The Vancouver Canucks entered the holiday break atop the NHL standings for the first time in franchise history and are well on their way to making the playoffs. Many things can be attributed to this amazing result, including, but not limited to, the monster seasons from JT Miller, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes and the rock-solid goaltending tandem of Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith. But, arguably the biggest reason for their dramatic upswing is the consistent two-way performance from their checking line of Conor Garland, Teddy Blueger and Dakota Joshua.
This uber-trio has been together since Blueger returned from injury on Nov. 12 against the Montreal Canadiens, and they have never been broken up – even when head coach Rick Tocchet decides to juggle his lines in-game. They have become the Canucks’ ultimate energy line providing not just good defensive play, but a surprising amount of offence as well. So much so that they resemble some other iconic checking lines of the past – trios that were big reasons for Stanley Cup championships. Could they join that exclusive club in a few months? Time will tell, but until then, let’s look at a couple of those Stanley Cup-winning line combos and see how they compare.
Travis Moen, Sammy Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer (Anaheim Ducks – 2007)
Going back to the 2007 Playoffs, the line of Travis Moen, Sammy Pahlsson and Rob Niedermayer was beyond hell to play against. They not only shut down the best of the best when it comes to top lines, but they also outscored them. The adage holds true with this line, how can someone score when they don’t have the puck? They were relentless on the forecheck, physical in the corners and frustrated some of the top stars in the NHL including Marian Gaborik, Pavel Datsyuk, and the Canucks own Daniel and Henrik Sedin on their path to the Stanley Cup. During the playoffs, they combined for 15 goals and 34 points and were a huge reason why they came away with the ultimate prize.
Moen = Joshua
Moen was a lot like Joshua, big, physical, and never backed down from a fight. He also could put the puck in the net when given the chance. He scored 11 goals and 21 points in the regular season and seven goals and 12 points in the playoffs. While hits weren’t tracked until the next season (2007-08), he eclipsed the 100-hit plateau four times in his career and finished with 956 when he retired after the 2015-16 season. Joshua is also a Mack Truck when it comes to physicality, finishing with 222 last season and already has 105 this season.
Pahlsson = Blueger
Pahlsson and Blueger are almost the same type of player. Both are good defensively, decent in the faceoff dot, and show flashes of skill from time to time. Pahlsson spent most of his career as a top-tier third-line center and penalty killer. While he only hit double-digits once in his career, he was good for 5-10 goals along with superb forechecking and two-way play.
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He was at his best during the Ducks’ Stanley Cup run, logging an average of 19:25 a night against the top centers in the NHL and scoring three goals and 12 points in 21 games. He also led the playoffs in plus/minus at a plus-10. He finished his career with the Canucks and played his final playoff game – along with his last goal in the NHL – with them in 2011-12.
Niedermayer = Garland
Niedermayer came into the NHL as a highly-touted first-round pick (fifth overall in 1993) expected to score and provide top-six production. While he didn’t turn into the star everyone hoped he’d become, he still ended up being a valuable player for many teams throughout his career. His best season production-wise came in 1995-96 with the Florida Panthers when he scored 26 goals and 61 points; however, his most impactful was arguably during the Ducks’ run to the Cup in 2007. He put up five goals and 10 points in 21 games and was a thorn in the side of every opponent he faced.
Similar to Garland, Niedermayer was shifty and skating was one of his best attributes. He could get under the skin of his opponents, and while he had a lot more size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) to back up his exploits, he played the game hard and his work ethic was never questioned. He could also play up and down the lineup and was good for 10-15 goals a season.
Barclay Goodrow, Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman (Tampa Bay Lightning – 2020, 2021)
The Tampa Bay Lightning were blessed with arguably the best third line of the modern era during their back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021. Barclay Goodrow, Yanni Gourde and Blake Coleman produced like a top line at times and were a matchup nightmare for any team they faced. Acquired from the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils respectively in 2020, Goodrow and Coleman meshed almost immediately with Gourde.
Like the trio of Joshua, Blueger and Garland, they were rarely – if ever – split up and gave head coach Jon Cooper a consistent “lunchpail” line that could be deployed to generate energy and provide superb two-way play whenever needed. During their dynasty years in the playoffs, they combined for 24 goals and 57 points. If not for them, the Lightning probably would have never won the Cup, let alone two in back-to-back years.
Coleman = Joshua
Coleman is much more talented offensively than Joshua, but his play style and work ethic are almost the same. He doesn’t have the size that Joshua has at 5-foot-11 compared to 6-foot-3, but he hits like him and loves to mix it up along the boards. Since he became a full-time NHLer in 2017-18 with the Devils, he has eclipsed the 100-hit plateau in six straight seasons and already has 1,101 hits in his career. His game is tailormade for the playoffs, and the stats back it up, as he has 12 goals and 31 points in 65 career games – including a combined eight goals and 24 points in 2020 and 2021.
Gourde = Garland
Gourde and Garland’s hockey journeys have been filled with adversity and proving people wrong. As undersized forwards in a league unfairly biased toward players above 6 feet, they have had to work for every inch of their success. Gourde was signed by the Lightning as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and has gone on to play 501 games in the NHL and record 119 goals and 295 points while Garland was drafted in the fifth round by the Arizona Coyotes in 2015 and has 86 goals and 210 points in 358 games.
Gourde and Garland have proven to everyone that size doesn’t matter, and that work ethic and a never-say-die attitude are what makes a player great. Both have enormous fight in their games and are difficult to contain when they have the puck. Their motor never stops and just when you think you have won the puck away from them, they come back with a vengeance and steal it right back. Gourde was at his absolute best in the playoffs for the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 as he scored 13 goals and 21 points in 48 games, proving once again that it’s the fight in the dog that matters, not the size.
Goodrow = Blueger
Finally, we have Goodrow, an industrious winger/center who isn’t always the best offensively, but consistently brings his work boots to the rink. He throws the body a lot more than Blueger, but other than that, they are pretty much the same. Both players can score when given the chance, but their bread and butter come in the X-factor categories of energy, work ethic and penalty killing. Goodrow wasn’t as productive as his linemates in 2020 and 2021, but he was still important to their success, complementing the duo with his smart two-way play and forechecking.
Conor Garland, Teddy Blueger, Dakota Joshua (Vancouver Canucks – 2024?)
After looking at two of the best third lines in NHL playoff history, it’s clear the Canucks have something special on their hands in the trio of Garland, Blueger and Joshua. Over the first 36 games of the season, they have been hands down their best line overall, consistently providing energy and offence at a ridiculous rate. Some might say they are a 2A line rather than a third line considering their production so far this season.
Blueger and Joshua are on pace for career seasons of 15 and 21 goals respectively and might be the cheapest duo cap-wise for what they are producing offensively. And while Garland is on pace for a career-worst seven goals, his slippery work in the corners and Sedin-like chemistry with Joshua make that line tick. You always need a straw to stir the drink, and he has definitely been that so far this season.
In the end, the Canucks have struck gold with this line and they might ride the momentum all the way to the Stanley Cup in 2024. History has shown us that an impactful third line can be the difference between a win and a loss in the playoffs. Of course, you need the stars to produce and elite goaltending from your starter, but the X-factor has proven time and time again to be players in the bottom-six. The Canucks seemingly have that magic ingredient this season. Will it be baked into their first Stanley Cup in franchise history? We will just have to wait and see.