Vancouver Canucks: Sizing Up Their Potential First-Round Playoff Opponents

In 2010-11, the Vancouver Canucks clinched the Presidents' Trophy with a couple of games to go in the regular season.  Still, they had to wait till the last game on the last day to learn they'd face the Chicago Blackhawks in their first-round matchup.

The Western Conference playoff race is shaping up to be just as tight this year.  The Canucks have clinched the Northwest Division, but we still don't know if they'll finish first or second in the conference. And there's a logjam at the bottom that will likely go right down to the wire.

By my calculations, the Canucks might play any one of seven teams in the first round.  Here's how they match up:

(all stats based on end of game play Tuesday, March 27)

San Jose Sharks

Current Position:  1st in Pacific Division, 3rd in Conference, 88 points

Games Remaining:  6

Season Series:   Canucks 3-0-1

11/26  Van 3 @ SJ 2
12/28  Van 3 @ SJ 2  OT
1/2      SJ 3 @ Van 2  S/O
1/21    SJ 3 @ Van 4

Playoff History: 

Canucks beat Sharks, 4-1, in 2011 Conference Final

Breakdown: 

The Canucks and Sharks played each other tough this year. Last year's Conference Final hatched a real rivalry, though it might mean more to the Sharks than it does to the Canucks, who now seem to have rivalries with just about everyone in the West.

Much like last year's playoffs, the Canucks prevailed again in the regular season.  Expect the same if these two match up in the first round.

 

Chicago Blackhawks

Current Position:  4th in Central Division, 6th in Conference, 92 points

Games Remaining:  6

Season Series:   Canucks 2-1-1

11/6    Van 6 @ Chi 2
11/16  Chi 5 @ Van 1
1/31    Chi 2 @ Van 3  OT
3/21    Van 1 @ Chi 2  OT

Playoff History: 

Canucks beat Blackhawks, 4-3, in 2011 Conference Quarterfinals
Blackhawks beat Canucks, 4-2, in 2010 Conference Semifinals
Blackhawks beat Canucks, 4-2, in 2009 Conference Semifinals
Blackhawks beat Canucks, 4-0, in 1995 Conference Semifinals
Canucks beat Blackhawks, 4-1, in 1982 Conference Finals

Breakdown: 

A playoff series between the Canucks and Blackhawks is never without passion.  Their first-ever meeting back in 1982 led to the beginning of the infamous "Towel Power" movement, and the Canucks' overtime win against the defending Stanley Cup champs in Game 7 in 2011 is now an iconic moment in franchise history.

Daniel Sedin's concussion and Duncan Keith's subsequent suspension throws even more gasoline on a fire that's already burning brightly.  Chicago is sitting pretty comfortably in the sixth seed at the moment but they've been streaky this year, and without Keith there's a chance that they could still drop back.

If Vancouver and Chicago meet for the fourth straight year, expect nothing short of spontaneous combustion.

Dallas Stars

Current Position:  2nd in Pacific Division, 7th in Conference, 87 points

Games Remaining:  6

Season Series:   Canucks 1-1-1  with 1 game remaining

2/26    Van 2 @ Dal 3  OT
3/6      Dal 5 @ Van 2
3/22    Van 2 @ Dal 1
3/30    Dal @ Van

Playoff History: 

Canucks beat Stars, 4-3, in 2007 Conference Quarterfinals
Canucks beat Stars, 4-1, in 1994 Conference Semifinals

Breakdown:

The Canucks are 2-0 against the Stars in past playoff matchups, but this is a very different team from the one they beat in 2007.  In fact, it's a very different team from the one that choked during the last game of the 2010-11 regular season, thus allowing Chicago to grab the eighth seed.

New coach Glen Gulutzan has made the Stars tough to play against, and new owner Tom Gaglardi is a Vancouverite who got shut out of an opportunity to be part of the Canucks ownership group several years back.  Nothing would be sweeter for him than to see his Stars win a playoff series in his own backyard.  Expect Team Aquilini and the Canucks to have a thing or two to say about that.

