2012-13 record: 26-15-7 (59 points)
Lost to San Jose in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: Henrik Sedin
Since 2011, the Vancouver Canucks have not played like a team that can dominate on a nightly basis. That has led to consecutive one and dones the last two seasons, and now, they will be feeling the heat, as John Tortorella is now behind the bench. That's only the beginning, as the Canucks finally moved a goaltender, only it wasn't Roberto Luongo, as he somehow remains on the team and will be starting again. Cory Schneider was moved in exchange for the 9th overall pick in this past June's draft, and Luongo's mental state will be watched closely. The blue line remains the same minus Keith Ballard, who was bought out. That could open the door for Frank Corrado to claim the sixth spot on the blue line. On paper, the offense should be great, but a disappointing tie for 19th was one of the reasons the Canucks were swept by San Jose. Center depth is still an issue, and it remains to be seen if Bo Horvat remains with the team for the season. One player that definitely needs to pick up the slack is Zack Kassian, who was brought in to be the Canucks' version of Milan Lucic, but has not lived up to that expectation. Health will go a long way in solving the Canucks' recent woes, as Ryan Kesler, David Booth, and Kevin Bieksa all missed time last season.
Prospects: Horvat will start the season in Vancouver, but will likely get sent back to London before the 10 game trial is up. He provides intangibles and was a big reason London got to the Memorial Cup last season. However, he was the player picked with the ninth overall selection, the one the Canucks traded Schneider for, so Canucks fans may be holding him to higher expectations. Eddie Lack will be the backup to Luongo, and his issue will be how well he recovers from a hip injury that cost him much of last season. Corrado appears to be ready for a spot on the Canucks, and given that his only competition is Yannick Weber, it means he may be there sooner rather than later, if not now. Nicklas Jensen will start in Utica, but expect him to be on the Canucks sometime this season.
Prediction: 4th in the Pacific Division
The Canucks' philosophy changed with Tortorella coming in to coach the team. Storylines are abound, but with a far tougher division to deal with, the margin for error is reduced, and that could spell trouble for Vancouver.
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