Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that only opens and never closes.

Speaking of close, gosh, we’re getting close to Vancouver Canucks hockey. As you read these September-laden words, you’re only about a week away from prospect games against the Seattle Kraken. The preseason officially gets going on September 21, and then it’s pretty much steady action from there on out until the season’s as-of-yet-indetermined endpoint.

And that endpoint is our topic today.

The 2024-25 was a banner year for the pessimists, with literally everyone else having their expectations dashed by the Canucks on-ice performance – and, if we’re being honest, by their off-ice performance, too. That can’t help but to impact expectations for 2025-26, but to what extent will vary from person to person.

It’s one thing to predict where the Canucks will finish in the standings this year, and we’ll probably ask that question in the near future. Right now, though, we’re more interested in how your expectations have shifted over the past year, and what that means for your standards for the upcoming season – in other words, what it’s going to take for you to be satisfied with what the Canucks do in 2025-26, or at least more satisfied than you were last season.

Some of you are presumably still “Cup or bust,” and, hey, all power to you. Others would be satisfied with a mere return to the playoffs. Some don’t care about the results of the season at all, but more about whether or not Quinn Hughes signs an extension at the end of it.

So, we put that exact question to you. Not what you think will happen this season, but what would be good enough for you, specifically.

This week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

EP40 or the season is a bust, followed by Chytil and Höglander.

Lekkerimäki as the dark horse.

The easy answer is Pettersson (the forward; god, this is never gonna get easier). If he doesn’t increase his points the most, then we have a serious problem.

That being said, from a percentage-wise points increase, I’m saying Höglander. Assuming he isn’t traded, he had arguably the biggest flop year in terms of what he’s capable of. I think him getting more consistent deployment in a third line prove-it role with hopefully Räty and Sherwood will get him back to at least 2023-24 form, hopefully more.

And just for fun, I’ll say D-Petey for defense, cause I think he improves even more this year. Definitely a second line defenseman in the making.

Oh, and Demko gets a goalie goal for an infinity percent point increase. Boom.

There is one obvious answer. Pettersson must be better for the Canucks to be much of a team this season. There needs to be a few top-nine forwards with big jumps in points. These include Boeser, Chytil, and Höglander. Hopefully that can happen.

Looking at the point totals for everyone last season, there are many players who could and likely will go up in points. Many are suppressed by injuries. EP25, Karlsson and Raty are also going to get more games. so theoretically several more points. Being more familiar with the NHL game will help.

Full season contributions from Mancini, MPettersson, and O’Connor will hopefully show significant increases in points.

A big question here is will Foote change the offence enough to generate a bunch more goals.

As many are pointing out, the clear answer better be Petey.

A stealth answer is Lekkerimäki makes the team and has a good season. It’s easier to go from 6 points to 40 points than it is to go from 40 to 75.

This is season six for him, and the player that will increase scoring the most will be Högs Nilander and his 8 goals and 27 points – or it will be time to call it for the bust that it is and say goodbye to Högs…

EP will have the biggest point jump by far or this team will be in trouble.

It should be Pettersson, but who knows which EP40 we will see next season? I think it might be Chytil, but for his injury issues. I expect it may be Höglander. He seems the most solid bet.

Lankinen.

I’m going with Räty or Karlsson…

Not sure this exercise is as cut and dried as it is made out to be. There are just too many factors to consider. In the example given, with players that had a rise in points, both players had played 81 games. Pretty much a full season. So in theory we are basing the rise off of a full season. Total points. How many players on the Canucks will play the whole year injury free? Or for a prospect to be inserted in the Van line-up for the full season? Total points based on 81-82 games would automatically disqualify a lot of players that might have a rather large leap forward in points but not have a 81 game baseline or comparable number of games the previous season.

EP40 wins easily for total point rise, hands down. Pius Suters leap of 17 points should be probably doubled or more by EP40, but considering his drop from previous years and only playing in 64 games, he should not qualify as an improved point total. Another commenter talked about percentage (5, 10, 15, 50%, or EP40 and Hogs maybe 100%) of their rise in comparison to the previous season. Or we could break it down to PPG rises. This would probably be the fairest comparison to find actual skill level improvements…Go Nucks.

Yeah, EP 40 has to have the most point improvement, otherwise were in trouble.