Canucks Six Steps to Contention & Kuzmenko's Second Chance
Looking at how the Canucks have transformed into a contender and Kuzmenko's second chance on the top line after consecutive healthy scratches
Welcome to the THW Vancouver Canucks Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Canucks writers.
In today’s edition, we have the Canucks’ six steps to contention, Andrei Kuzmenko’s second chance on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev, a significant date in franchise history, and more.
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Now on to the good stuff!
Canucks’ Kuzmenko Must Take Advantage of Second Chance
December 26, 2023 by Scott Clarke
After scoring 39 goals in his rookie season last year and looking like a potential long-term core piece for the Vancouver Canucks, Andrei Kuzmenko‘s 2023-24 season has been quite the opposite of what was expected. Healthy scratches, line demotions, and being publicly called out by his head coach, it has been a mess for the Russian forward. However, after being a healthy scratch two games in a row, head coach Rick Tocchet has given his player another crack at things on the top line, an opportunity he must take advantage of.
From Dysfunction to Dominance: Canucks’ Six Steps to Contention
December 23, 2023 by The Old Prof
In a recent THW post, my colleague Mike Fink wrote a solid read about how NHL teams rebuild. In that post, which you can link to below, he noted the Vancouver Canucks’ rebuild. I’d like to spend some time in this post looking specifically at this unique team and how it has so quickly and so successfully morphed into the NHL’s top team.
Currently, the Canucks sit first in the entire NHL with 47 points. In that position, they are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights. However, they have one more win than Vegas. It’s been both a good and a surprising season for the team. Interestingly, it’s come after what could be considered a horrible last season. Not only did the team miss out on the playoffs, but the level of organizational dysfunction was palpable.
What a different NHL season this has been in Vancouver.
Today in Hockey History: Dec. 26
Dec. 26 has proven to be an extremely busy day in National Hockey League history. A handful of Hockey Hall of Famers had huge performances on this date as we had to say goodbye to two others. Some goaltending greats showed exactly why they are held in high regard, while fans in Pittsburgh and Vancouver had plenty to cheer about. Let’s strap in for our daily trip through the decades.