Vancouver Canucks At 30: Looking Back At The First 30 Games Of The 2023-24 Season

The Canucks are 20-9-1 through their first 30 games of the 2023-24 season.

After 30 games, the Vancouver Canucks remain one of the top teams in the NHL. They lead the league in goals for per game at 3.83 and have the third lowest goals against per game at 2.47. With multiple players and staff members in contention for year-end awards, it is hard to imagine a better start to the season for the Canucks. 

While Vancouver has taken a step forward defensively, one of the biggest reasons behind their recent success is Thatcher Demko. A front-runner for the Vezina Trophy, the Canucks goaltender leads the league in wins with 15, is tied for the league in shutouts with three and ranks second in goals-against average and save percentage among goalies who have played at least ten games. He is also the league leader in goals saved above expected at both five-on-five and in all situations, according to MoneyPuck.com. On pace to shatter his career high of 33 wins, he could become just the third goaltender in franchise history to surpass 35 victories in a season. 

As mentioned, Vancouver has taken significant steps forward in their overall defensive play compared to last season. Here is a look at some stats from the first 30 games in 2022-23 compared to 2023-24:

In short, this table shows that head coach Rick Tocchet's system is working. Not only are the Canucks giving up fewer shots on a nightly basis, but they are limiting the Grade A scoring chances that have plagued them over the past few years. Not only is this commitment to the defensive side of the game crucial for their success, but it also has made Demko and Casey DeSmith's lives a lot easier in the net.  

Now, onto Vancouver's offence, which has been virtually unstoppable this season. They currently lead the NHL with 115 goals and have scored at least four in 16 of their 30 games. The biggest reason is that their stars are stepping up, with each on pace to set new career highs by the end of the campaign. 

Let's start with Brock Boeser, who has become one of the league's most dangerous goal-scorers. The Canucks winger is already up to 22 goals on the year and sits seven off his career high with over 50 games to go. This is a massive improvement from the four he had through the team's first 30 games in 2022-23. While there may be some regression, as he is currently shooting at 27.5% this year, his willingness to crash the net and ability to sniff out rebounds could make him the first Canuck to hit 50 goals in a season since Pavel Bure. 

Moving onto Quinn Hughes, what a difference a year makes. He has already set a career-high with nine goals and leads all defencemen in scoring with 39 points. There has also been an improvement on the defensive side of his game as he has seen his plus/minus rise from minus-3 through the team's first 30 games last season to plus-25 this year. Arguably the best defender in franchise history, he continues to amaze nightly. 

While J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson have also upped their offensive game, arguably the biggest difference for Vancouver has been the point production from Filip Hronek. Already up to 27 points on the year, which is more than any defenceman not named Hughes had for Vancouver last season, his hard shot and playmaking ability have added a new element that this Canuck team did not have last season. Now, with multiple defenders who can carry the puck and generate chances in the offensive, it adds an extra layer of danger that the opposition must be aware of whenever they are in their zone. 

The biggest difference through 30 games, however, is the fan engagement. As Roberto Luongo said during his Ring of Honour speech, "Hockey is fun again in Vancouver. This is the way it's supposed to be. The city is buzzing; the team's playing well. I'm happy for you guys. You've waited a long time for this." While there is still over half the season that remains, the Canucks can be proud of what they have accomplished over the first 30 games of the campaign. If they can continue to improve their game over the remaining 52 games, they could enter the 2024 playoffs as Stanley Cup contenders.