Vancouver Canucks: Is It Time to Panic Yet?

The numbers are telling. The Canucks are now 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, but after the loss to Phoenix Wednesday night, the four regulation losses have all come in the last five games. And those four losses were all at home to boot. 

So the question to Vancouver fans is, when is it time to panic? 

The Canucks have 12 games left, and they are mainly against non-playoff teams, or at least teams on the bubble. Seven of those games are at home. 

The Canucks do have time to turn it around and get on a winning streak before the playoffs start. They also have plenty of opportunities to redeem their recently dismal home record and make defending Rogers Arena a strength rather than a weakness.  

The Canucks also are a mathematical lock to make the playoffs and also to win the Northwest Division, as they have a 12-point lead (and two games in hand) over the Colorado Avalanche, who currently sit eighth in the Western Conference and second in the Northwest Division. 

As a division winner, the Canucks would be guaranteed at least a No. 3 seed under the NHL playoff system. In practical terms, the NHL might as well award them the second seed already. The Canucks could theoretically catch Central Division-leading St. Louis for first in the West, but the Blues have a six-point lead over the Canucks.  

On the other hand, the Canucks have a nine-point lead over the Pacific Division-leading Dallas. They also have a game in hand over both Dallas and St. Louis.

So in practical terms, nothing the Canucks do over the last 12 games is likely to negatively affect their playoff seed; they are essentially locked into second in the West, with an outside shot at first overall. 

But as a fan, are you feeling a bit panicked yet?

The next game for the Canucks is against cellar-dwelling Columbus. This is actually a trap game. If the Canucks beat the Blue Jackets, it proves nothing to their critics and fans. They are supposed to pound a lowly team that by all rights gave up on making the playoffs back in November. 

But if they lose to Columbus, then the losing streak just gains momentum. 

And momentum is what this is all about really.  

Aside from putting on a good show for the paying fans at home (which they haven't done much of lately), the Canucks want to be on a winning streak heading into the playoffs.  

Ideally the team is loose, relaxed and reeling off wins like they did earlier in the year with swagger and confidence, not clutching their sticks and making boneheaded mistakes because they are afraid to fail. 

So, as a fan, how much further can this losing streak go on before you start to panic? Or did you already hit that point weeks ago?