Things are looking up for the Canucks, despite pre-All-Star break loss

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes wasn’t exactly how the Vancouver Canucks wanted to enter the All-Star break, but it’s not all bad news.

James Cybulski with Sportsnet 650 says the club has surprised everyone by flirting with a playoff spot, and you can thank super-rookie Elias Pettersson.

“I mean you look at where this city was, with respect to its hockey team, about a year ago. It was essentially Mudville in the National Hockey League. There was nothing to get excited about, the toxicity level was very, very high, and Elias Pettersson has come in here and changed the fortunes of this franchise.”

In doing so, he also earned an All-Star honour — Pettersson is set to take part in the game this Saturday in San Jose.

But has the rookie changed the team’s fortunes too quickly? Cybulski doesn’t think so.

“Considering it’s been about a half decade that this team has been in this sort of rebuild,” he explains. “There are increased expectations now, where this is a season about playing with house money. No body expected them to be here, but does that change next year? It just may if they continue to show that they’re just lingering around in this playoff race — which they are, with 30 to go.”

Cybulski says there are a few others that have helped lift the team to where it is right now.

“I think you’ve seen the emergence of Jacob Markstrom as a goaltender here in the last six weeks. He’s been here for five years and you never saw this from him before. Is is sustainable? We don’t know, but the acquisitions of guys like Roussel and Beagle — Roussel’s become a huge fan favourite — they’ve helped the young guys along. There’s some pieces now you look at and legitimately say ‘okay, there’s a core here.'”

When it comes to the future of the Canucks, Cybulski highlights recent comments by General Manager Jim Benning, who has said he doesn’t plan to mortgage the future now in order to lock in a playoff spot.

Cybulski adds Canucks fans have much to look forward to, especially with the possibility of having two first-round picks — Quinn Hughes and Olli Juolevi — in the lineup come next year on opening night.

“The youth movement continues to evolve for Vancouver, so that’s where you look at, somewhere in the next two, three years, this team could be ready if these are players ready for prime time and to be impact players.”

The NHL All-Star weekend kicks off on Friday.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today