Even the most loyal of Vancouver Canucks fans couldn’t have expected this team to be right in the thick of the playoff race in late January, but here they are.
Rookie sensation Elias Pettersson is a key reason why Vancouver sits at 23-21-6 — tied with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche for the two wild card spots in the Western Conference. Pettersson has missed 11 games with a concussion and knee injury, but he leads the team in scoring with 44 points. Remarkable stuff.
Pettersson isn’t the only key that Vancouver has missed over a long period.