Post-4 Nations Face-Off Break Goals For The Vancouver Canucks

With the 4 Nations Face-Off now in the rearview, the Vancouver Canucks must buckle up in order to lock down a playoff spot by the end of the season. As the team looks to add to their current three-game win streak, they must contend with another goaltender injury as well as helping new faces adjust to their new surroundings. Here are some goals for the Canucks to accomplish in the final 27 games of the regular season. 

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Add One More Piece Before The Trade Deadline 

Vancouver looked like a completely different team in the final few games before the break, mostly due to the sudden changes to their defensive core. Not only was Marcus Pettersson acquired and Vincent Desharnais let go of, but rookie Elias Pettersson (D) impressed with his solid play and willingness to stand up for his teammates. For now, the blueline is probably safe to remain in-tact. One area where the Canucks should look at adding another piece is at forward. While Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor are great additions, it still feels as though the team needs that one extra piece before they can consider themselves a bonafide playoff contender. Despite being 55 games into the season, not a single player has more than 20 goals on the season, with Jake DeBrusk leading in that category with 19. Bringing in one more high-offensive scorer would do wonders for the team.    

Figure Out A Solution For Brock Boeser’s Expiring Contract 

Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin has emphasized many times that the organization is “still evaluating” what they are going to do about soon-to-be UFA Brock Boeser. With the former 40-goal scorer’s contract possibly coming in at around $8M per year, some fans are wondering if they should just trade Boeser instead. Boeser, the longest-tenured skater on the Canucks, has been a member of the organization since 2015 and has shown no signs of wanting to leave. The fact that management has yet to offer Boeser a contract, but signed newcomers Pettersson and O’Connor almost immediately after they were brought in, indicates where their priorities lie. The sooner they can decide what to do with Boeser — whether that’s an extension or a trade — the better it will be for both parties. 

Go Above .500 On Their Upcoming Roadtrip 

This is a pretty reasonable goal for the Canucks, especially given the fact that three of the five teams they will face on this road trip are currently out of a playoff spot. Four of these five games will be played against teams within the Pacific Division, meaning that a hefty eight inter-division points are up for grabs. The only non-Pacific Division matchup they’ll have is against Utah Hockey Club, who is currently six points below them in the standings. This road trip, if played right, could be a massive boost in Vancouver’s chances at solidifying a playoff spot. Speaking of . . . 

Bump The L.A. Kings From The Third Playoff Spot In The Pacific Division 

The most important match of this road trip is arguably the one the Canucks play on February 26, against the L.A. Kings. Right now, Vancouver has 63 points in 55 games played, while the Kings have 65 points in 53 games. While L.A. has two games in hand, they have some pretty daunting matchups towards the end of the season that could wipe out that two-game advantage in the long run. Both Vancouver and L.A. play Utah and the Vegas Golden Knights before facing off against each other on Wednesday, meaning that the Canucks could potentially steal the third spot in the Pacific Division from the Kings before playing them next week. 

Give Elias Pettersson A High-Pressure Matchup 

In Vancouver’s February 4 game against the Colorado Avalanche, many fans thought that Elias Pettersson would get matched up against Nathan MacKinnon now that J.T. Miller had departed the organization. However, Pius Suter ended up being given the assignment. Now that the role of the franchise’s top center rests in Pettersson’s hands, it’s time for the coaches to start giving him the matches he has been asking for — whether they turn out or not. Pettersson has the potential to play to the level of a Frank J. Selke Trophy contender, but in order to do so, he needs to experience tough matchups and learn from them. 

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