Ushering in a New Generation: Vancouver Canucks
In our newest feature, Ushering in a New Generation, our talented writer Katlyn Gambill takes a deeper look into team success based on a player’s age. Today, she looks at the Vancouver Canucks, who tie for the second oldest team in the league.
Third in the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks currently rank as the fourth oldest team in the NHL (at 28.08 years). Oddly enough, only eight of the twenty-six members on their current roster are over the age of thirty. The Canucks don’t, however, have any players under the age of twenty-three (a rarity in the league today).
Mentioned in last week’s article on the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canucks’ and the Penguins are tied with an average age of 28.08 years. At the time, the Canucks led the Penguins in the standings by one point. Now, however, the roles reversed, as the Penguins lead the Canucks by one. In their last ten games, both teams have a record of 7-3-0.
Consequently, the two teams appear fairly similar. Also mentioned last week, the Penguins seem on pace for another successful season and post-season like last year. Thus, if the Penguins are on pace to continue their hot streak in the playoffs, are the Canucks on their way to a successful post-season as well?
To begin, their goaltending, often the central focus of the Canucks, is led by the remarkable goaltender, Roberto Luongo, age 30. He remains on pace for an average regular season for his standards. With 48 games played, he has 29 wins and 15 losses, while last season he had 54 games (35 wins, 13 losses).
His current goals against average, 2.33 goals, however, is the second lowest of his 10 season tenure in the NHL. The Captain of the Canucks, without any actual captain duties on the ice as he is a goaltender, always gives his team a shot at winning. Whether his offense and defense backs him up or he steals the game for Vancouver, the Canucks remain confident in Luongo.
This team is a melting pot of ages. The oldest, Pavol Demitra (35 years), returned from a forty-seven game injury to his shoulder. He played in 819 games before this season, about 220 more games than defenseman, Sami Salo, who is also 35 years old. As one is a forward and one is a defenseman, they are able to impart wisdom and advice to the younger players in their specific area of expertise.
Coincidentally, plagued by old age, Demitra and Salo both missed significant time due to injury. Daniel and Henrik Sedin, however, took over for Demitra and Salo. Daniel Sedin missed 18 games with a foot injury, but as soon as he returned (on November 22, 2009) he fell right back into step alongside his brother. His brother, Henrik, leads the team in points with 78 (25 goals and 53 assists). Meanwhile, Daniel Sedin has 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) and the Sedin twins’ linemate, Alexandre Burrows, is tied for third (with Ryan Kesler) with 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists).
Other than Kesler, the Canucks top three scorers remain on one-line, making much of the Canucks’ offense a one-line team.
While the Canucks’ offense mostly comes from one line, their top four point scorers are aged 28 or older. Will their offense die out soon as the top four scorers age? Well, Mason Raymond is one of the youngest (at age 24) players on the team, yet after two seasons learning from the older players of the Canucks he sits in sixth on the team in points with 40.
Regardless of offense, their post-season woes are more definitive than their regular season success. Canucks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Semifinals last season, yet their loss last season encouraged them to compete harder this season. With twenty-six games remaining in their season, they currently sit on a two-point lead in the Northwest Division over the Colorado Avalanche.
Meanwhile, there are fifty-two possible points up for grabs for the Canucks. At the moment, they have 70 points, only 30 back from their 2008-2009 finish of 100 points. Their lineup remains fairly unchanged from the previous season, and they appear on pace to finish as well, or better as last season.
As a result, it’s quite possible the Canucks have the talent, age, and experience to go to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Whether or not they succeed and make it that far remains unknown, however, at the current time, their age does not slow them down — their current third seeding in the Western Conference proves this.
Aside from the statistics and history, only the Canucks can determine their future. Their age doesn’t hurt them at the time, but another key injury to a veteran player, and they may fall into a deep, dank, abyss.
Katlyn Gambill
NHLHS Featured Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck
