After Saturday’s Norris winner on Norris violence in the nation’s capital, Quinn Hughes now leads the Vancouver Canucks in penalty minutes. As we try to make sense of that, we are also trying to come up with answers to the many questions you had for this week’s mailbag. 
Many of them involve Kiefer Sherwood who continues to amaze. And if you were handing out team MVP for the first 20 games, it would likely go to Hughes followed by Sherwood. The guy has been that good in his first two months in Canucks colours. Can’t say I saw that coming when they signed Sherwood on July 1st. What I did see coming was another solid batch of mailbag questions from our loyal readers. Let&#8217;s get to some answers.
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Who has been a more pleasant surprise for the Canucks this season: Kiefer Sherwood or Erik Brannstrom?
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vv2pbcmshpzfgojzjuvh7cgx?ref_src=embed">Strongbelly (@strongbelly.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vv2pbcmshpzfgojzjuvh7cgx/post/3lbpigm6wbk2c?ref_src=embed">2024-11-24T17:03:42.326Z</a></blockquote>
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I think it has to be Sherwood. Tied for the team lead in goals and runaway league leader in hits. He’s been part of the penalty kill and on Saturday, without JT Miller and Brock Boeser, look who was on the first power play unit. I expected Sherwood to be an abrasive fourth liner who might chip in with a few goals along the way. I like the fact that as he’s been elevated in the line-up, he has stayed true to his game, continued to be physical, but has also shown sweet hands, a quick release and a hockey IQ that has allowed him to fit seamlessly with better players. Brännström has been a terrific addition, but he has done what he’s doing now in the NHL before. Sherwood is stepping up in a big way and showing there is much more to his game than perhaps he was given credit for.
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When Boeser returns, and Miller is back, does Sherwood still have the top six credibility?
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6xverrfvnuui3melznem72rx?ref_src=embed">Brad on Bluesky (@theonlystowie.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6xverrfvnuui3melznem72rx/post/3lbogca34ts2i?ref_src=embed">2024-11-24T06:52:47.956Z</a></blockquote>
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I think so. I can envision a world where Rick Tocchet runs with DeBrusk-Pettersson-Sherwood and then has Suter-Miller-Boeser together. That allows Joshua and Garland to skate with Teddy Blueger giving the Canucks a familiar third line that had so much success last season. And the fourth line would be some combination of Heinen, Höglander, Räty and Bains. Unless, of course, Max Sasson shows well and forces his way into that fourth line discussion. I’d still like to see the Canucks experiment with Joshua and Sherwood on the same line at some point. I just think that would be a fun combination and a nightmare for defenders going back to retrieve pucks. And they could do that by flipping Garland and Sherwood. 
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-134615 size-large" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM-1024x798.png" alt="" width="1024" height="798" srcset="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM-1024x798.png 1024w, https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM-300x234.png 300w, https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM-768x599.png 768w, https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM.png 1162w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Yes. Yes it is. Go ahead. Snicker if you must. What else would you expect it to be? Shersy?
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Last season was the “everything goes right” season. This year seems to be the opposite. Does it make sense to punt on the season if it doesn’t change quick and set the focus on next season?
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:nbjxttopb3uu4fpnjzqu7swx?ref_src=embed"> (@smayow.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:nbjxttopb3uu4fpnjzqu7swx/post/3lbn56ubuns2f?ref_src=embed">2024-11-23T18:37:11.739Z</a></blockquote>
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Last season was the “everything goes right” season. This year seems to be the opposite. Does it make sense to punt on the season if it doesn’t change quick and set the focus on next season?
No, it doesn’t make sense – for a number of reasons. First of all, the Canucks have not had their best line-up on the ice for a single game yet this season and they’re still 10-6-3 and in a playoff spot by points percentage. Secondly, I don’t think you’d ever punt on any season in which Quinn Hughes is making $7.85M. This is a team in its competitive window and looking to build on what it accomplished last season. The captain is one of the best players in the league and one of the best bargains, too. You have to try to capitalize on that. 
And third, no one in the Pacific Division has pulled away from the pack. So while the on-ice product hasn’t always looked slick, the Canucks are still poised to defend their Pacific crown. This group wants to apply the lessons learned from two rounds of playoff action last spring. The thinking is that if they can get their key pieces healthy and in the line-up together, there is still plenty of time for this group to hit its stride. There’s no reason to punt at this stage, nor to consider the notion.
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Is Hoglander playing himself out of Vancouver?
&mdash; yvr_digital (@yvr_investor) <a href="https://twitter.com/yvr_investor/status/1860549501163045022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Twice in the past two weeks, Nils Höglander has established season lows for ice time in a game. When he logged just 9:23 against Calgary on November 12th, it raised eyebrows in the market. On Saturday in Ottawa, the bar was lowered to just 8:38. Now there were some extenuating circumstances. Höglander took three minor penalties which ate into his ice time. However, he was in the box for both Senators power play goals and didn’t register a single shot on goal on the night. At a time when the Canucks were looking for candidates to step up, Höglander, who has now gone 15 games without a goal, seemed to take a step back. 
I doubt Rick Tocchet minded the feisty forward sticking up for himself after he got levelled by Tim Stutzle, but there is just so little happening for Höglander these days, you do wonder what his role is in the big picture. Brock Boeser is about to return from injury and farm hands are pushing for jobs from below. If he’s not already, Höglander should certainly be feeling the squeeze.
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The Oilers, Knights, Kings, Flames, and Canucks are all within 4 points with VGK having highest point percentage and the Flames on yet another winning streak.
What are you now predicting the final standings of the Pacific Division?
&mdash; Jay (@TheHeartPlumber) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHeartPlumber/status/1860587537162731976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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We mentioned above the fact that the Pacific Division is a bit of a mud puddle right now. That said, on Saturday, Vegas, Calgary, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Vancouver all posted victories. So the Canucks needed their win over the Senators to keep pace with those teams around them. Vegas is better than I expected. Maybe that’s on me, but I thought the Knights might take a step back this season. They look like the team to beat. I’ve been impressed by how hard Calgary has played and how Ryan Huska has kept his team in the mix, but I just don’t see it lasting all season. 
I guess I like Edmonton more than Los Angeles based solely on the top of the Oilers line-up. And then you’ve got the Canucks who have dealt with plenty of adversity, feasted on bad teams and remained in the thick of things. My revised Pacific projection is Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Calgary with Seattle pulling away from Anaheim and San Jose to round out the pack. But I think this could be a season where the division winner has to hustle to crack the 105 point mark. Oh, and with this predicted finish, the Canucks and Oilers would be on a collision course again. Who wouldn&#8217;t want that?
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What is the single season club record for most 20goal scorers ? Has to be the Pat Quinn era
&mdash; Dime Store Greaser (@daveyboy604) <a href="https://twitter.com/daveyboy604/status/1860766853431509387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The answer is eight. And it&#8217;s happened twice: in 1980-81 and again in 1984-85. Canucks legends Stan Smyl and Thomas Gradin were part of both groups.
1980-81: Dave Williams (35), Bobby Schmautz (27), Ivan Boldirev (26), Curt Fraser, Darcy Rota &amp; Stan Smyl (all 25), Per-Olov Brasar (22) and Thomas Gradin (21).
1984-85: Tony Tanti (39), Stan Smyl (27), Patrik Sundstrom (25), Peter McNab (23), Thomas Gradin (22),  Cam Neely, Moe Lemay &amp; Petri Skriko (21 apiece).
This season&#8217;s team currently has seven players on an early 20-goal pace. So someone else (Quinn Hughes perhaps) would have to step up for this year&#8217;s team to have eight 20-goal guys.
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After Saturday’s Norris winner on Norris violence in the nation’s capital, Quinn Hughes now leads the Vancouver Canucks in penalty minutes. As we try to make sense of that, we are also trying to come up with answers to the many questions you had for this week’s mailbag. 

