Thanks to a sensational performance by rookie Elias Pettersson, the Vancouver Canucks stayed around in the playoff race up until late February, but they’ve since fallen to the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Vancouver dropped a 3-2 road contest to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night; only the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings sit below them in the West. That’s what happens when the injuries pile up, when key players stop producing and when you simply drop 12 out of 16 games.
Obviously, the likes of Pettersson (57 points, likely Calder Trophy winner), Bo Horvat (48 points), and Brock Boeser (46 points), cannot be blamed for another lackluster season.