Not many people thought the Vancouver Canucks would make the playoffs last season, so it's hard to comprehend just how they were considered a disappointment after getting to the second round.
Then again, it may be that the Canucks brought it on themselves by raising the bar with one of the most dramatic turnaround seasons in the league. Coming off a last place finish in the Northwest, the Canucks started slowly but picked up steam as the season went along and ended up winning the division before sweeping St. Louis in the opening round.
Naturally that started visions of Stanley Cup parades dancing in Vancouver fans' heads, until the bubble burst from too many Canucks lapses in the conference semifinals against Chicago. But with the sting of that defeat now gone, there are much higher expectations for the Canucks to build on their progress and take advantage of their smartly upgraded roster. And that won't ease the pressure the team already faces in a hot-bed hockey market that should be even more revved up this season as it will host the Winter Olympic tournament in February.
Second-year general manager Mike Gillis -- whose new-age philosophy includes hiring specialists in sleep management, nutrition, and psychological preparation for the players -- tinkered judiciously with the lineup, bringing in veteran forward Mikael Samuelsson and defensemen Mathieu Schneider, Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich while losing only one significant player in defenseman Mattias Ohlund.
But Gillis made some of the most important deals of the summer when he re-signed the Sedin twins only hours before they hit the free-agent market, and gave Roberto Luongo a long-term extension only a few days before the franchise goalie's self-imposed deadline for making a deal. Locking up those core players was critical for the Canucks, who have a strong supporting cast which includes some bright young talents up front like Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows, and one of the league's better all around units along the blue line.
The Canucks were able to sneak up on a lot of teams last season, but won't be able to this time around. Then again, they might not need to.
Here are five things to know about Vancouver.
1. Coach Alain Vigneault loosened his grip on Vancouver's defensemen last season by allowing them to pinch in and join rushes a lot more regularly than he did in his first two seasons behind the team's bench. But the Canucks defenders weren't exactly noted for their speed and quickness, so the impact of his strategy changes was relatively minimal. However Vancouver believes that will change with the additions of Ehrhoff and Schnieder, both of whom are good puck movers and should help give the Canucks offense more pressure coming from the back end.
2. The 40-year-old Schneider, who signed for one year at $1.55 million and will suit up for his eighth franchise (with two stops in Montreal), may not even be ready for opening night. Schneider underwent shoulder surgery during the summer and is still rehabbing, meaning he might not play every night even when he is healthy. But the Canucks expect the veteran, who has good offensive skills, to fill quarterback role on the power play. Vancouver struggled to find someone to handle that job last season.
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CBSSports.com's Wes Goldstein, Greg Cimilluca and Erin Brown preview the Northwest Division. 3. Meanwhile, Schneider isn't the only veteran on the shelf right now. Forward Pavol Demitra was injured in series vs. Chicago and underwent surgery to repair his rotator cuff, and isn't expected back until the middle of October at the earliest. But in a way, Demitra's absence is a good thing for the Canucks because they are about $2 million over the $56.8 million salary cap. Vancouver has $28.75-million committed to 13 forwards, another $22.1-million to eight defensemen and $8-million tied up in goalies. Demitra's share is $4 million, but since he'll start the season on injured reserve, his salary won't immediately count against the cap, giving the Canucks a few extra weeks to sort things out.
4. The Canucks are counting on highly-touted rookie center Cody Hodgson, the 19-year-old junior scoring star they drafted 10th overall in 2008, to make a strong bid for a job with the big club. But another fresh face with an opening is Michael Grabner, a 2006 first-round choice who has a chance to make an impression as a top six forward with Demitra out. Grabner is an offensive left winger coming off a strong season in the minors.
5. Vancouver expects Kyle Wellwood to get off to a better start this season because he's in a lot better shape. Wellwood came into camp overweight last season and nearly lost his job when the Canucks had him ticketed for the minors. An injury forced Vancouver to keep him around, and Wellwood had a pretty good season, scoring 18 times and picking up six points in the playoffs when he anchored the third line. This summer Wellwood took his training a lot more seriously, coming into camp 15 pounds lighter.
