Vancouver Canucks
Breaking Down The 2023-24 Canucks Shooting And Goal-Scoring With NHL EDGE 45 Games In
A look at the Canucks shooting and goal-scoring trends using NHL EDGE 45 games into the 2023-24 season.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Breaking Down The 2023-24 Canucks Shooting And Goal-Scoring With NHL EDGE 45 Games InThe Vancouver Canucks have continued to rack up the goals this season, averaging a league-high 3.78 goals per game at the 45-game mark. On pace for 309 total goals, that would tie the 2021-22 St. Louis Blues for the seventh most goals since the 2000-01 season. Here is a look at their shooting and goal-scoring trends through 45 games using the NHL's newest tool, NHL EDGE.
As they have all season, the Canucks are capitalizing on their opportunities. While they sit second overall in goals, their 28.2 shots per game ranks 28th and only rank higher than the Washington Capitals, Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. Thanks to a high shooting percentage and consistently carrying leads into the third period, Vancouver has been able to produce low shot totals yet still get the job done.
As for a breakdown of where the shots come from, NHL EDGE shows that the Canucks are very good at generating shots from high-danger areas. According to the data, Vancouver has recorded 370 high-danger shots, the only category they rank above the league average. Mid-range is not too far behind with 352, while low-range expectedly sits last with 255.
Overall, there is good news and bad news regarding these statistics. The good news is that the Canucks are doing a great job this year of driving the net and getting to those high-danger areas rather than just dumping the puck on the net from a distance. As for the bad news, the numbers show Vancouver still isn't getting enough shots on goal. While the lack of shots hasn't cost them yet, it is something to monitor as the season progresses.
Now, onto the goals categories. As mentioned, the Canucks currently sit second in the league in total goals and have been able to score from all over the ice. Of the 170 goals, 95 have been classified as high-danger, 40 as mid-range, 11 as long-range, and 24 have no classification. As for league rankings, Vancouver is in the top 50% for each category, with their highest being high-danger, in which they rank first in the NHL.
The biggest positive to come out of this statistic is that the Canucks aren't relying on goal-scoring from a specific area on the ice. Whether it is right in front of the net or beyond the faceoff dot, Vancouver has found ways to keep opposing goaltenders on their toes and cash in from all over the ice. The hope is they can continue this trend into the postseason, as when the games get more competitive, those high-danger opportunities will be more challenging to find on a nightly basis.
While the Canucks did see slight regression in shooting percentage and total goals between the 35 and 45-game mark, they continue to show just how dangerous they can be. In the last ten games, they had a stretch of four straight where they scored 4+ while also showing their ability to close out low-scoring games. If they can continue to improve over the last 37 games, they could enter the playoffs with a Presidents' Trophy in hand.
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