We’re officially in the bleakest timeline as the Vancouver Canucks are playing terrible hockey, but due to the fact so many other teams in the West are stunningly mediocre as well, somehow remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot. Which makes next week’s NHL trade deadline that potent blend of equal parts horror and fascination, aka the matcha Frappuccino of our time.

You’d think after losing to Anaheim on Thursday, then dropping a 6-3 decision to Seattle on Saturday, that maybe the team would lean more towards selling off a few assets come deadline. Or, at the very least, not trade away draft picks to try and bolster a potential playoff run this season. With Quinn Hughes’ body looking like it’s held together by duct tape and used gum at this point, and with Elias Pettersson currently enrolled in the witness protection program, it’s hard to imagine a positive scenario in which the Canucks can trade away enough draft capital to bring in a forward or two to help try and outscore Tyler Myers.

Last year, they took their shot with Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, and we all had a fantastic time. The Canucks rode the highest of highs and all the power to them for giving that core a shot. Those playoff memories were grand, and, heck, I’d go so far as to say it was the best hockey jollification we’ve had in this town in over a decade.

But this year, it’s hard to make the case that the Canucks can find a way to go on a deep post-season run, even if they make some moves at the deadline to add some talent. The main concern you often hear in response to exclaiming that the Canucks should sell at this year’s deadline is “but what message does that send to Quinn Hughes??”, as his pending free agency in a couple of years looms large over this fan base. Which hey, fair enough. Quinn Hughes is the best defenseman this team has ever seen, and every single team in the NHL would line up to give him all of the money if given the chance, much less the team that has his two brothers patting an empty spot on the couch beside them. You want him to enjoy playing hockey, and yeah, he probably would enjoy the thought that maybe his team can win the Stanley Cup on occasion.

I would argue, though, that stumbling into the playoffs for a couple of seasons feels like a hard sell to entice Quinn to stick around. “Hey man, you like first round exits, because we have got you covered.” And with the roster constructed the way it currently is, it’s really hard to picture a trade deadline strategy that would bolster this lineup into being a true contender.

I think there is a world that exists where the Canucks can be extremely proactive in attempting a quick re-tool of sorts in which they can try and build up enough of a core around Quinn Hughes to give him a few shots at deep playoff runs down the road. A couple of savvy moves at this deadline, a solid off-season in free agency, maybe you hit on some of your younger players, and now maybe there’s a path to the playoffs that isn’t just “pray and hope Quinn Hughes can carry us for an entire season.”

Otherwise, we find ourselves back in that Benning nightmare of “just get in and see what happens” logic, which, even if you make that magical run to the Finals as a wildcard team, traditionally ends with sadness and misery. Although, if you’re lucky, you might end up with the most miserable-looking goalie you’ve ever seen accepting a Conn Smythe trophy in the loss.

The problem with all of that, however, is we know the Canucks owner likes himself some money. Downright loves it. Would bathe in it if he could. Scrooge McDuck swimming in a pile of gold coins wasn’t a cartoon to him; it was a blueprint. I would argue that Jim Rutherford is also a man who has no problem going all in if he thinks he can sneak into the playoffs. And if you’re watching this team play hockey right now, I have to assume even Frankie and Jim would agree that this roster isn’t showing promising signs of locking up that wildcard spot.

Which brings us back to the deadline and wondering just what the hell this team is going to do. Are they going to trade out assets to bring in some veteran talent to try and get into the playoffs? Or will they slow-play this season and attempt to plan for next year?

With an owner probably planning the next winery he is going to buy with those potential playoff funds, and a management team that has shown a desire to win now rather than later, it feels like additions are most certainly coming.

Whether that is the right move or not, well, now we’re back to that Jim Benning era special of “let’s wait and see”, which, to be honest, is some of the scariest words you can whisper in this town.

So I guess let’s wait and see?

Best random number generator results

GAME ON.

📺 Sportsnet
📻 Sportsnet 650 pic.twitter.com/CPNsO2l501

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 2, 2025

On the one hand, they’re not winning games, so why not just throw the lines in a blender?

But on the other hand, what are these lines? It feels like AI generated this lineup, and we’re all kind of wondering why Blueger has six fingers and why Kevin Lankinen looks a little too much like Dave Foley.

