Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that’s always better to read after your second round.

Speaking of second rounds, the Vancouver Canucks are THERE. By the time you read these words, the Canucks may or may not have already played Game 1 of their Round Two series against the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As provincial neighbours, you might think that the Canucks and Oilers have done this plenty of times, but you’d be wrong. Vancouver and Edmonton have faced off in the postseason on just two previous occasions: 1986 and 1992.

And now…2024.

Without much past history to base it on, aside from the regular season that was, we realize that this may be a tough series to predict.

Or maybe not! The pundits certainly all seem to be leaning a certain way…

For what it’s worth, we have a feeling that the readership of CanucksArmy might just think differently about it.

But we can’t know that for sure unless we ask.

So, this week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

I think the popular answer will be Zadorov. He’s probably performed the best relative to expectations.

Though not at his best, Hughes is my pick.

I think Cole deserves some props though.

Zadorov, Hughes, and Cole are the top three for sure. Bottom-three in no particular order: Myers, Hronek, Soucy. Nobody has been terrible. Although I feel Hronek has taken the biggest drop in performance.

In order.

Hughes Zadorov, Cole, Soucy, Myers, Hronek. They have all been good though.

The Preds are doing their best to eliminate Hughes, but Huggy is still the guy. The fact that Hughes has risen to the challenge to battle through a lot of adversity really speaks to the gamer that he is.

Zadorov sure has impressed in how much he has stepped up and there is not a team in the NHL that wouldn’t want this guy right now. Also, shout out to Cole who looks especially good on the penalty kill.

The defense, all in all, has been a great unit, but props still goes to Hughes.

Hughes has been the best Canucks D in the playoffs, in my opinion. Zadorov, Cole, Myers, and Soucy have also been very good. The only disappointment for me has been Hronek (and Juulsen in the one game he played). Hronek’s defensive weaknesses have been exposed and he’s been ineffective offensively.

Bobby ZadORRov. Sign the man.

Hughes has been the most impactful, even if he hasn’t been his best at times. Zadorov is not far behind, although both contribute in different ways. I would have Myers and Cole tied for third.

Normally, in week’s with a low amount of reader responses, this is where I drop the authorial voice for a second and pop in to provide the “real answer.”
This week, however, the readers have already nailed it.

Quinn Hughes has been the best D, still, despite not being at his best.

Nikita Zadorov has stepped up the most, and in the most noticeable way.

Ian Cole’s quiet and difficult role has become more important, and he is rightfully starting to draw some attention for those “little things” he does so well.

Carson Soucy and Tyler Myers have been more all-around contributors, but both have played at least as good, if not better, than their regular season standard.

And, while it’s true that Filip Hronek is probably playing the worst of the bunch, at least relative to expectations, he’s not really playing all that poorly at all.

Which is maybe the most important and interesting thing to point out in this conclusion. This is the blueline of the Vancouver Canucks we are talking about. The thing that used to be the weak link in the Achilles’ heel of the soft underbelly of the team.

The question at hand is just: “Which D is playing the best in the playoffs?”

And the general response is “Hughes, of course, but really everyone.”
Isn’t that remarkable? Just look how far we’ve come.

And I do mean we. Don’t forget, We Are All Canucks, so that means you’re a part of this blueline, too. Nice work out there.