Canucks Should Extend Trio of UFAs & Expectations for Hughes, Pettersson, Miller & Demko
Looking at extending Blueger, Joshua and Lafferty and whether Hughes, Pettersson, Miller and Demko can steer the Canucks to success in the future
Welcome to the THW Vancouver Canucks Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Canucks writers.
In today’s edition, we look at how the Canucks need to sign Teddy Blueger, Dakota Joshua and Sam Lafferty to extensions before the offseason and whether Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, JT Miller and Thatcher Demko can steer the team to success in the future.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Canucks Substack with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Now on to the good stuff!
Canucks Should Extend Blueger, Joshua & Lafferty
January 8, 2024 by Matthew Zator
The Vancouver Canucks have had a remarkable season up to this point. Currently perched atop the Pacific Division with 53 points (25-11-3) and leading the NHL with a plus-47 goal differential, they are poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013. However, for this run to last more than just this season, they will have to figure out how to keep the nucleus together beyond 2023-24.
That’s easier said than done, considering the Canucks will have eight unrestricted free agents (UFAs) and three restricted free agents (RFAs) to re-sign when the offseason begins in July. However, general manager Patrik Allvin could get a jump on things right now since players with one year remaining on their contracts were eligible for extensions the minute the clock hit midnight on Jan. 1. With that said, let’s take a look at who he should re-sign before crunch time on July 1.
Can Pettersson, Hughes, Miller & Demko Steer Canucks Success?
January 8, 2024 by The Old Prof
Thus far, the Vancouver Canucks are having an incredible season. They have far surpassed fan expectations and those of hockey analysts. There’s little chance now, it seems, that they will miss the 2024 postseason.
However, stranger things have happened than a team going into the tank after a strong start. While there are few signs of a funk coming, a quartet of key players seem poised to lead the Canucks as they navigate their immediate future. In this post, I want to speculate about the key impacts fans should expect from these four key players.
Specifically, what should be the team’s expectations for Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, and Thatcher Demko? For readers who are wondering where Brock Boeser might be in this post, he’s (to me) an interesting case. Before I consider him further, I’m interested to see if he continues to score at the same clip he has during the season.