Which, to Rick Tocchet’s credit, I guess it didn’t matter in the end anyway? The team used the exact same game plan they brought out against the Ducks in which they played well for the first period before collapsing into a blackhole of sadness and rejection quicker than your last Tinder date.

Best I’m a fan of these things

The first clip of the game is Fil Hronek getting absolutely drilled into the boards, and I am including it because I just like big hits:

The game started with a huge hit on Fil and ended with a huge hit on Fil, so if you’re a big fan of bookend storytelling, oh boy, did this game deliver. Nothing sells tickets quite like literary mechanics at work.

Best throat goat

Myers has been feeling it since the puck to the throat game. #Canucks

— Nikster (@NiksterPen) March 2, 2025

Drew O’Connor and Tyler Myers got the first goal against Anaheim, and on Saturday against Seattle, they almost opened the scoring yet again:

The play starts off with a good steal from Doc and then transitions into a nice give-and-go between himself and the Chaos Giraffe. Much like last game, Doc had himself a good bottom-six game in that his speed was on full display, as were his attempts at generating shot chances. But much like last game, the bar of “Hey Doc had some good shifts!” being one of the high points from your forwards is never a place you want to find yourself in. The fact Doc was more memorable than anything Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser did is a very large problem for a team that is desperate to win hockey games against bottom-feeding teams.

Again, they lost to Anaheim and Seattle, two teams that are probably just as upset they beat the Canucks as you are, as they game plan for a high pick in the NHL draft. This is not a good look for anyone.

Best efforts

That was not a good play by the Captain. #Canucks

— caleb kirby 🇨🇦 (@kirbman23) March 2, 2025

Quinn Hughes played the last few games as the “7th” d-man, just in case his injuries prevented him from playing the entire game. So leave it to tonight, when the team finally just dressed six defenseman, to be the game where it appeared his injuries became too much for him to take a regular shift.

To his credit, he still played almost 22 minutes, which put him just seconds behind Hronek for the most ice-time of any Canuck player. But with the game on the line in the third period, he began missing multiple shifts and was seen sitting on the bench stretching his body, seemingly trying to see how much he could give.

But if we’re being honest, this was a very poor game from Quinn Hughes. Don’t get me wrong, a poor Quinn Hughes still plays at a higher level than most everyone on the Canucks, but we just aren’t used to seeing Hughes on the ice for so many goals against.

And the first Kraken goal came as a result of Hughes throwing a pass behind Pius Suter at the point, which led to an odd-man rush goal the other way:

The Canucks had two forwards skating in deep on the initial rush and I just assume they saw Quinn Hughes and thought everything was going to be all right. When you’re Quinn Hughes and every pass you make is almost perfection, it’s hard to imagine a world in which Gods can bleed, but that’s where we found ourselves.

Shane Wright took advantage of this miscue by drawing in Hronek before feeding a slick backhand pass over to Andre Burakovsky for the one-timer, leading to the early 1-0 lead, followed by one of the best goal songs in the league.

Best a wild chaotic giraffe appears

Myers is the rushing forward we’ve always wanted. #Canucks

— David Cee 🇨🇦 (@CanucksIn4) March 2, 2025

Look, if Tyler Myers can rush end to end, surely Elias Pettersson can rediscover that form as well?

Alas, Tyler Myers was stopped by Joey Daccord, but you have to give credit to CG57 for making things happen the last few games. Dude has his chaos absolutely dialed into the “good” direction right now.

Best game plan execution

Holy fuck that forecheck was insane by Sherwood and then Hoglander. #Canucks

— Max (@canucksreports) March 2, 2025

The best period from the Canucks was clearly the first period, as they played what I would call top level GOTI hockey. The kind of hockey Rick Tocchet would bring home to the family and tell them they’ve adopted it to replace their last son, a storyline Face/Off actually used in one of the wildest endings to a movie I have ever seen. But I digress.

The point is that Tocchet loves an aggressive forecheck. And while I fear a system based on “Move your feet at all times, full speed only, never stop stopping” has some holes in it, when it works, it looks great, as seen here with Nils Höglander and Kiefer Sherwood:

They simply out-worked the Kraken on this shift, scaring them into getting rid of the puck so quickly that they eventually just said “eff it, here you go Suter” and let him score the goal so they could go for a line change. It’s hard working hockey at its finest, and it paid off for the Canucks in the first period in big ways.