Many of them involve Kiefer Sherwood who continues to amaze. And if you were handing out team MVP for the first 20 games, it would likely go to Hughes followed by Sherwood. The guy has been that good in his first two months in Canucks colours. Can’t say I saw that coming when they signed Sherwood on July 1st. What I did see coming was another solid batch of mailbag questions from our loyal readers. Let's get to some answers.
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https://bsky.app/profile/strongbelly.bsky.social/post/3lbpigm6wbk2c

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I think it has to be Sherwood. Tied for the team lead in goals and runaway league leader in hits. He’s been part of the penalty kill and on Saturday, without JT Miller and Brock Boeser, look who was on the first power play unit. I expected Sherwood to be an abrasive fourth liner who might chip in with a few goals along the way. I like the fact that as he’s been elevated in the line-up, he has stayed true to his game, continued to be physical, but has also shown sweet hands, a quick release and a hockey IQ that has allowed him to fit seamlessly with better players. Brännström has been a terrific addition, but he has done what he’s doing now in the NHL before. Sherwood is stepping up in a big way and showing there is much more to his game than perhaps he was given credit for.

https://bsky.app/profile/theonlystowie.bsky.social/post/3lbogca34ts2i

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I think so. I can envision a world where Rick Tocchet runs with DeBrusk-Pettersson-Sherwood and then has Suter-Miller-Boeser together. That allows Joshua and Garland to skate with Teddy Blueger giving the Canucks a familiar third line that had so much success last season. And the fourth line would be some combination of Heinen, Höglander, Räty and Bains. Unless, of course, Max Sasson shows well and forces his way into that fourth line discussion. I’d still like to see the Canucks experiment with Joshua and Sherwood on the same line at some point. I just think that would be a fun combination and a nightmare for defenders going back to retrieve pucks. And they could do that by flipping Garland and Sherwood. 