Phoenix Coyotes

Current Position:  3rd in Pacific Division, 8th in Conference, 87 points

Games Remaining:  5

Season Series:   Canucks 2-1-1

11/25  Van 5 @ Phx 0
2/13    Phx 1 @ Van 2 S/O
2/28    Van 1 @ Phx 2  S/O
3/14    Phx 5 @ Van 4

Playoff History (as Winnipeg Jets)

Canucks beat Jets, 4-2, in 1993 Division Semifinals
Canucks beat Jets, 4-3, in 1992 Division Semifinals

Breakdown:

Is this the last year we'll see NHL hockey in the desert?  It seems like the chimes of doom sound every year about this time, but the Coyotes just won't go away.

For a team on a limited budget, with limited resources, coach Dave Tippett does an amazing job of keeping them in the hunt, year after year.  The Coyotes may not have the talent to win a Cup, but they have enough determination to play spoilers somewhere along the way.  Publicly, they'll say they don't care, but behind closed doors, the Canucks are probably hoping to play someone else in Round 1.

Los Angeles Kings

Current Position:  4th in Pacific Division, 9th in Conference, 86 points

Games Remaining:  6

Season Series:   Canucks 2-1-1

11/10  Van 3 @ LA 2
12/31  Van 1 @ LA 4
1/17    LA 3 @ Van 2  S/O
3/26    LA 0 @ Van 1

Playoff History: 

Canucks beat Kings, 4-2, in 2010 Conference Semifinals
Kings beat Canucks, 4-2, in 1993 Division Finals
Kings beat Canucks, 4-2, in 1991 Division Semifinals
Canucks beat Kings, 4-1, in 1982 Division Finals

Breakdown:

The Kings have been up and down this year, and still appear to be searching for their identity under coach Darryl Sutter.  Despite having a lineup with snipers like Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, the Kings are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league and have relied primarily on Vezina-caliber goaltending from Jonathan Quick to come as far as they have this season.

Facing Vezina-calibert goaltending has been the undoing of many a playoff favourite in years gone by.  The Kings look like easy pickings, but they have the potential to cause grief for Vancouver or St. Louis if they can stay in the top eight.

Colorado Avalanche

Current Position:  2nd in Northwest Division, 10th in Conference, 86 points

Games Remaining:  4

Season Series:   Canucks 5-0-0  with 1 game remaining

11/23  Van 3 @ Col 0
12/6    Col 0 @ Van 6
2/4      Van 3 @ Col 2  S/O
2/15    Col 1 @ Van 3
3/24    Van 3 @ Col 2  OT
3/28    Col @ Van

Playoff History: 

Avalanche beat Canucks, 4-0, in 2001 Conference Quarterfinals
Avalanche beat Canucks, 4-2, in 1996 Conference Quarterfinals

Breakdown:

Given their choice of first-round opponent, the Canucks would probably pick Colorado.  They haven't lost to the Avalanche this year, and shut them out in two early-season contests.

Alas, the hockey gods will probably not make it so, as Colorado is at a distinct disadvantage with just four games left on their schedule.  They've come a long way from their second-to-last-place finish in the Western Conference last year, but it looks like IIHF World Championship experience is the best postseason action these players can hope for.

Calgary Flames

Current Position: 3rd in Northwest Division, 11th in Conference, 85 points

Games Remaining:  5

Season Series:   Canucks 2-1-1  with 2 games remaining

11/1    Van 5 @ Cgy 1
12/4    Cgy 1 @ Van 5
12/23  Cgy 3 @ Van 1
2/11    Van 2 @ Cgy 3 S/O
3/31    Cgy @ Van
04/05  Van @ Cgy

Playoff History: 

Flames beat Canucks, 4-3, in 2004 Conference Quarterfinals
Canucks beat Flames, 4-3, in 1994 Conference Quarterfinals
Flames beat Canucks, 4-3, in 1989 Conference Quarterfinals
Flames beat Canucks, 3-1, in 1984 Division Semifinals
Flames beat Canucks, 3-1, in 1983 Division Semifinals
Canucks beat Flames, 3-0, in 1982 Division Semifinals

Breakdown:

The Canucks and Flames have a rich playoff history, dating back 30 years and including three seven-game series.  Each of those led to a finals appearance by the victor, and the Flames won it all in 1989.

In recent years, the Canucks have dominated head-to-head against Calgary, and they wouldn't mind this matchup one bit in the first round.  Odds are low, however, as the Flames have just five games left on their schedule—two against the Canucks—and three teams they'd need to leapfrog just to get into eighth position.