Do the Canucks Still Have a Shot at the Playoffs?
It’s no secret that the Vancouver Canucks have faced many difficulties and shortcomings this season. From captain Quinn Hughes missing several games due to undisclosed injuries to trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers due to an ongoing conflict with Elias Pettersson, the Canucks have had nothing short of a rough season. However, not all hope is lost. The Canucks remain holding onto a chance at a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference for this year's playoffs.
On Thursday night, the Canucks faced off against the St. Louis Blues. Going into the game, the two teams were tied with 75 standing points, making this a massive game for assessing playoff odds for both teams. Despite a great show from Vancouver, with Brock Boeser scoring his 200th career goal to tie the game with only a few seconds left in the third period, the Canucks lost in overtime. While this means the chances of seeing the Canucks in the playoffs this year have taken a hit, not all hope is lost.
The Canucks road to playoffs will not be an easy one, with only 13 games left to play, they will need to bring their best, and it seems the team knows it. Even though the team narrowly lost to the Blues, many of their players have been putting up some of the best efforts we’ve seen from them all season. Brock Boeser broke his 12-game scoring drought in their 6-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, and Elias Pettersson has been racking up goals and assists throughout recent games. Captain Quinn Hughes returned for the game against the Calgary Flames after missing several games due to an undisclosed injury, bringing a bit of life back to the Vancouver lineup. While the loss to the St. Louis Blues was a hit to morale, if the Canucks keep playing with full force, there’s still hope for them to win the race for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference for another chance at the playoffs.
The Canucks are mainly fighting against the Blues and the Flames for the second Wild Card spot in their conference. The Blues now stand at 77 points following Thursday night’s game, while the Flames stand at 75. The Canucks sit right in between the two at 76 points. It is a tight race for a spot in this year’s playoffs, and the Canucks will need to continue to play with strength and power if they want to secure the Wild Card.
The Canucks made it to the playoffs last season for the first time since 2020. They won their first round against the Nashville Predators 4-2 but ultimately fell to the Edmonton Oilers. Can the Canucks pull through to make the playoffs again this season? Their next 13 games will be an intense race for the second Wild Card spot.
