Buying In: Commitment to defensive structure key to Canucks’ early success
VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks sat down after last season and crunched the numbers.
Having missed the playoffs for the second time in three years, they knew something had to give when it came to their structure.
“We gave up way too many quality chances. Not just chances, but where you’re going to score goals from,” said forward Jannik Hansen. “The goalies were good for us last year, but we don’t want them to have to be that good.”
Odd-man rushes, grade-A scoring opportunities and surrendering the second most shots against in the entire NHL were among the many reasons for a miserable 28th-place finish.