Struggling Offense Holding Canucks Back

A struggling offense continues to hold the Vancouver Canucks back.

Jan 29, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Dakota Joshua (81) congratulates goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) on the win against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks continue to make headlines as their organization makes a decision regarding their top stars. Will the Canucks hang onto Elias Pettersson and JT Miller? Will they hang onto just one of these scoring forwards or neither?

While the Canucks figure all of this out, the team still has a postseason to earn a spot in. Currently, the team is a point out of final Wild Card in the Western Conference and the biggest issue plaguing them is their lack of offense. Over the last month, a disappointing trend has developed that continues to hold the Canucks back.

Since the calendar flipped into 2025, the Canucks have been unable to win when their opponent scores more than two goals. It's a problem because the team is averaging 3.10 goals allowed per game. Their first game of 2025 against the Seattle Kraken was the lone exception, winning 4-3 in a shootout. Aside from that, their defense has not been able to keep the puck out of their own net enough, and their offense cannot overcome the deficit.

They've played 14 games in January, going 6-6-2. In those eight losses, they've scored two goals or less seven times. Their top players, aside from captain Quinn Hughes, are all below their usual pace for scoring production. Miller has 35 points in 40 games. Pettersson has 32 points in 44 games. Brock Boeser and Conor Garland each have 33 points. The depth forwards like Danton Heinen, Nils Hoglander, and Teddy Blueger have gone mostly silent over this month.

The scores and stat sheets only confirm the ongoing rift in Vancouver, and reinforces the statements their President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford made recently about how the locker room has been affected. The urgency to find a resolution is only increasing, as this issue is not just impacting the players involved, but the entire locker room. Their chances of making the 2025 postseason are slipping, an their offense must get back on track in order to keep their playoff life alive.

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