Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that’s just as busy this week as it was last week.
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Speaking of busyness, it’s already shaping up to be one of the busiest summers in franchise history for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks.</a>
We’re not even through Round One of the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-officially-eliminated-nhl-playoff-contention">Stanley Cup Playoffs</a>, and we’ve already got a prospect holdout, coaching extension drama, and accusations of tampering. All this, before the offseason proper has truly begun.
In other words, hold on to your butts. This is going to be a long couple of months.
It’s the kind of offseason ahead that makes us really hope that GM Patrik Allvin and Co. have a list of priorities on hand. Something to guide the many, many decisions they’re going to have to make. Decisions about roster changes, decisions about staff contracts, and decisions about the long-awaited development of a practice facility.
There’s just so much to do in so little time. But today, we’re not all that interested in Allvin’s priority list. We’re interested in yours.
This week, we’re asking you:
<h1>What is your top offseason priority for these Vancouver Canucks?</h1>
Let it be known in the comment section.
<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/wdytt-who-was-vancouver-canucks-second-most-valuable-player-2024-25">Last week, we asked:</a>
<h1>Who was the Canucks’ second-most valuable player in 2024/25?</h1>
You answered below!
Copperfinch:
(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)
I guess it has to be Pius Sherwood.
RDster:
Yeah I think it&#8217;s got to be the Lankinator.
George:
Easily JT Miller, because we traded him and got an unprotected first back in one of the best drafts in a decade.
Oh wait…
JCanuck:
Sherwood.
Easy, even though Suter had points. This guy could be the next Burrows with the right teammates
John Bates:
Lankinen was pretty amazing for a no-money-down starting goalie.
RagnarokOroboros:
Kiefer Sherwood was second best.
He had a fantastic year with points and smashed the NHL record for hits in a season.
He was consistent all year, could move up and down the lineup, and kill penalties.
Next closest would be Pius Suter and Kevin Lankinen.
dmitri alvarado:
The challenge is describing some of these players – even when they deserve it – as second-most valuable on a roster that’s struggled for most of the year. Remove Lankinen&#8217;s and Suter’s contributions on the ice this season and the team would have struggled even more. I would bet that Lankinen is a lock for this award and Suter a close second. Most likely, Sherwood joins as a top-vote getter, with no one else getting many votes.
Assuming readers don&#8217;t @#$ the bed and vote EP40 or Myers or Hronek, we do not have an awful lot of forwards to choose from (Joshua, Höglander, O’Connor, Blueger, Garland). You cannot conceivably just pick someone from this group unless you are voting for AHL MVPs, as good as they’ve looked at times. Short of trading EP40 and/or Demko, there’s no real option here that’s going to move the needle with decent call-ups for next year&#8217;s second most valuable player. I’d rather see them do something bold like trade up in the draft to pick a rookie that can contribute his first year post-draft in the NHL.
Hawks Pass:
Has to be Lankinen. Without him, this season the Canucks would be looking up at several more teams. Lankinen was a difference-maker in many games. Especially early in the season.
LeroyVeritas:
<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-named-finalist-nhls-norris-trophy">#1 Quinn Hughes.</a>
#2 Quinn Hughes&#8217; skates.
#3 Quinn Hughes&#8217; hockey stick.
#4 Quinn Hughes&#8217; off-season coach for helping him to improve his shot for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons.
#5 Quinn Hughes&#8217; skating coach. Mom Hughes did great work for a phenomenal player.
That&#8217;s all.
Ryan B:
Kevin Lankinen.
Without him punching above his weight class, we’re praying the Schaefer lottery goes our way…
Craig Gowan:
As without him the Canucks would have finished near the bottom of the NHL, the answer must be Kevin Lankinen.
Leo Union:
Quinn Hughes was the only player of value, the rest could be supplemented.
Stephan Roget:
A little surprised to not see any real mention of Filip Hronek, aside from this comment.
Hronek might have flown under the radar as Quinn Hughes’ partner. And, to be perfectly honest, Hronek actually struggled a bit in that role this year, at least more so than he did throughout 2023/24.
But it was with Hughes out that Hronek really earned some 2MVP votes. He elevated his play away from Hughes, something folks once questioned if he was even able to do, and helped keep the Canucks in the playoff hunt for a little bit of extra time. One might argue that Hronek’s best hockey came with Hughes injured, and while more consistency would always be nice, that step-up definitely carries value.
Combine that with Hronek’s general on-ice value as one of the team’s most talented players, night-in and night-out, and you probably land on the true second-most valuable individual on this roster.
On the flip side of that thought, it’s also worth mentioning how much the Canucks missed Hronek when he was out of the lineup. Sure, Hughes himself didn’t really miss a beat, but the team as a whole definitely did.
<h2><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/abbotsford-canucks-game-day-round-2-ahl-playoffs-begin-tonight-coachella-valley-firebirds">Read Next: Abbotsford Canucks Game Day: Round 2 of AHL Playoffs begin tonight in Coachella Valley.</a></h2>
Sponsored by bet365
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Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that’s just as busy this week as it was last week.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;

Speaking of busyness, it’s already shaping up to be one of the busiest summers in franchise history for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks.</a>

We’re not even through Round One of the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-officially-eliminated-nhl-playoff-contention">Stanley Cup Playoffs</a>, and we’ve already got a prospect holdout, coaching extension drama, and accusations of tampering. All this, before the offseason proper has truly begun.

