The Lowdown on the Canucks Playoff Implications (updated)

The Canucks appear to be in good shape to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year after missing last year.  With 5 games to go in the regular season, the Canucks hold down 2nd place in the Pacific Division and sit 4 points up on 3rd place Calgary and 7 points clear of the 4th place Los Angeles Kings.
The Canucks currently hold the 1st tie-breaker (ROWs) on both of those teams.


The remaining schedule for Vancouver looks like this:

@Nashville (WIN 5-4 in shootout)
@Chicago
@Winnipeg
Los Angeles
Arizona
Edmonton

Compared to Calgary and LA, the Canucks have the toughest remaining schedule

Canucks Face Do or Die vs Arch Nemesis

Dating back to Round One of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the LA Kings have absolutely owned the Vancouver Canucks.

Yes, the Canucks have had difficulty with all of the California based teams in recent years, but the LA Kings it seems, have proved to be kryptonite to the Canucks Superman

Canucks Lack of Depth is Showing

The Vancouver Canucks got thumped by the San Jose Sharks last night by a score of 5-1.  Can't score, can't keep the puck out of they're own net.

While the Sharks appeared to be firing on all cylinders and looked like a team ready to seize a playoff spot in the NHL's tough Western Conference, the Canucks looked like a team with no direction.

Injuries on the back end to Tanev and Bieksa, and a Dan Hamhuis in the lineup who looks like he hasn't fully recovered from injury, have exposed the Canucks lack of depth on D.  Even without any significant injuries up front, their lack of scoring depth throughout the forward lines is apparent.  Without any significant secondary scoring threats through the line-up, it all falls on the top line of the Sedins with Vrbata; and when they're not going, the results are self-evident.

The Canucks, if they are going to threaten for a playoff spot and do anything at all meaningful should they get there,

Canucks 2012-2013 Aftermath

Here's my take on the end of the Canucks season.  I've given it a couple of days.  I've digested it.  I've calmed down.  Much like Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis intimated in his end of season media address about not making emotional decisions, I didn't want to write this in the heat of the moment in a heightened emotional state.  You won't read a hysterical rant about the Canucks' terrible play and the absolutely abysmal and game-affecting officiating throughout their 1st round series with the San Jose Sharks.  For that, you can read my twitter feed leading up to and immediately after whatever that was that Kelly Sutherland thought he saw

Canucks vs Sharks - Renewing Acquaintances

Tomorrow night the San Jose Sharks invade Rogers Arena to take on the Vancouver Canucks in Game1 of the NHL Western Conference Quarter-Finals.  These teams have met once before with the Canucks taking out the Sharks in 5 games in the Western Conference Final on their way to losing in Game 7 of the 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins.

Both teams have made a few changes since then.  For the Canucks the most noticeable change

Time To Channel Your Hated for the Sharks

Remember the Canucks 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Run? Of course you do.

1 game short.

Do you remember how much anger and hatred you (assuming you're a Canuck fan) felt towards those evil thug knuckle-dragging Boston Bruins?  Of course you do.

Everyone remembers