They continued to pressure Seattle in the period, leading to a post from Dakota Joshua, followed up by Dak setting up shop in the crease to create traffic for the deadliest shot known to man, the Derek Forbort wrister:

This was something Tocchet specifically called out last game when he said there was no traffic in front of the goalies, leading to an easy night for the Ducks. Against the Kraken, you could see the team making concerted efforts to clog up the GOTI and try and take away the eyes from Joey All Right. Now, do I love an offensive game plan centered purely around “stack the middle of the ice, wrist shots from the point for everyone?” No, no I do not. But that is a way you can score goals in this league and is clearly the main way this team feels it can generate points. At the very least, it’s a step up from watching Quinn Hughes dangle all over the ice only to shoot the puck at a goalie who can see it the entire way.

And hey, the Canucks were doing their best to make it work, as Jake DeBrusk would later hit a post after more hard work from Nearly Nils and Pius Suter led to a loose puck in the slot:

Now the Canucks would eventually lose this game of course, but at least their hard work on the forecheck led to 11 high danger chances on the night, more than double what they got against the Anaheim Ducks. So if you’re handing out moral victory gold stars, that clearly deserves one, even if it’s kind of depressing to be talking this way after a game against a team many points behind you in the standings.

Best point shot offense

Myers might be the best guy we have behind Huggy to create goals, what is this season! #canucks

— 44 (@canuckinsanity) March 2, 2025

Speaking of shots from the point leading to goals, leave it to the Chaos Giraffe to break a stick on his slapper, leading to the perfect off-speed pass down low to Filip Chytil:

Chandler Stephenson stumbles off the draw which allows Chytil to find himself wide open to tuck that puck in around Joey All Right, giving the Canucks their first goal.

And if not boxing out your opponents and goals off of faceoffs are your kink, better grab that Vaseline because this is the game you’ve been waiting for!

Best last gasp

What do you mean the #Canucks have 15 shots on goal in a period?!

— J Hawr🇺🇦 🇨🇦 (@JHawr11) March 2, 2025

The first period was so efficient from the Canucks that even their power play looked pretty solid? Good puck movement and quick shots led to Brock Boeser getting a good look in the slot that ended up hitting Jake DeBrusk:

Fun fact: That was Brock Boeser’s only shot attempt of the game. Which isn’t fun so much as a “right right right” sort of moment of reflection.

Not to be outdone, Elias Pettersson ended the game with another zero-shot night, but hey, at least he had four attempted shots?

Is that where we are now? Celebrating attempted shots?

I miss 2023.

Best iron deposits

Two posts for DeBrusk tonight !! #canucks

— Don (@EDDIE_TRECE) March 2, 2025

Jake DeBrusk got his second post of the night when he utilized Conor Garland’s trademark “mini-stick offensive hockey” approach in which you attempt to hide in plain sight by ducking really close to the ice by a post, praying nobody sees you, and then using your hockey stick like it’s 30 centimeters long:

Hey, it almost worked, and I honestly giggle every time I see a player who joins the team embrace the Corolla Garland way of life.

Part of you might have watched this game and said a couple of posts go the Canucks way, and maybe this is a different story. And look, I don’t doubt that; I think luck played a factor tonight in derailing one of their better efforts in a while. But you’re also dealing with a Canucks team that hasn’t been good enough this season, so on those nights where luck doesn’t go their way, it’s compounded by the fact they’re out here losing games against Anaheim, where luck wasn’t a factor at all.

If you win four games and lose one due to luck, that’s all good; elite teams have that happen all the time.

When you’re out here struggling to get two wins in a row, all of a sudden, that “bad luck game” is just another flavour profile used to explain that your team lost yet again.

Best bring out your dead

Hronek literally left him open for the tip. wtf is happening to this team… #Canucks

— Vincent S. (@OffExchangeBuys) March 2, 2025

If Vancouver won the board battles in the first period, it clearly switched to Seattle’s favor in the second period, as they began to force the Canucks into making turnovers or losing coverage in their own zone.