In other words, hold on to your butts. This is going to be a long couple of months.

It’s the kind of offseason ahead that makes us really hope that GM Patrik Allvin and Co. have a list of priorities on hand. Something to guide the many, many decisions they’re going to have to make. Decisions about roster changes, decisions about staff contracts, and decisions about the long-awaited development of a practice facility.

There’s just so much to do in so little time. But today, we’re not all that interested in Allvin’s priority list. We’re interested in yours.

This week, we’re asking you:
<h1>What is your top offseason priority for these Vancouver Canucks?</h1>
Let it be known in the comment section.

<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/wdytt-who-was-vancouver-canucks-second-most-valuable-player-2024-25">Last week, we asked:</a>
<h1>Who was the Canucks’ second-most valuable player in 2024/25?</h1>
You answered below!

Copperfinch:

(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)

I guess it has to be Pius Sherwood.

RDster:

Yeah I think it's got to be the Lankinator.

George:

Easily JT Miller, because we traded him and got an unprotected first back in one of the best drafts in a decade.

Oh wait…

JCanuck:

Sherwood.

Easy, even though Suter had points. This guy could be the next Burrows with the right teammates

John Bates:

Lankinen was pretty amazing for a no-money-down starting goalie.

RagnarokOroboros:

Kiefer Sherwood was second best.

He had a fantastic year with points and smashed the NHL record for hits in a season.

He was consistent all year, could move up and down the lineup, and kill penalties.

Next closest would be Pius Suter and Kevin Lankinen.

dmitri alvarado:

The challenge is describing some of these players – even when they deserve it – as second-most valuable on a roster that’s struggled for most of the year. Remove Lankinen's and Suter’s contributions on the ice this season and the team would have struggled even more. I would bet that Lankinen is a lock for this award and Suter a close second. Most likely, Sherwood joins as a top-vote getter, with no one else getting many votes.

Assuming readers don't @#$ the bed and vote EP40 or Myers or Hronek, we do not have an awful lot of forwards to choose from (Joshua, Höglander, O’Connor, Blueger, Garland). You cannot conceivably just pick someone from this group unless you are voting for AHL MVPs, as good as they’ve looked at times. Short of trading EP40 and/or Demko, there’s no real option here that’s going to move the needle with decent call-ups for next year's second most valuable player. I’d rather see them do something bold like trade up in the draft to pick a rookie that can contribute his first year post-draft in the NHL.

Hawks Pass:

Has to be Lankinen. Without him, this season the Canucks would be looking up at several more teams. Lankinen was a difference-maker in many games. Especially early in the season.

LeroyVeritas:

<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-named-finalist-nhls-norris-trophy">#1 Quinn Hughes.</a>

#2 Quinn Hughes' skates.

#3 Quinn Hughes' hockey stick.

#4 Quinn Hughes' off-season coach for helping him to improve his shot for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 seasons.

#5 Quinn Hughes' skating coach. Mom Hughes did great work for a phenomenal player.

That's all.

Ryan B:

Kevin Lankinen.

Without him punching above his weight class, we’re praying the Schaefer lottery goes our way…

Craig Gowan:

As without him the Canucks would have finished near the bottom of the NHL, the answer must be Kevin Lankinen.

Leo Union:

Quinn Hughes was the only player of value, the rest could be supplemented.

Stephan Roget:

A little surprised to not see any real mention of Filip Hronek, aside from this comment.

Hronek might have flown under the radar as Quinn Hughes’ partner. And, to be perfectly honest, Hronek actually struggled a bit in that role this year, at least more so than he did throughout 2023/24.

But it was with Hughes out that Hronek really earned some 2MVP votes. He elevated his play away from Hughes, something folks once questioned if he was even able to do, and helped keep the Canucks in the playoff hunt for a little bit of extra time. One might argue that Hronek’s best hockey came with Hughes injured, and while more consistency would always be nice, that step-up definitely carries value.

Combine that with Hronek’s general on-ice value as one of the team’s most talented players, night-in and night-out, and you probably land on the true second-most valuable individual on this roster.

On the flip side of that thought, it’s also worth mentioning how much the Canucks missed Hronek when he was out of the lineup. Sure, Hughes himself didn’t really miss a beat, but the team as a whole definitely did.
<h2><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/abbotsford-canucks-game-day-round-2-ahl-playoffs-begin-tonight-coachella-valley-firebirds">Read Next: Abbotsford Canucks Game Day: Round 2 of AHL Playoffs begin tonight in Coachella Valley.</a></h2>
Sponsored by bet365
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