goals against.
7. Rathbone has fallen down the depth chart
Eight defencemen have played games for the Canucks this season.
None of those eight defencemen were named Jack Rathbone.
The Canucks’ best defensive prospect is now caught in no man’s landing, especially with Travis Dermott resuming skating in Vancouver.
8. Garland scratched for first time since rookie season
This one was a bit puzzling, but Boudreau decided to make Conor Garland a healthy scratch against Columbus.
Bruce Boudreau on why Garland was healthy scratch : We have to be accountable with the way we play. I could have taken a lot of guys out, I chose him.
— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) October 19, 2022
Meanwhile, far less proven players like Nils Aman, Nils Hƶglander, and Dakota Joshua were kept in the lineup.
Garland was scratched for five straight games as a rookie in March of 2019. Since then, he’s only missed games due to injury.
He was scratched in favour of Ilya Mikheyev, who was on the ice for all three of Columbus’s regulation goals on Tuesday.
Garland’s 47 even-strength points last season tied Miller for the team lead.
9. Canucks have little company among winless teams
Only the San Jose Sharks (five regulation losses) and the Minnesota Wild (three regulation losses) have yet to win this season.
Ironically enough, the Canucks will end their road trip against the Wild on Thursday.
Much like Vancouver, the Wild have been able to score, but they’ve allowed a league-worst 6.67 goals against per game through three games.
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