Former NHLer has an interesting take on the Canucks and the pacific division

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Cooper Godin
September 16, 2024 (11:55)

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A former NHLer believes that the Vancouver Canucks are the most intriguing team in Pacific Division this season.

The 2023-24 season was a special one for the Vancouver Canucks. Going into the season, many expected the team to be in the mix for a wild card spot in the Western Conference, but they exceeded that and won the division title for the first time in over a decade.

In the playoffs, the Canucks made it to the second round and were on win away from advancing to the Western Conference Final, but fell to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7.

Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin made some key additions to the lineup this summer including a seven-year deal for Jake DeBrusk, along with plenty of depth signings - Daniel Sprong, Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort.

Expectations are going to be sky high for the Canucks this season and they'll be in tough as they look to defend their Pacific Division title, potentially without star goaltender Thatcher Demko to start the year.

On Monday's edition of NHL Tonight, former NHLer Stu Grimson and host Jamie Hersch took a look at the most intriguing team in each division. For the Pacific Division, Grimson named the Vancouver Canucks.

"For me, it's the Vancouver Canucks." Grimson said.

He went on to add, "The challenge for these Canucks, going back in time when coach Tocchet takes over, it's a challenge. He's mid-way through a season going back two years, it's a bit of a gong show. This team was underperforming, struggling to defend effectively. A brilliant turnaround this past year. First in the Pacific overall. The challenge for this group is distinct from any of the other three we've mentioned to this point. I think it's on the leadership group and coach Tocchet himself. You've got to find a way to point to and draw out some inspiration for these guys, so they can maybe equal or surpass what they accomplished last year. I think that's the real challenge for this Vancouver group.

On paper, this group is brilliantly constructed. Thatcher Demko, I think is dealing with something lower-body that's going to be a challenge for him going forward. That's an area of focus and attention for this group as well. But net-net at the end of the day, this is a group that I think their biggest challenge is going to be - how do you at least match and surpass what you accomplished last year. Because we've seen a lot of teams like this....for this group, it's going to be an emotional, a leadership, a character issue. How do you find the inspiration to build on what you did last year and not take a step backward."

The Canucks' core remains intact heading into the year and despite the losses of Elias Linholm and Nikita Zadorov in free agency back in July, this roster is strong and is more than capable of being at the top of the Pacific Division and Western Conference once again. Making it back to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and getting over that hump into the Western Conference Final has to be the goal for Rick Tocchet and the Vancouver Canucks this season.