It’s an understatement to say that the Vancouver Canucks are exceeding expectations to begin this season. A franchise-best 11-3-1 start, five players producing at a point-per-game (P/G) rate or better, and Vezina calibre goaltending are some of the notable highlights through their first 15 games. Among these promising signs, their trio of star players are not only leading the Canucks in scoring, but among the leaders in the NHL as well. Elias Pettersson is first in NHL scoring, while J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes are in a tie for third along with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov – Artemi Panarin owns sole possession of second.
While Filip Hronek is emerging as an elite second defensive option, Brock Boeser is looking like he will reach 30 goals for the first time in his career, and Thatcher Demko is an early favourite for the Vezina. Pettersson, Miller, and Hughes are showcasing why they are worth their contracts, or deserving of a lucrative extension.
Elias Pettersson
Before the start of the 2023-24 season, Pettersson told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman he wasn’t in any rush to sign a contract extension. This interview came while Canucks fans were speculating about the potential money and term of extending their superstar Swede. Fifteen games into the season, it’s a fair assumption to say whatever dollar figure Canucks fans and management had in mind has gone up.
Pettersson’s 2023-24 campaign is raising his stock. His 25 points (seven goals, 15 assists) through 15 games is good for first in league scoring. The Canucks superstar is helping the organization seem like a playoff lock come American Thanksgiving, which is a testament to his play considering the horrid start the team got off to last season. A drop is almost inevitable for Pettersson and the other two Canucks on this list, but that’s okay. Only six NHL players in history have scored over 150 points in a season, and Pettersson is scoring at a 166-point clip. However, another 100-point season is likely a lock, which means a massive payday next summer, or earlier, will likely follow suit.
J.T. Miller
Miller is 15 games into the first season of a seven-year contract, which pays him an average annual salary (AAV) of $8 million. Early on, he is living up to the AAV as he is tied for third in league scoring with 23 points. His contributions offensively to the Canucks are obvious. But, his great two-way play, matching up against the opposing team’s top lines and overall intensity, has contributed to the Canucks’ improved penalty kill and overall defensive game.
Of course, questions surrounding Miller’s contract will come in years five, six, and seven, when he will be in his mid-30s. However, if he records his third consecutive P/G season while scoring near a 100-point pace or above, the early stages of his contract will appear like a bargain.
Quinn Hughes
Hughes is leading all defencemen in scoring, and it’s not that small of a gap. His 23 points put him five ahead of Cale Makar’s 18. He is tied for third in league scoring with teammate J.T. Miller and former Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s no surprise Hughes can score. After all, he flirted with 80 points last season. However, it’s the dominance he is showing at both ends of the ice which is making him an early Norris Trophy favourite.
Teams have only scored at even-strength while Hughes has been on the ice six times this season, which is impressive considering he has over 200 minutes of five-on-five ice time. He is sporting a 56.69% Corsi For, 52.59% expected goals-for (xGF%), and has formed one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL with Hronek. The Canucks captain has evolved into a solid two-way defenceman, while his offensive prowess and current output have established him as one of the best defenders in the NHL.
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Pettersson, 166, and Miller and Hughes, 153, are on an astronomically high point pace. Maintaining these clips is practically impossible. However, if the Canucks see Pettersson put up his second 100-point season in as many years, with Miller and Hughes threatening 95-plus points, it would be shocking to see them outside of the playoffs come April. The Canucks have a lot of hockey left in the 2023-24 season – 67 games to be exact – but through their first 15, there is little to complain about in Canucks Nation.
Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick