What a difference a year makes. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Vancouver Canucks were +2200 on the betting line to win the Stanley Cup. Now, they are +5000, and only the boldest of gamblers would be placing bets on them knocking the Florida Panthers off the throne they have sat in for the past two seasons.
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The fall from grace is well-documented around Canucks Nation, from the first collapse on opening night when they blew a 4-1 lead to the Calgary Flames to the drama surrounding two of their biggest stars in J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The season ultimately ended with Miller being traded back to the New York Rangers and the Canucks dropping 19 standings points and missing the playoffs. They also finished with one of the worst offences in the league and a horrible record on home ice.
So, what things need to change for the Canucks to charge back up the standings and retake their place among the NHL’s elite? Let’s dive in.
Rogers Arena Needs to Become Tough to Play In Again
Last season, the Canucks struggled mightily at home, finishing with a 17-16-8 record. Their fans left Rogers Arena disappointed 25 times and had to endure a lot of blowouts as well. Pick a stat, they were bad in it. From being outscored 127-112 and allowing 3.10 goals per game to losing eight times in overtime/shootout, it got to a point where being on the road was a blessing. Their Jekyll and Hyde performance continued through most of the season, as they looked like two totally different teams between home and the road.
It was a stark contrast to the previous season where the Canucks were nearly unbeatable on home ice, staying in the single digits in losses at 27-9-5. Their dominance within the walls of Rogers Arena was a huge reason why they not only made the playoffs but also won the Pacific Division over the Edmonton Oilers. If they can somehow recapture that, it will go a long way to putting the drama and disappointment of last season where it belongs, the past.
Without Miller, the Canucks’ top-six doesn’t look nearly as formidable as it was back in 2023-24 when they were the talk of the league. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be solid this season and lead this team back to the playoffs. If Pettersson and Brock Boeser can rediscover their previous elite…
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