CANUCKS ARMY GDT 1 – CANUCKS VS. OILERS
By Always90four
6 years agoAnd so it begins.
The Vancouver Canucks open their season at home against the Edmonton Oilers. Unfortunately, this game will be less about what’s new with the Canucks and more about Connor McDavid’s point total.
There is a lot to talk about as the season gets underway but for tonight, enjoy having hockey back in Vancouver. No tanking, no power play issues just a clean slate. It may not last all that long, but for one night, at the very least, the Canucks are a team that brings hope.
Let’s do this!
WATCH / LISTEN / FACE-OFF
TV: CBC (Hockey Night in Canada)
RADIO: SN650
PUCK DROP: 7:00 PM
LINES
Thomas Vanek with the Sedins. That’s where we start. Is this the year the Twins get back to relative normalcy or will their linemates secure their fate and force them to retire? Loui Eriksson will begin with arguably the best line on the team last year in Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi. Wunderkind Brock Boeser will start with what looks to be Sam Gagner and Alex Burmistrov, hopefully, that doesn’t last too long.
Derek Dorsett is back in Canucks blue and green and will bang around on the 4th line.
Jacob Markstrom will man the pipes.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
 DANIEL SEDIN |  HENRIK SEDIN |  THOMAS VANEK |
 SVEN BAERTSCHI |  BO HORVAT |  LOUI ERIKSSON |
 SAM GAGNER |  ALEX BURMISTROV |  BROCK BOESER |
 MARKUS GRANLUND |  BRANDON SUTTER |  DEREK DORSETT |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 ALEXANDER EDLER |  CHRIS TANEV |
 MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO |  ERIK GUDBRANSON |
 BEN HUTTON |  TROY STECHER |
The Oilers have loaded up their top line which could quickly dispose of the Canucks. McDavid has already put up a hat-trick to start the season, and that might be the warm-up for what could occur tonight. Edmonton’s second line could be electric as well with the talented rookie Kailer Yamamoto getting shifts with Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
This could end up being a long night.
Cam Talbot will get the start.
Edmonton Oilers lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
 PATRICK MAROON |  CONNOR MCDAVID |  LEON DRAISAITL |
 MILAN LUCIC |  RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS |  KAILER YAMAMOTO |
 DRAKE CAGGIULA |  RYAN STROME |  JUSSI JOKINEN |
 JUJHAR KHAIRA |  MARK LETESTU |  ZACK KASSIAN |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | |
|---|---|
 OSCAR KLEFBOM |  ADAM LARSSON |
 KRIS RUSSELL |  MATT BENNING |
 DARNELL NURSE |  ERIC GRYBA |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Your Bud Red Light glasses from last year. Make sure you have charged batteries in them, wifi turned on and Canucks setting turned to green (that mean’s you want to see them score goals). Another thing to add, make sure the glass is visible to not only you but everyone else in the room, people need to know the Canucks can score. Even a gimmicky glass won’t lie in this case.
- The most underrated story going into tonight’s game is Sam Gagner’s eight-point night sequel. Am I saying bet big on this, no? No one would see it coming if he repeated this and with Brock Boeser on his line, he has a ten… maybe 12% chance of getting it done.
- Bo Horvat had five assists in his last ten games to end the season and one goal in his final 18. The season was written off, sure, but for a player that is expected to lead this team forward and be its top point getter, he’ll need to show early on he can handle the challenge.
- Michael Del Zotto has been brought in to help the Canucks PP and with 34% of his 189 career points coming on the man advantage, his talents will hopefully come in handy. Del Zotto currently has 66 PPP so three or so points would be pretty nice to start his tenure.
- Latest addition Thomas Vanek gets the nod with Henrik and Daniel this evening. He too is only three points away from a career milestone which in Vanek’s case is 700 points. This game could be a shootout, but it’s unlikely. Regardless, at some point in the next week or two Vanek will reach that total and could potentially add a healthy amount more if either the Twins have some kind of renaissance or Vanek lands slightly younger linemates. Either way, he’s a Canuck so we shouldn’t hope for either.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Well, then I have no idea, Jeff. Maybe Eriksson?
MY TAKE
I love the Canucks –I really do — but this Oilers team looks dangerous, and this could be a season where no team has an answer for Connor McDavid. His end-to-ender on Wednesday was a thing of beauty and reminded some of a player that once tore up the Pacific Coliseum. Vancouver is probably going to lose their opener, but they just don’t have the firepower to keep Edmonton at bay.
OVER/UNDER
McDavid point total +/- (5) Go with the over, he’s that good.
Sedins hooking penalties +/- (2) I feel like they hit three on this one.
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