clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Wake With Elias: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

It’s bad.

By Beggsy
NHL: FEB 08 Canucks at Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs Center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his goal with Right Wing Mitchell Marner (16), Defenceman Rasmus Sandin (38) and Defenceman T.J. Brodie (78) during the third period of the NHL regular season game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8, 2021, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada.
Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Yesterday was a day for angry (albeit logical) hockey rants.

Today is merely a day of despair.

After the Canucks fifth straight loss (and third at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs), any hope and positivity that was generated during the first win of the road trip had dwindled into nothingness.

The effort was there last night...for 40 minutes. It was a game where the Canucks deserved better, but this isn’t a team with the depth or talent to take their foot off the gas in a tie game.

It was a loss so heartbreaking, it made Brandon Sutter realize that this is the last time he will ever make more than $4 million per season.

With a 6-10 record, the Canucks playoff hopes are already fading just one quarter into the season. The fancy stats aren’t kind to the Canucks either.

TSN’s Jason Brough has a theory about what record the Canucks will need over the final three-quarters of the season.

I think there's a chance that 60 points would be the bar, with four of seven teams making the playoffs in this division. Hey, all the Canucks need to do is go 24-16, and they could have a chance to get creamed by Toronto or Montreal in the opening round!

Depth is clearly a huge problem in Vancouver this season, but even this stat blew me away.

So yeah, aside from a few good draft picks and a couple astute trade, Jim Benning has largely done a terrible job of building this team.

But hey...at least Bennign dodged the Erik Karlsson bullet!

Speaking of smiles, I gave Jim Benning four reasons why smile this morning on The Quickie podcast.

Hell, it might even make you smile as well.

More Canuck-Related Reads

  • Jimmi’s recap last night focused on the fugly...and rum [Nucks Misconduct]
  • It was reported by Elliotte Friedman yesterday that Jake Virtanen and Adam Gaudette are being dangled on the trade market [Sportsnet]
  • The Utica Comets have begun their season, with Carson Focht and Will Lockwood making an impression [Canucks Army]
  • Noah Strang joins Nick Bondi on the latest episode of the Power of the Towel Podcast. [Nucks Misconduct]

Around the NHL

  • Patrik Laine’s start in Columbus is similar to the end of Pierre-Luc Dubois’s Blue Jackets career.

Who would have thought that it was Jack Roslovic — not Laine — who would be the budding star in Columbus.

The Coyotes got a buzzer-beater in last night’s action. They would go on to beat the Blues 4-3 in a shootout.

And, a little Oilers’ own goal to bring a smile to your face.

More From Nucks Misconduct