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It was the best of weeks; it was the worst of weeks.
Well, maybe it wasn’t the best of weeks. It was far from it. The pity points taken from two respective overtime losses against the Utah Hockey Club and Ottawa Senators are not the most thoughtful Secret Santa gift you could get for a coworker. Quinn Hughes is not pleased.
There are no frustrations I can possibly voice that I did not already following last week’s disappointing performance against the Boston Bruins.
But other issues surrounding this group right now? You can put them through couples counselling, but don’t just keep them together on the power play for the kids. It’s doing more harm than good. That’s all I’ll say about the two elephants in the room.
Let’s get into who is keeping this team in the game right now.

Quinn Hughes

It’s one thing to be having a season worthy of another Norris Trophy and, frankly, the Hart Trophy. It’s another thing entirely to be having this kind of campaign while the rest of your team is going up in flames like a Yule log.
Quinn Hughes didn’t take too kindly to Ottawa dominating in the first period of Saturday’s game. With the Senators up 2-0 into the closing minutes of the first frame, Hughes factored in on Brock Boeser’s goal. Then, I suppose he got fed up and said, “Fine, I’ll just do it myself.” He scored the equalizer just about 90 seconds later.
There were parts of this game that felt like it was Quinn Hughes versus the Ottawa Senators. It is beginning to show.
As of today, Quinn Hughes has had a six-point week to get to 40 points. If he continues to pull the full weight of the roster, there’s a possibility he could break 100 points or close to it. He is up to eight goals on the season, tied with Elias Pettersson – who, in all fairness, if you have any left for him at the moment, has been busier covering up for a poor defensive core than focusing on driving his offence. Herein lies the issue.
I cannot imagine Hughes takes too kindly to the dramatics surrounding Pettersson and J.T. Miller, either.
This is the second time this team has been under a microscope for the rift between the two star centres in as many years. There are only so many times you can spin a broken record, but Hughes had a very respectable answer when addressing the reports head-on.
If it was not already clear why Quinn Hughes was named captain – aside from his abilities – it is most apparent in moments of strife for this team. The ability to appear diplomatic, satisfying reporters, the fanbase, and your internal communications team is like walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon. That does not even address what he might be doing in the room right now to keep the peace – or trying to, at least. Showing you care about accountability while maintaining a positive outlook without appearing complacent is, more often than not, impossible. This is a noble effort, surely more measured, calm, and rational than many of us could ever muster in those circumstances. I would have gone, as they professionally say, bonkers by now.
Hughes is having yet another career year, and I sincerely hope the dysfunction around him will not diminish this nor waste a year of the captain in his prime.

Kiefer Sherwood

If you had told me earlier this season that, come the holidays, new winger on the block, Kiefer Sherwood, would be tied for second place in goal-scoring on the entire team? Tied with Pius Suter? I wouldn’t believe you. I don’t think anyone would, including Sherwood and Suter.
Sherwood was driving the fourth line like a Ferrari this week, with Danton Heinen on the wing and Teddy Blueger at centre. We may not have harmony on the ice or in the room, but at least we have offensive depth and a dream. Right?
Sherwood has now seen time on every line and on the second power play and penalty kill units, and has proven to be adaptable to every situation. He might have the flash of a Ferrari right now, but he’s got the reliability and durability of a vintage Ford F-150. He’s made an impact, figuratively and literally, as he still holds the title of NHL hits leader, with a whopping 198 in 33 games. That is 64 more than runner-up Mark Kastelic in Boston.
Sherwood was the Canucks’ sole goal scorer against the Colorado Avalanche in a 3-1 triumph. Both Sherwood and the group as a whole were an absolute joy to watch and looked quite different from the team that took the ice mere days before. I wish this joy had lasted the week. 
First career hat trick? Check. First Canucks shorthanded goal of the year? Check.
Sherwood would go on to factor on Vancouver’s sole goal against Vegas – a neat, fourth-line, Heinen-Sherwood-Blueger goal. These three are working well together, and while I don’t think leading from the bottom six up says great things about the state of your star players, I will gladly take the reinforcements at any time. Any chemistry right now is good chemistry.

Teddy Blueger

This is a fun one. There’s not a lot of fun to go around right now.
Teddy Blueger gets the third star for scoring on his former team, the only goal in a 3-1 loss on the road. His name may be on the 2023 Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup, but he’s ours now.
It was a beautiful one. Sherwood tipped Blueger back his own rebound just for him to bury it.
Blueger showed no reservations about getting right into the greasy areas, not giving up on the goal just in his reach. Five out of the seven overall high-danger scoring chances in this game came with Blueger’s skates on the ice in this game, so this particular drive was far from an isolated incident. Again, I’m pleased that Heinen-Blueger-Sherwood is working out well, but it does not bode well for all nine forwards on lines above them.
The rest of the team may have come up short, but Blueger got his revenge goal regardless.

Honourable Mentions

Dakota Joshua

I will be thinking about this goal – Joshua’s first against the newly-minted Utah HC – until the end of time. The mitts are silky on this one, like a Christmas stocking. That is all. 
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