On Thursday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal debuted a new feature segment: Canucks Conversation Family Feud, as well as looking at the Pacific division and what to look for this upcoming season.
The CanucksArmy media team polled their X fanbase with questions about the Canucks, and our hosts did their best to guess the most popular answers a la Family Feud Fast Money. Each answer is allocated a certain number of points based on popularity out of 100.
Harman went first, and got the required 200 points to win the game right off the bat. Quads went anyway, and producer Jacob vowed to make the questions harder next week!
Questions:
Name the most skilled Vancouver Canuck of all time:
– Harm: Pavel Bure (67 pts)
– Quads: Henrik Sedin (9 pts)
Name the current Canuck most likely to have his number retired:
– Harm: Quinn Hughes (87 pts)
– Quads: Elias Pettersson (3 pts)
Name the Canucks’ biggest rival:
– Harm: Chicago Blackhawks (14 pts)
– Quads: Edmonton Oilers (50 pts)
Name a Canucks coach from the 90s or 2000s:
– Harm: Pat Quinn (32 pts)
– Quads: Mark Crawford (34 pts)
Name the best Canucks jersey of all time:
– Harm: Black flying skate (72 pts)
– Quads: Current Blue Orca (9 pts)
The conversation then moved to the Pacific Division and two teams, in particular, that the guys have their eyes on, excluding Vancouver.
“The Oilers are the team to beat,” asserted Quads.
Harm agreed, emphasizing that Edmonton’s offseason additions have brought them even closer to the Cup. “They just made the Stanley Cup Final, and you look at their summer additions and extensions; I think they have the best forward group in the NHL,” said Harm. “Being able to acquire Skinner and Arvidsson at bargain prices is really going to help solidify their top-nine winger group. Leon Draisaitl will finally have top-six-calibre wingers to play with. That was an underrated storyline from the Oilers’ season; guys like Warren Foegle, Dylan Holloway, and Ryan McLeod at certain points were getting opportunities on that Draisaitl line. Now they can play him with Skinner and Draisaitl if they want, which lets them load up the top line with RNH, McDavid, and Hyman.”
Next up was the Seattle Kraken, who took a step back this past year after a strong second season in the franchise’s young history.
“The Seattle Kraken might be in the conversation for the playoffs next year,” said Quads. “That Chandler Stephenson contract is arguably among the worst signed in free agency, but he’s going to be good for them next year and will solidify that forward group. Matty Beniers is presumably going to take a step forward, you know what you’re going to get from Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle. Brandon Tanev is on the fourth line. This forward group can compete.”
“Beniers leveling up is the underrated storyline to watch,” Harm added. “He only had 37 points in his sophomore campaign, he took a step back, but watching him play, he still looked really good. I think he was snake-bitten when you look at his underlying numbers; his on-net and individual shooting percentages were really low, and those factors are typically a sign that a guy can produce more. How many times do you have forwards who have a strong rookie year, then a bit of a down year in their second year, and then they pop off with a monster season? Lucas Raymond comes to mind for that type of narrative, and I expect Beniers to be in that conversation as well. You add Montour and Stephenson, who are both going to inject some much-needed offense. The blue line is what I really like with Seattle.”
Seattle’s defensive core has gone under the radar for the most part, as the team struggled to provide offense last year, which doesn’t exactly help the defensive numbers.
“Dunn and Larson are one of the most underrated top pairings in the NHL,” said Harm. “In the last two years, with that pair on the ice, Seattle’s cumulative goal differential is around +50; they’ve been dominant pretty quietly. Now that second pair with Oleksiak and Montour—who may quarterback the power play—and that third pair—I’m really high on Ryker Evans. He’s a really talented prospect, and him coming in for Dumoulin is an upgrade. Then Will Borgen, who was a totally competent 4-5 defenseman, is now on that third pair, which is a luxury to have. I like Seattle’s blue line.”
You can watch the full replay of the show below:
Sponsored by bet365
