The Go-To Guy: The 3 Western Conference teams that scare me the most (a Canucks fan’s perspective)

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This has been one of the most predictable season’s in the history of the National Hockey League… is what I would have said had everyone not predicted everything with a level of accuracy that hasn’t been seen since the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic.

Of course I didn’t know that the Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks were going to be the class of the NHL, but here we are!

This NHL season is incredibly fascinating. Typically, the league has 8 or 9 teams by the halfway point that solidify themselves as the cream of the crop, the true contenders in the league.

This season? No, there’s more than 8 or 9. Try 12.

The league is wide open and it’s hard to get a grasp of who *isn’t* legit. Teams like the Canucks, Jets, and Flyers have shocked everybody with the consistent dominance of which they’ve displayed. Meanwhile, we have teams like the Devils, Kings, and Penguins who have all performed *way* below expectations.

But I’m “The Go-To Guy”. You think I don’t know who the legitimate foes are? Of course I do! And I’ll tell you what, the Canucks are one of them!

Speaking of the Canucks, I’ve been thinking a lot about which teams in the Western Conference would give this team the best run for their money. I think the Canucks would be able to beat literally anyone in a seven-game playoff series, but that doesn’t make them some automatic force like the 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche, who just cakewalked their way to a Stanley Cup (and I ain’t talking about the mugs).

So, who are the teams that I am most worried about? I came up with three potential first round matchups that could potentially be a tough go for the boys in blue and green.

Edmonton Oilers [0-0-3 record vs VAN so far]

Wow! The team that features Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard would be a tough matchup? I’m stunned!

The Oilers are a juggernaut that just hit the snooze button to begin the 2023-24 season. Remember when they were the laughing stock of the league in October and November? I miss it, a lot.

The Oilers have been stampeding up the NHL standings for the better part of the last month and a half, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be slowing down any time soon; as they are currently on a 13-game winning streak at the time I am writing this article.

The main keys to the Oilers success is, obviously, the top of the lineup. Their top line of Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, have been best line in the entire league by xGF% (expected goals-for percentage), meaning they are absolutely dominating possession every time they jump off the bench. McDavid hasn’t even been producing at his usual rate, but Hyman is ripping the league to shreds right now with 28 goals so far this season.

Add Leon Draisaitl and Ryan McLeod to the equation, and you have a truly formidable top six. You’d seriously be hard-pressed to find one better in the entire NHL. Their top defensive pair of Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard have been terrific, as well as Stuart Skinner finally playing at the level of a competent NHL starting goalie! It was looking like he was going to finish the season with a save percentage below .900, yet he’s bounced back to bring it to a .906 at the halfway mark. That’s actually stunning.

The main areas in which I think the Canucks have them are team defence, goaltending, and forward depth. The Canucks have put up some of the most impressive defensive numbers across the league, and their forward depth hasn’t just ‘kept their heads above water, it has won them some games. And if the Oilers can’t solve Demko, they’re done, but that goes for just about any team in the league.

I think the Oilers would handedly be the toughest opponent the Canucks could face, and I hope we get to see that matchup at some point, just preferably not in the first round.

Seattle Kraken [1-1-0 record vs VAN so far]

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, the Seattle Kraken currently sit outside of the playoff picture, but that might not be the case for much longer.

The Kraken are a team that ride percentages to win hockey games, at least offensively. They won’t be creating many high danger chances, but they have four lines of stupidly efficient shooters.

You know who else has four lines of stupidly efficient shooters? The Vancouver Canucks.

The Kraken are also one of the best defensive teams in the league, and have put up some of the best defensive numbers over the course of this season. Does that not sound familiar?

If the Seattle Kraken are Wish You Were Here, The Canucks are Animals, a similar structure and makeup, just with more quality. Sure, the you could mistake the Kraken as a pseudo-Canucks type, but they scare me. If bounces don’t end up going the Canucks’ way, this team will end up making them pay.

Hilarious of me to assume that bad bounces won’t be in the Canucks’ favour.

Regardless, the Kraken should not be taken lightly by anyone come playoff time. They handled the title defending Colorado Avalanche last season, and very-well could do the same if faced against a formidable team like the Canucks or Oilers this season.

Don’t sleep on these guys, I’m telling you.

Vegas Golden Knights [1-0-0 record vs VAN so far]

I mean, they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions, I at least feel a little obligated to give them their fair shake.

While their underlying numbers don’t jump off the page, the Golden Knights remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference yet again this season, and it’s not difficult to pinpoint why.

Jack Eichel as your number one centre? Mark Stone still playing at a high level? A rotating goalie cast including the likes of Adin Hill and Logan Thompson? Yeah, that seems like a solid enough formula to remain a damn good team.

The Golden Knights are very much built like a Jim Rutherford-led team. Star caliber forwards, big, hulking defenceman, and formidable goaltending. But do the Knights have Rutherford running the show? Nope! That’s Vancouver’s music.

Vegas probably won’t have the cap space to go big game hunting at the Trade Deadline, whilst the Canucks have basically all but confirmed adding a top six forward to their roster if one they like happens to shake loose.

The main thing that scares me about the Knights is that, much like Seattle, they remind me a lot of this Canucks team. Not to mention the Knights absolutely rolled over the Canucks in their one match this season, thanks in large to Jack Eichel displaying a tantalizing performance against the Canucks’ top talent.

I do genuinely hope that the Canucks get a crack at revenge for the sins of the 2020 second round, and you know that they would be fired up to play them. Heck, if Demko has one stellar game, that might be enough to rattle that entire team, much like he did in the latter half of that series.

No matter who the Canucks end up facing, they’ll be worthy. They have proven that and then some so far this season.

Just please hurry up and trade for a 2C already. My patience is running thin!

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