LATEST | The Athletic releases 2023-24 best players list: trio of Canucks highlighted

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Cooper Godin
September 18, 2023 (10:33)

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On Monday, The Athletic released their annual best players list, breaking it down into four separate tiers: MVP, Franchise, All-Star and Top Line.

A trio of Vancouver Canucks have landed in different tiers on The Athletic's list ahead of the 2023-24 season, those players being Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller.

Let's take a look at where The Athletic has the trio listed and what they have to say about Pettersson, Hughes and Miller.

Elias Pettersson - Tier 2 (Franchise)

"After a brief stint away from the franchise tier, Elias Pettersson is so back. Perhaps we were a little hasty pushing him all the way down to Tier 4A last season, but he did uncharacteristically struggle to drive play in 2021-22. A 68-point season wasn't cutting it either.

Last season was a different story, with Pettersson looking much closer to the player he was hyped up to be after two magnificent seasons to start his career."

Quinn Hughes - Tier 3 (All-Star)

"We know he carries the offensive load for a mediocre team, which he does well. Ultimately, we slotted him behind veterans like Roman Josi and Erik Karlsson who, while not without their warts, are simply better at running the show. They're transcendent talents with the puck. Hughes isn't at that level, and his placement reflects it."

J.T. Miller - Tier 4 (Top Line)

"Sort the league by points and it's easy to believe Miller is one of the league's best forwards � he ranks 12th over the last four seasons with 299 over 283 games. Watch him play and it's easy to see why he would rank this low � and why he's drawn the ire of many Canucks fans lately. A questionable attitude, low effort without the puck, and heavy dependance on the power play all contribute to a lower standing."

It's safe to say, if the Canucks are going to have any success this season as they try to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020, Pettersson, Hughes and Miller will need to be at the top of their game every single night. If they're able to do that, as well as Thatcher Demko having a solid season, there's no doubt that the Canucks could potentially make some noise when it comes to the Western Conference wild card picture.

Source: The Athletic

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Of the three players mentioned, who will finish the season with the most points?
Elias Pettersson	481	78.7 %
Quinn Hughes	37	6.1 %
J.T. Miller	59	9.7 %
See Results	34	5.6 %
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