The Vancouver Canucks won the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record during the 2023-24 regular season.
The Vancouver Canucks won the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record during the 2023-24 regular season.
The Vancouver Canucks put together an impressive 2023-24 regular season. Their 109 points ranked sixth in the NHL and were the third most in franchise history. During the season, Vancouver also captured their first-ever Pacific Division title, proving just how special this year's campaign was. With this in mind, here is a recap of the Canucks 2023-24 regular season.
When looking back at this year's team, the first thing that stands out is Vancouver's offence. The Canucks finished with 279 goals which is the most in franchise history since they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993-94. Vancouver was the only team to score first over 50 times, finishing with 53 and posted a record of 42-1-4 when leading after two periods. The Canucks ability to build leads early in games was a big part of their success this season and one of the reasons they were so frustrating to play against.
Jumping to individual performances, multiple players on Vancouver's roster had career seasons. Starting with J.T. Miller, who was voted M.V.P. by the fans, he finished the season with a career-high 103 points. For reference, that is the seventh most points in a season by a player in franchise history. Whether it is producing offensively or playing a physical game, he was a leader on this team and will be leaned on heavily come playoff time.
Next is Quinn Hughes, who put together a Norris Trophy-worthy performance. In his first year as captain, Hughes led all defencemen in the NHL with 92 points and was constantly reaching milestones that only a few defencemen in NHL history have achieved. Hughes was also solid in the defensive zone and set a new franchise record for plus/minus in a season at +38. It is safe to say Hughes has proven many critics wrong as he put together an impressive season at both of the ice.
Elias Pettersson was also a player that put together an impressive season. Pettersson finished with 89 points in 82 games and recorded his second straight season of 30+ goals and 55+ assists. While the offensive numbers were impressive, Pettersson's physicality was one part of his game that really took a step forward this season. He finished the campaign with 125 hits and looks to have mastered the reverse hit, deploying it numerous times throughout the season. Overall, he is rounding into a high-end two-way center who should be able to lead this team for the duration of his eight-year contract.
While Thatcher Demko did miss a month of action with a knee injury, he showed why he is an elite goaltender. In 51 games, Demko recorded 35 wins and finished the season in the top five in save percentage, goals-against average and shutouts. If this team is going to have success in the postseason, Demko will need to steal them some games as he did multiple times during the regular season.
Ultimately, Vancouver received stand out from the majority of their roster. Brock Boeser hit the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career, Nils Höglander became a top-six winger, scoring 24 even-strength goals, while the duo of Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua became one of the best pairs on the roster. Filip Hronek also set a new career-high with 48 points, while Tyler Myers had easily his best season with the Canucks. In the end, Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford deserve a lot of credit for how they built this roster, which turned out to be one of the deepest in the NHL.
Lastly, Rick Tocchet has put together one of the most impressive coaching seasons in franchise history. The favourite to win this year's Jack Adams Trophy, Tocchet, led Vancouver to a 26-point increase compared to the 2022-23 season. His coaching staff, which includes Adam Foote, Mike Yeo, Ian Clark and Yogi Svejkovsky, also deserve a ton of credit as they have turned this team from playoff outsiders to possible contenders.
This season has been exceptional for multiple reasons. The Canucks only had one losing streak longer than two games and were able to pull off season sweeps of the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. Now comes the big test as Vancouver prepares to take on the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Canucks Fans Beware, Getting Tickets In Nashville Could Be A Problem
Canucks Sign Vasily Podkolzin To An Extension
Dakota Joshua Breaks Down How To Play An Effective Physical Game
Canucks Finding Success At Every Level Of Professional Hockey
Quinn Hughes Receives Canucks Nomination For The 2023-24 King Clancy Trophy
Quinn Hughes Wins The Daniel & Henrik Sedin Award
J.T. Miller Wins The 2023-24 Cyclone Taylor Trophy
Dakota Joshua Wins The 2023-24 Fred J. Hume Award
