Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that is equal parts science and fiction.

Speaking of science-fiction, we fully realize that “the year 2025” still sounds like a sci-fi concept. But it’s real, it’s here, and, yes, it will feature the Vancouver Canucks.

Maybe we should be saying “welcome back to EARTH,” and congrats on making it back here for the next rotation. We’re so glad you could join us. As we asked in our last edition, and as you answered – see below – 2024 was a big year for the Canucks and their fans. Could the year 2025 be even more significant?

Probably!

Given the shape of the team in this present moment, and it’s placement at the precipice of a hoped-for window of contention, we can pretty much guarantee a thrill-ride of sorts. But unlike an amusement park-type situation, nobody knows where this ride ends. Nobody, that is, except perhaps…you?!

One of the best things about running a weekly call-and-response column is the opportunity for continuity. Folks make predictions on the internet literally all of the time, but rarely in a format where we can go back and check it later. But WDYTT can be that format!

This week, we’re asking you to:

Let it be known in the comment section!

(And, if we can remember, we’ll revisit this in a year’s time.)

Last week, we asked:

You answered below! (Actually, we were glad to see many of you take the week off for the holidays, so many of the responses are provided by our own CA team members.)

It was fun seeing all the Canucks going to the All-Star Game after a great start. Miller, Pettersson, Boeser, Hughes, Demko all showed what they are capable of to start the season.

Some of them managed to carry the momentum all season…but not all.

Two late goals in the last three minutes to tie Nashville in Game 4, with the tying goal being Boeser’s hat trick goal with eight seconds left after his first rebound attempt hit the side of the net.

After the Nashville implosion, it was almost a forgone conclusion that the Canucks would win in OT and Elias Lindholm’s greatest moment as a Canuck occurred in the extra frame.

My favourite Canucks related memory of the year is hands down their comeback in round one against Nashville. Right from Colton Sissons hitting the post on the empty net to Brock Boeser leading the charge on the comeback, that was one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen in the sport, let alone from the Canucks in 2024. Let’s not talk about what happened in the next round, of course…

My favorite memory of this year has just been the pure and utter dominance that Quinn Hughes has showcased. He’s always been a top performer, but in 2024, he’s just seemed to find a new (god-like) level. It’s easy to take him for granted when we see it on a nightly basis, but I’ve been working real hard on making sure I take it all in and truly appreciate just how unique his game is.

Have to agree that winning round one was just so special – Boeser’s hat trick is just one I’ll remember for a long time. If you need another one, I would definitely say having six representatives at the All-Star game plus Tocchet, once they picked up Lindholm! They sent a small army over there. I cannot believe after three years of saying “J.T. Miller for All-Star Game” as a bit, it actually happened, and it was deserved at that.

Favourite Canucks memory of 2024 was covering the watch party for Game 6 against the Preds and watching the fans go nuts after the Suter goal and the clock hitting zero. Felt like a really nice reward for everyone sailing the Sea of Granlunds for nine years.

Going to go with that epic Game 1 comeback against the Oilers. All hope was lost heading into that third period, only proving all the doubters right that the Oilers would handle the Canucks with ease in that series, but the three goals from Miller, Zadorov, and Garland all in the span of less than 5 minutes halfway through the third just electrified the entire city. The whole playoff run was magical and filled with comebacks. Something this city hasn’t seen in years.

My favourite memory of 2024 was the way the market embraced the return of playoff hockey after nearly a decade of darkness. The atmosphere at Rogers Arena was incredible from the moment the Canucks took to the ice for Game 1 against Nashville and it only grew from there with the twists and turns and drama provided in seven home playoff contests. It was a reminder of what had been missing for far too long and also a reminder of the unifying force the playoffs are for a hockey mad market. And that was only for two rounds. Let’s hope there are many more playoff games to watch and cover in the years ahead.

The best thing about last year was finding a way to believe in this team again. So, that does raise the question of when that belief really began.

There’s a moment early in the year that probably qualifies, and it comes from January. In three straight road games, from January 6 to January 9, the Canucks beat New Jersey, New York, and the other New York to the tunes of 6-4, 6-3, and 5-2. That’s three straight wins against three would-be playoff teams that just so happen to share a geographic space, and it was also about the moment that people stopped talking about PDO and started talking about the 2023/24 Canucks as a squad that could potentially beat anyone on any given night.

A more specific answer would definitely have to include the Nashville Game 4 comeback, as mentioned above.

That, or the time Nikita Zadorov beat up Liam O’Brien.