The Vancouver Canucks are on the doorstep of the Western Conference final, thanks in large part to their top line and how Rick Tocchet has deployed them.
Brock Boeser and J.T. MillerThe Vancouver Canucks possess a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Edmonton Oilers.
A win on Saturday evening would send Vancouver to the Western Conference final to face the Dallas Stars. It would be the Canucks' first third-round appearance since 2011 when they eventually lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Boston Bruins.
For most of this second-round series, the Oilers have elected to pair their two superstar forwards, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, with 50-goal winger Zach Hyman.
On many opportunities, Canucks coach Rick Tocchet has sent out his top line of Pius Suter, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser to oppose them, as daunting a task for a single line as any in recent memory.
The Numbers
Suter, Miller, and Boeser played 192 minutes together at 5-on-5 in the 2023-24 regular season. Together, they scored 16 goals and only surrendered four while possessing 64.8 percent of the expected goals share.
Through Vancouver's 11 games in the 2024 playoffs, that trio has been practically inseparable, playing 113 minutes together thus far. In that time, they've scored five goals at 5-on-5 and surrendered two while holding a 65.6 percent expected goals share. While it should be common practice for a Stanley Cup contending team's first line to perform at that rate, it's a tad rarer when they're matched up against their opponent's top line.
In just over 41 minutes together at 5-on-5, the Oilers' top line of Hyman, McDavid and Draisaitl has scored two goals and allowed three. Their matchup against Miller's line has significantly contributed to that.
Using Miller's on-ice metrics, he's played over 47 minutes at 5-on-5 against McDavid in this series, the most ice time of any center-on-center matchup by a wide margin. In that time, the Canucks have scored two goals while the Oilers haven't found the scoreboard.
The Tactics
Tocchet has deployed an effective strategy so far in this series, matching Miller's line against McDavid's. Suter, Miller and Boeser have risen to the occasion, playing with diligence and discipline.
The first thing that sticks out watching the Canucks' top forward line is how well they take care of the puck. They don't turn pucks over near either blueline, they don't force unnecessary seam passes, and they always have support from one another as they move the puck throughout the zone or on the rush.
McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman are three of the most dangerous transition players in the NHL. Any mistake made with the puck or while moving it can lead to a lightning-quick counterattack and a puck in the back of the net.
In the defensive zone, the Canucks' top line has done a remarkable job of keeping wingers low in the zone, eliminating potential seam passes or outnumbered situations around the crease. It also forces pucks to the point and away from their dynamic playmakers. When the puck is high in the zone, defensemen are pressured, and supporting teammates eliminate their first passing option, potentially leading to careless mistakes to capitalize on.
Tocchet doesn't have his top line running an overwhelmingly aggressive forecheck where one miscalculation can lead to an odd-man opportunity. Instead, the forecheck is more focused on taking away primary options rather than time and space. This limits the time the puck is on the stick of Draisaitl or McDavid through the neutral zone.
During offensive zone cycles, Miller, Boeser and Suter are more focused on puck possession than manifesting high-danger chances. The longer the puck is on their stick and not on McDavid's or Draisaitl's, the better.
They often keep their F3 near the blueline when cycling to protect the zone and keep plays alive with safe puck movement and tenacious board battles.
What may set the Canucks' top line apart from many checking lines coaches attempt to match up against the Oilers' top line is how offensively opportunistic they are. When they have extended zone time, Miller is an expert at drawing multiple defenders toward him, which opens up soft ice for Boeser to receive a pass.
Miller and Boeser excel at putting just enough pressure on the Oilers' defensemen to make a less-than-perfect outlet pass. And Suter is an expert at dissecting breakouts and disrupting them before they can develop too much.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch and their top line of superstars have at least one more opportunity to find a working formula to thwart the defensive and counterattacking prowess of Miller, Boeser and Suter. Their ability to limit the effectiveness of their opponent's top line has allowed the rest of the lineup to flourish and produce.