His career-best 47 wins in 2006/07 were enough to propel the Canucks to a division championship and a first round victory over the Dallas Stars, but unless Luongo can be even better than that 47-win season, the playoffs are going to be a difficult task for the Canucks.
And if he gets hurt? Well it’s unfair to say the Canucks have no chance, but to say that Curtis Sanford and Cory Schneider give them a chance at anything put John Tavares may be a stretch too.
A Defense depleted and defeated…
As hard as it is to fathom on a hockey level, the loss of Luc Bourdon is going to hurt the Canucks.
In Bourdon they had it all: a mobile defenseman who could skate, play the body, and could contribute to a consistent stream of offense. Now that they’ve lost such a promising young star to a horrific accident, the Canucks are back at square one.
To begin the journey ahead however, Kevin Bieksa is going to have to be healthy. After signing a 3-year, $11.5 million contract following the 2006/07 season, Bieksa had loft expectations. He was rocketing up Vancouver’s depth chart and he was looking forward to improving upon his 42-point total—his highest at any level of hockey.
The season however, started miserably for Bieksa as he was a -6 in his first three games. By November 1st though, his season would get even worse, as Bieksa’s calf was lacerated in a skirmish along the boards during a game against Nashville. The injury would force him to miss the next 47 games, and following his return, Bieksa was terribly inconsistent going -2 one night, and netting two or three assists another.
When you factor in Mattias Ohlund, Vancouver’s top defenseman, was either hurt or suspended for 29 games, while Lukas Krajicek also missed most of the second half of the season with a shoulder ailment, it’s not surprising that Vanouver struggled as it was buoyed by a bandaged and beleaguered defense.
Then we've got the unknown that is Lawrence Nycholat. Although he doesn't seem to be destined for anything more than depth purposes in Vancouver, Nycholat has still proven that he can score at the AHL level, posting nearly 273 points in 483 AHL games. Nycholat is 29 however, and his scoring days are behind him. However, if he can bring a bit of a defensive presence to Vancouver, he may be able to climb the ranks slightly.
The two bright spots on the back end last season however, would be the play of both Willie Mitchell and Alexander Edler. Although Mitchell is nothing spectacular when it comes to defensemen, he came as advertised and provided Vancouver with a healthy, defensive-minded body on the blueline—something the team sorely needed. Edler on the other hand, put his 6’3, 220 lbs. body to good use, providing the team with a 20-point presence and strong defensive play.
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