<img class="alignnone wp-image-134615 size-large" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-24-at-1.54.43 PM-1024x798.png" alt="" width="1024" height="798" />

Yes. Yes it is. Go ahead. Snicker if you must. What else would you expect it to be? Shersy?

https://bsky.app/profile/smayow.bsky.social/post/3lbn56ubuns2f

Last season was the “everything goes right” season. This year seems to be the opposite. Does it make sense to punt on the season if it doesn’t change quick and set the focus on next season?

No, it doesn’t make sense – for a number of reasons. First of all, the Canucks have not had their best line-up on the ice for a single game yet this season and they’re still 10-6-3 and in a playoff spot by points percentage. Secondly, I don’t think you’d ever punt on any season in which Quinn Hughes is making $7.85M. This is a team in its competitive window and looking to build on what it accomplished last season. The captain is one of the best players in the league and one of the best bargains, too. You have to try to capitalize on that. 

And third, no one in the Pacific Division has pulled away from the pack. So while the on-ice product hasn’t always looked slick, the Canucks are still poised to defend their Pacific crown. This group wants to apply the lessons learned from two rounds of playoff action last spring. The thinking is that if they can get their key pieces healthy and in the line-up together, there is still plenty of time for this group to hit its stride. There’s no reason to punt at this stage, nor to consider the notion.

https://twitter.com/yvr_investor/status/1860549501163045022

Twice in the past two weeks, Nils Höglander has established season lows for ice time in a game. When he logged just 9:23 against Calgary on November 12th, it raised eyebrows in the market. On Saturday in Ottawa, the bar was lowered to just 8:38. Now there were some extenuating circumstances. Höglander took three minor penalties which ate into his ice time. However, he was in the box for both Senators power play goals and didn’t register a single shot on goal on the night. At a time when the Canucks were looking for candidates to step up, Höglander, who has now gone 15 games without a goal, seemed to take a step back. 

I doubt Rick Tocchet minded the feisty forward sticking up for himself after he got levelled by Tim Stutzle, but there is just so little happening for Höglander these days, you do wonder what his role is in the big picture. Brock Boeser is about to return from injury and farm hands are pushing for jobs from below. If he’s not already, Höglander should certainly be feeling the squeeze.

https://twitter.com/TheHeartPlumber/status/1860587537162731976

We mentioned above the fact that the Pacific Division is a bit of a mud puddle right now. That said, on Saturday, Vegas, Calgary, Los Angeles, Edmonton and Vancouver all posted victories. So the Canucks needed their win over the Senators to keep pace with those teams around them. Vegas is better than I expected. Maybe that’s on me, but I thought the Knights might take a step back this season. They look like the team to beat. I’ve been impressed by how hard Calgary has played and how Ryan Huska has kept his team in the mix, but I just don’t see it lasting all season. 

I guess I like Edmonton more than Los Angeles based solely on the top of the Oilers line-up. And then you’ve got the Canucks who have dealt with plenty of adversity, feasted on bad teams and remained in the thick of things. My revised Pacific projection is Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Calgary with Seattle pulling away from Anaheim and San Jose to round out the pack. But I think this could be a season where the division winner has to hustle to crack the 105 point mark. Oh, and with this predicted finish, the Canucks and Oilers would be on a collision course again. Who wouldn't want that?

https://twitter.com/daveyboy604/status/1860766853431509387

&nbsp;

The answer is eight. And it's happened twice: in 1980-81 and again in 1984-85. Canucks legends Stan Smyl and Thomas Gradin were part of both groups.

1980-81: Dave Williams (35), Bobby Schmautz (27), Ivan Boldirev (26), Curt Fraser, Darcy Rota &amp; Stan Smyl (all 25), Per-Olov Brasar (22) and Thomas Gradin (21).

1984-85: Tony Tanti (39), Stan Smyl (27), Patrik Sundstrom (25), Peter McNab (23), Thomas Gradin (22),  Cam Neely, Moe Lemay &amp; Petri Skriko (21 apiece).

This season's team currently has seven players on an early 20-goal pace. So someone else (Quinn Hughes perhaps) would have to step up for this year's team to have eight 20-goal guys.

Sponsored by bet365
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JPat’s Monday Canucks Mailbag: Is Nils Höglander playing himself out of Vancouver?

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