Seattle tied the game up after winning a board battle, leading to Oliver Bjorkstrand standing all alone in front of Kevin Lankinen for the tip on the Brandon Montour shot:

Hronek leaves Oliver all alone and shows up far too late to offer up any defensive coverage, which essentially gives all the time and space in the world for Bjorkstrand to line up his deflection. Normally, that is Quinn Hughes’ side of the ice, but he ended up battling in the corner for the puck, and Hronek failed to recognize that he needed to slide over in his coverage. Which is pretty par for the course for this Canucks team, as their ability to box out the crease has been absolutely brutal all season long.

Even worse than the goal? The footage of Quinn Hughes trying his best to contain his man ending in him falling to the ice and taking quite a while to get back up:

It’s abundantly clear that Hughes barely made it through this game, which explains why it was one of those rare nights where he made multiple mistakes that led to a goal against. The heart is willing, but the body isn’t able sort of deal.

It was an admirable effort from the captain, but you also have to wonder, if Quinn Hughes breaks himself in half just to get into the playoffs, how much of him will be left over to help with a post-season run in which the physicality ramps up tenfold? I know he didn’t hear no bell, but man, that’s tough to watch your franchise player struggle to get up off the ice.

Best short-handed dingle dangle

Daks goal sponsored by Sephora cause that was beautiful-#Canucks

— 44 Gr!t K!efer (@tutcherself92) March 2, 2025

Dakota Joshua, looking like 2025 John Cena, hits Joey All Right with a shot he never saw coming:

Again, we have a clip featuring the speed of Doc on display, as his ability to transition quickly up the GOTI is what leads to this 2-on-1 with Dakota Joshua. And Joshua, that’s the kind of skill we saw a lot of last season, the skill that earned him his new contract. In terms of “maybe they plan for next year and hope some of their younger guys hit”, Dakota Joshua should be included in the “maybe he finds his game again next year” category, considering the off-season he had this year.

Also, doesn’t it feel like the last time we saw a nice goal like that was around three years ago? No offence to greasy goals, but it’s nice to see some slick moves once in a while, you know?

Best failure to launch

How much longer are we going to let Petey take important draws?#Canucks

— caleb kirby 🇨🇦 (@kirbman23) March 2, 2025

Not only did Elias Pettersson lose the draw, but he then released Matty Beniers, allowing him to skate unimpeded to the net to get his stick on the Vince Dunn shot:

Yes, JT Miller probably would have won that draw. And yes, he probably would have yelled at Collin Delia at some point. I don’t know how or why; I just know it would have happened.

Look, if Elias starts losing the “little things” crown, what do we even have left? Defensive responsibility is the only thing we can bring up when the orcs are at Helm’s Deep demanding to be let in so they can trade the Swedish winger. Without the little things, we’ve got nothing, and that is a really rough look on this goal.

And sure, multiple tipped goals against? That feels like some bad luck. But you also can’t help the other team out by leaving them all alone so they can take their time, adjust their helmet and fix their hair before trying to line up the deflection.

Again, this team is absolutely horrendous at boxing players out near their crease, and Saturday night it was on full display yet again.

Ian Cole wouldn’t have let that happen; that’s all I’m saying.

Best make your own luck

3 deflection goals against, 3 posts hit.

On a night where the #Canucks have both brought their work boots and generated scoring chances in bulk.

Hockey can be cruel.

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) March 2, 2025

Eeli Tolvanen put the Kraken ahead for good when he, and this might shock you, tipped a shot from the point via Ryker Evans:

It’s safe to say the Kraken had more tips than a Nintendo Power from 1989 on this night, but once again, the Canucks did themselves no favours. In particular, a rare Quinn Hughes turnover leads to the puck staying in the Canucks zone, and then when Quinn’s stick breaks on the play, instead of following his man and attempting to offer up token resistance, he just sort of floats over to Teddy KGB Blueger’s guy. Teddy turns around as if to say, “Oh wait, you want me to get Tolvanen?” but by then, it’s too late. Eeli has had around 14 days to set up his first mortgage payment, allowing just enough time to tip the shot.

Quinn Hughes gave up on this play, and I have to assume it’s because his body is just done at this point. He just sort of grabs the nearest guy and prays the shot doesn’t go in, which is clearly stealing my beer league hockey strategies. Stay and pray is something I invented, and I demand royalties.

