By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

October 4, 2024

Predicting the Vancouver Canucks’ season outcome is never boring and the 2024-25 season is no different.

Still, I figured I would share a breakdown of key factors and a potential outcome for the Canucks 2024-25 regular season and 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs aspirations.

Here goes:

Strengths:

• Offensive Firepower: Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Quinn Hughes, and Brock Boeser form a potent offensive core. If they stay healthy and continue their production, the Canucks will be a high-scoring team, as the 2023-24 season demonstrated.
• Improved Secondary Scoring/Points Generation: Vancouver has some returning players and new players that should provide some results: Dakota Joshua, Conor Garland, Nils Hoglander, Jake DeBrusk, Daniel Sprong, Teddy Blueger to name a few.
• Improved Defense: Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort additions strengthen the blue line, along with Noah Juulsen, potentially improving the overall defense.
• Strong Goaltending (When Healthy): Thatcher Demko, when healthy, is a top-tier goalie. His performance will be crucial.
• Backup Goalie Position: Just as key is the backup goalie position as Vancouver looks to Arturs Silovs and/or Kevin Lankinen to provide solid NHL caliber goaltending in relieving Demko.

Weaknesses:

• Demko’s and Silovs Health: Demko’s recovery from a knee injury is a major question mark. Silovs also had issues with knee ligaments during the summer.
• Defensive Depth: Beyond Hughes, Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Carson Soucy, defensive depth could be an issue.
• Defense Offense Contribution:  Apart from Hughes and Hronek, an offensive contribution seems to be lacking and could be worrisome if injuries occur. Offensive threat from the point rearguards is key to a true team all-around offense.
• Consistency: The Canucks can be streaky. Maintaining consistent effort throughout the season will be key. All teams face a point of poor play, but Vancouver has to be able to limit those bad streaks and aggressively snap out of them and continue generating points with each game they play.
• Free Agency Losses: Goalie Casey DeSmith, defensemen Nikita Zadorov, and Ian Cole may be difficult to replace as they were integral pieces of the Canucks last regular season and in the playoffs.

Regular Season Prediction:

• The Pacific Division is competitive. If Demko returns to form and the defense holds up, the Canucks should be in the playoff mix.
• I predict they finish 3rd in the Pacific Division with around 95-100 points.

Playoff Prediction:

• Making the playoffs is a realistic goal: However, going deep will depend on factors like Demko’s health, special teams’ performance, and getting secondary scoring.
• Improvement to the power play, penalty kill and even strength play: Improvement on the rush play and a faster, more aggressive game while still maintaining a confrontational forecheck and backcheck —- will be necessary to improve the power play, penalty kill, and even strength play.
• A first-round exit is the most likely outcome: With some puck luck and strong play, the Canucks could make the second round and make a push for the third round.

Factors that could change this prediction:

• Demko’s Recovery: A quick and full recovery would significantly boost their chances.
• Backup Goaltending: It’s difficult to replace a starting goalie and expect seamless play with a backup but Canucks had that last season. They must have exceptional backup play, and if they can and put the team in a position, to be able to win, thats the best to expect. Miracles are allowed.
• Coaching: Rick Tocchet needs to get the best out of this group consistently. The pace of the Canucks, especially to the start of games, must and needs to improve. The Canucks aggressiveness in all three zones needs to be taken a couple of notches higher if they are going to score and secure wins.
• Special Teams: Improvement on the power play and penalty kill is crucial. When game play is tight and free ice is hard to find; or the game is tied or within a goal, the special teams have to be focused on task to score with advantages or prevention from being scored on. Nothing else. Unless it is a shorthanded scoring breakaway chance.
• Unexpected Breakouts: A young player exceeding expectations could provide a spark. Nils Hoglander, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Nils Aman, Aatu Räty come to mind.

In conclusion:

Ultimately, the Canucks have the potential for a good season.

However, they face challenges, and their success hinges on key players staying healthy and consistent performances throughout the lineup are a must for making —– and for going deep—-in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Until next time….Go Canucks Go….Game On!