My answer is yes. The Vancouver Canucks will contend for a playoff spot and here are the reasons why.
Improved zone exits, zone entries and puck possession
For me, and I’m sure most Vancouver Canucks fans will agree, the most frustrating aspect of the Canucks play last season was their inability to exit their own zone. Costly turnovers, many which resulted in opposition goals, plagued the team on a consistent basis. When they did manage to exit the zone, very few were controlled exits where the Canucks maintained puck possession.
These defensive zone gaffs, on numerous occasions, came early in games and were largely responsible for the Canucks allowing the game’s first goal 60 percent of the time.