Trading for Elias Lindholm puts Canucks in prime position

I do know, the phrases “take significantly” and “Vancouver Canucks” having a get collectively in the identical sentence is awkward for everybody. No less than everybody outdoors of Vancouver, as there maybe isn’t any crew that takes itself extra significantly than the Canucks, which is what underlies their by no means reducing sense of injustice and bias. It is a crew and fan base that’s positive everyone seems to be out to get them, a lot to the purpose that they’ve a statue outdoors their area immortalizing somebody bitching concerning the refs.

This model of the Canucks, out of nowhere, have shot to the highest of the Pacific Division and Western Convention standings. A few of that’s Thatcher Demko fulfilling his promise, a few of it’s they’ll’t appear to overlook with any shot, a few of it’s that Quinn Hughes is that good. Even when the Canucks are forward of schedule in no matter their plan was (it was actually by no means clear), a crew’s subsequent probability is rarely assured so it had higher maximize the one proper in entrance of them. Therefore, the Canucks Wednesday evening went out and acquired one of many greatest items on the commerce market, Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames. It additionally helps the Canucks nook the market on Eliases, when mixed with Elias Pettersson.

Whereas Lindholm did experience Johnny Gadreau’s and Matthew Tkachuk’s coattails a pair years in the past to some extent per sport season, he most likely slots higher as a No. 2 middle, which he can do in Vancouver behind J.T. Miller, who has develop into among the best 200-foot forwards within the sport. It additionally offers Pettersson a constant middle, which hasn’t prevented him from placing up 64 factors in 49 video games.

It extends the ahead corps for Vancouver, although it’s nonetheless exhausting to see them having as a lot firepower as Vegas or Edmonton in their very own division come a playoff sequence. Additionally they have points past Hughes in protection, as a result of anybody trusting Tyler Myers and Ian Cole is an individual who’s about to have a piano dropped on them. Nonetheless, the Nucks wanted somebody in order that groups couldn’t simply give attention to stopping one line come the spring, and so they’ve completed that whereas giving up a gradual winger who most likely already peaked (Andrei Kuzmenko), a prospect (Hunter Brzustewicz), one other prospect and a first-round choose. It’s so much, however top-six facilities don’t develop on timber.

Which suggests we get critical Canucks come the playoffs. Chances are you’ll keep in mind them from such episodes as a riot once they misplaced the 2011 Remaining, Kevin Bieksa turning into the world’s loudest fireplace alarm a number of seasons, and the Sedins turning into the world’s largest Swedish turtles when it mattered. In addition to a thousand conspiracy theories per day beginning on Tax Day. In a method, I’ve missed it. Received’t say that come April twentieth or so.