Hello, and welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet to not be handed a NTC by Jim Benning.

We’re now just slightly past the halfway mark of the truncated 2021 season, and the situation for the Vancouver Canucks is… muddled, at best.

Technically speaking, the Canucks are just on the cusp of a playoff spot, but that distinction comes with a couple of Tyler Myers-sized asterisks. Be that as it may, no one quite knows what to make of this roster or its performance yet and when in doubt, we always try to err on the side of positivity.

Last week, we asked about the team’s midway MVP, and this week we’re hunting for the underrated. The player or staff member who, in your mind, isn’t hearing enough accolades for what they’ve contributed to the season thus far.

The unsung hero, if you will.

That’s right, this week we’re asking:

Last week, we asked:

Your responses are below! (And if they seem a little bitter, know that most of them were recorded before the team’s recent string of wins!)

Words that don’t go together. Canucks and Playoffs. Canucks and MVP.

This is a tough one given the horrendous results, but I’m going to go with Brock for a steady effort and results right out of the gate. He’s been noticeable for all the right reasons.

This is a very difficult question. The team looks so fragile right now you have to wonder if there would be a total collapse if any top players were missing. I’ll go with likely the most popular answer and say Brock Boeser. His point production has been essential this year and his effort level and consistency has been admirable.

There is an argument for Horvat, who continues to absorb a high rate of d-zone starts and tough matchups. It probably says more about the team performance overall than it does about Edler and Myers, but these two guys are eating big minutes and neither are a disaster on +/-.

The most valuable thing the Canucks have is a large and loyal fanbase. Most franchises who performed this far below expectations would have trouble getting any interest or viewership.

Petey is still their MVP. Boeser is the only elite player who came to play from game 1 and has consistently played to his potential (but not MVP). Hughes’ offence is elite, but his poor defence performance offsets much of this. Horvat is quietly effective, but hasn’t done enough.

I say Demko, he has overcome a bad start and has got his game straightened out.

Brock has had a good year so far, but I would suggest that Pettersson has been their MVP. He’s two goals behind Brock and each of them has a game-winning goal. I believe the Lotto Line has played together the most consistently this year. I know plus/minus is a flawed stat, but both Miller and Boeser are minus players while Pettersson is at zero.

Most players have been up and down throughout the season. The only player that I see as having consistently brought energy and excitement game in and game out has been Höglander. He has not dominated any stats, but I’ve enjoyed watching him play each game he’s in. He is MVP for me.

I thought it was a no-brainer and Brock was the obvious answer. I see from some of the answers that maybe it wasn’t so obvious.

You didn’t specify that it had to be a player, so I’ll go with Benning for getting us back into the lottery. 😃

Seriously though, how can you pick an MVP on a team with a sub .400 winning %? If the question is which player has performed the best relative to expectations, it’s either Boeser or Höglander, both of whom have been better than expected. EP and Demko come close to expectations. The rest have underperformed, some to a frightening degree.

Brock Boeser. He has been consistent all season. He looks like the player he was when he first broke into the league and has improved his defensive play, too. You could also make an argument for Nils Höglander because of his dynamic play, but at the end of the day he doesn’t have the same point production as Boeser. The rest of the Canucks players have not lived up to their expectations this year, let alone enough to be considered as team MVP.

I’m going with the flow and going with Boesser.

Why, you are wondering? Well, for one, he is scoring consistently. Also is his skating and forechecking. Brock is flying this year and is extremely quick to fly into the offensive zone and pressure the d-men. This speed is being used to come back in the d-zone and backcheck.

Backcheck, forecheck, paycheck…that’s good hockey.

There is only one obvious MVP this season. Demko has so far shown that he is able to make the leap from AHL to NHL starter in short order. He will provide the confidence and stability needed to build around for the next five-six years (injuries not withstanding).

Hopefully the Canucks keep the top draft picks and maybe even get some more. My MVP, crossing fingers, toes and elbows, is the Amateur Scouting Department. I want them to crush this draft and re-energize the rebuild. Stop the stupid spending on players with flaws and get all-around better play with all players.

Demko for MVP. He has been playing well and finding the form that made the team so successful in the playoffs last season. #2 would be Pettersson, he is the best skater on the team and his hockey IQ is very high.