I’ll give the Canucks credit for one thing in their goaltending corps – they’ve drafted a legit starter in Thatcher Demko. The guy has now assumed the starting reigns between the pipes for the Canucks for the first time in his career, and has set career bests in sv% and GAA with a .918 and 2.63 respectively.
However, as you would expect for a team that’s maybe 75-90% through a rebuild, there’s a lack of depth still in the organization, and that shows in goal where after Demko the Canucks have 36 year old Jaroslav Halak in net, and well, let’s just say he’s not aging as gracefully as Mike Smith.
They bought out Braden Holtby only to bring in Halak who hasn’t been much better, going .899 and 3.01 in 16 games this year. If I had to guess the Canucks might just make a big push for Mikko Koskinen in the offseason.
Assuming they do make the postseason somehow, they better hope Demko stays healthy otherwise the Canucks are dead in the water. Halak was at one point an elite 1A/backup goalie but it looks like those days are long gone for him.
This lack of depth doesn’t compare to the Oilers who have two hot goalies peaking at exactly the right time in the season. Neither one is better than Demko, but both provide a collective strength that’s better than the overall Canucks tandem.
If the Canucks win the series – Ever see that episode of Star Trek: Next Generation where there was an alien who was able to mysteriously heal people just by touching them with his hand? That’s the only way the Canucks win the series – if that alien makes its way to their medical bay. If they even make it, which is a maybe at best.
If the Oilers win the series-Their superior health, depth, and firepower overwhelm the Canucks as expected.
My pick for who would win the series- Oilers, no question. Think the LA Kings except more behind in their rebuild.
Now the Canucks trolls can come out of the woodwork and proceed to tell me how wrong I am based upon Vancouver koolaid. 🙂