‘The Nuck Stops Here’ is a Vancouver Canucks news, opinion and analysis column that runs every Sunday throughout the regular season.
News
Canucks Honour Henrik Sedin’s 1,000th Career Point
Saturday, against the Minnesota Wild, the Vancouver Canucks recognized Henrik Sedin’s 1,000th point, scored Jan. 20 in a 2-1 win against the Florida Panthers. The club hosted a pregame ceremony, as well as video content from former teammates across the NHL and career highlights. The team has also begun a line of “HENR1K” merchandise, including plaques, shirts, jerseys and pucks. Each fan who attended Saturday’s game received a Henrik Sedin themed magazine.
Scores of the Week
Vancouver Canucks – 1 : San Jose Sharks – 4
Vancouver Canucks – 3 : Minnesota Wild – 6
Current Record: 23-23-6 (52 Points ~ 6th in Pacific Division, 11th in Western Conference, 26th in NHL)
Analysis
The Impact of Jannik Hansen
The Canucks got some good news recently in the form of the upcoming return of Jannik Hansen. With offence being hard to come by for the club these days, the former 20-goal scorer (career-high 22 last season) will be a welcome breath of fresh air. The 30-year-old Dane has been limited to just 19 games due to injury but has scored a very respectable five goals and 10 points in that time.
In fact, over the course of the past 21 games, Hansen ranks seventh on the team in goals (with three) despite playing in just three contests in that time. With his return, Hansen will allow the team to play around with line combinations and take pressure off the Sedins and Loui Eriksson (who have had trouble putting up points of late) to produce.
He could provide a spark to the largely-stagnant power play, and helps increase the overall speed of the team — his footspeed could also make him an asset on a line alongside Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi. With the Canucks in the thick of the playoff hunt, Hansen will prove to be a major upgrade to the team’s middle-six, and will greatly enhance the offensive prospects of the roster.
Bo Horvat Shines in All-Star Game
It’s easy to say that Bo Horvat was selected to the NHL All-Star game by default, chosen because the Canucks required a representative. Horvat has had a successful year, leading the Canucks in points (33) and goals (15), but not one that would have been represented in a true best-of-the-best tournament.
However, Horvat embraced the opportunity, and in a sense, experienced his coming out party at the NHL’s All-Star festivities. Horvat, whose skating was highlighted as a weakness in his game, finished third in the fastest skater competition.
Meanwhile, in the game itself, the 21-year old scored two goals and added two assists while playing alongside Johnny Gaudreau. It was Horvat’s chance to announce his arrival as a star in the NHL and allowed his talent’s to be on display on a league-wide scale. If what Horvat showed this past weekend is a showcase of what the rest of his career holds, Canucks fans should get excited.
Around the Blog-O-Sphere
Fun links about the Vancouver Canucks from all around the internet.
A (satirical) look at stats the Canucks should be tracking [Vancouver Courier]
The next few weeks will determine the Canucks’ trade deadline stance [National Post]
The Canucks aren’t interested in messing with a long-term strategy [CBC]
The Canucks should be following in the San Jose Sharks’ footsteps [The Province]
Canucks looking sluggish after long break [Vancouver Sun]
Three players to watch for the rest of 2017 [The Canuck Way]