Best regression

#Canucks with just 2 Shots this period so far

— Suleiman Damji (@SullyCanuck87) March 2, 2025

The Canucks ended the period with six shots, a far cry from the fifteen they put up in the first, but at least their third one was a beauty:

See, even a broken-down Quinn Hughes can still make delectable outlet passes to Fil Chytil, even if Joey All Right makes the big save. At least there was a bit of pushback to end the period, and yes, I am quite clearly grasping at straws at this point to find any positives.

“Hey, you might have sh!t your pants, but at least your mom is dead and wasn’t here to see it” isn’t the most inspiring message to send, but it’s all we’ve got.

The other good shot of the period came from, who else, Tyler Myers:

If ever there was a sign Quinn Hughes is hurt, it’s him dealing the puck to Tyler Myers so he could dangle and shoot on net, and all of us nodding along, knowing that it was the right play.

Best pick-me-up

#Canucks have an uphill battle on their hands.
*haven't scored a 3rd period goal on road trip
*haven't scored more than 3 in a game since Jan 27th
*on an off-night and still playing through something, what does Quinn Hughes have left in third?
However it doesn't feel like the…

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) March 2, 2025

They also haven’t won a game trailing after two periods this season, so the good news is Jeff’s tweet could have been even more depressing had he wanted it, but he held back so he wouldn’t bum you out. He did that for you.

Best Hughes meltdown

Hughes is playing injured. Canucks rolling the dice. #Canucks

— Kerry Banks (@bad_kicker) March 2, 2025

A Kiefer Sherwood turnover led to Quinn Hughes praying Burakovsky would just sort of go away if he waved his stick in his general direction:

Yes, something leads me to suspect Quinn Hughes isn’t playing at 100% right now.

Just a working theory, mind you.

Best clap bomb

Trade everyone not named Quinn Hughes. #Canucks

— Canucks Deluxe (@CanucksDeluxe) March 2, 2025

Brandon Montour would then officially officially put the game away in the third period when he would casually walk in and unleash a slapshot right by Kevin Lankinen:

Now, Connor Ingram would yell at me if I suggested Kevin Lankinen might want that one back, but I will say that this game was probably heading in this direction either way. Just a general lack of pushback from a team that cannot play consistently to save its life.

Best what about Vancouver?

Not sure it was a good idea to eat those mushrooms and watch this #Canucks game.

— Majordowner (@Nootkamajor) March 2, 2025

For those sickos who want to see what the Canucks offered up in terms of offensive push back, the best chances in the third period were probably this Hronek shot that led to Doc getting a shot off in the slot after Chytil cut off a clearing attempt:

And then Carson Soucy shot a puck that led to Doc almost getting the rebound:

Like straight up, I have no clips of Pettersson or Boeser to show you. The only Brock highlight I had was him ripping his lone shot attempt into the back of DeBrusk, and the one good shift Pettersson had ended with him taking a penalty, so I didn’t even have the heart to clip it. I couldn’t come up with a fun way to explain how sad it was that one of the best shifts EP40 has had in a month ended in a penalty because it’s wild that “dove to keep the puck in at the line and made a couple of passes” is the new bar for a good Petey shift. It is incredible how far his game has fallen, and this is coming from someone who laughed at people who wrote him off earlier in the season.

I just can’t explain it. I don’t understand it. How is this the Elias Pettersson we watched tear up the league when he joined the Canucks? No reason has been offered up, so all we can do is sit back and watch in amazement as Drew O’Connor outshines their highest-paid player in an almost must-win game situation.

Best moral victory

Started fine, but again play declined as game went on and #Canucks lose again, this time to #SeaKraken.

— Pat Bulmer (@PatBulmer1) March 2, 2025

For real though, the moral victory here is that Tyler Myers prevented Joey All Right from scoring a goal:

Sure, Seattle got their empty-netter, but at least the tallest player on the ice had the height to jump up and block Joey’s goal attempt. I don’t think we could have handled a 6-3 loss AND a goalie goal against.

Best closing statement

Canucks go 1-4 on the road trip, and in a different year it could have put them out of the playoff race but they still get to hang around the wild card two turtle derby

— Satiar Shah (@SatiarShah) March 2, 2025

Post-game comments from Tocchet echoed much of what he’s said all season long: Key moments were there for the taking, but nobody could step up. We’re at the point where we could all recite his post-game comments off by heart at this point. Which brings us back to, just what does this team do at the trade deadline?

I guess all we can do is wait and see.

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