With the return of Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen to the Canucks' lineup, the team is beginning to look like a contender. Granted, they skated like slugs in Saturday’s match against the Hurricanes, but who schedules a game at 10:30 a.m. PST anyways? For a team used to night games, it’s no wonder they were half asleep. Going forward, they are going to be just fine – reason being, they have depth at the forward position. We know the chemistry of the Sedin twins and Burrows, so here is a breakdown of the other three forward lines.

Third Line:

Why does Vancouver love Kyle Wellwood so much? Two weeks ago, in a game against Los Angeles, when a goal credited to Wellwood was reviewed and given to the true scorer, Tanner Glass, the GM Place crowd actually booed in protest. Granted it was Wellwood’s first goal of the season, but talk about picking favorites!

Perhaps it’s his angelic, innocent face, or the fact that we all see a little of ourselves in his formerly out of shape physique, or maybe it is because we know that when he’s on his game, he is one of the most skilled Canuck forwards out there. With Wellwood, it’s all about confidence, so what’s the key to keeping his up? For starters, don’t expect him to carry a line. Playing with Tanner Glass and Steve Bernier while the Canucks were reeling from injuries, Wellwood was the only creative individual of the trio, and even when he made good plays they would go nowhere. It was the addition of Jannik Hansen to his line that initially gave him the kick in the butt he needed. Now that head coach Alain Vigneault has moved Mikael Samuelsson to the line in place of Hansen, it will combine a good combination of grit and skill, as Samuelsson is a creative, puck possession player.

Second Line:

The Vancouver Sun seems to think the fact that Ryan Kesler hasn’t scored a goal in 14 games is an issue. It’s not. Kesler is the engine that drives the Canucks, and he continues to play hard and inspire teammates with the way he always put everything on the ice. Goal scoring slumps are often overstated, and that is certainly the case here, as he has 4 assists in the Canucks last 5 games, meaning he is still creating offense.

With Hansen moved to the second line to play with Mason Raymond and Kesler, this is now a line of like minded individuals: they’re all strong, tough, and good with the puck, and all three of them travel in one direction – straight to the net. This combination will continue to provide energy when the team needs it and provide goals at big moments.

Fourth Line:

Rick Rypien and Ryan Johnson are completely underrated offensively, yet they manage to do pretty well in that regard, given their mandate of “don’t make mistakes and keep the puck in the offensive end”. When they poke in the odd goal, it’s a nice present, though not really a surprise.

Heading into tonight’s matchup with the Flames, only two games remain in the Canucks preseason. For a select group of young Canucks, this is all the time they have to prove that they belong with the big club. Here’s a quick look at where spots are available:

Forward Lines:

1. Sedin Sedin Samuelson
2. Burrows Kesler Raymond
3. Bernier Wellwood --------
4. Hordichuk Johnson Rypien
-------

Though these lines may be interchanged, it is expected that all of these players will be on the team on October first. You can see that there are two spots available: one as a winger on the third line, and one as the seventh forward who might be carried by the club but will usually not dress for games.

Four players are vying for these two spots: Cody Hodgson, Sergei Shirokov, Michael Grabner, and Jannik Hansen. Let’s assume that the Canucks staff will be true to their word of choosing the team based on merit and not on contract complexities, which would add a completely different dimension. Which two will stay in Vancouver?

Hansen is the only player of the four with NHL experience, and he has demonstrated this in the preseason. He has shown consistency in his effort and the ability needed to play with the big boys, so it would be stunning if he’s not given one of the spots.

Conversely, Michael Grabner has almost played himself off the team by showing that he’s clearly not ready to make the jump from AHL to NHL. He hasn’t responded to pressure and he’s looked out of place, most of the time. Let’s count him out.

This leaves Cody Hodgson and Sergei Shirokov to fight over the last spot. Poor Hodgson has been battling a nagging back injury and hasn’t been able to play up to speed thus far. Shirokov, on the other hand, has looked marvelous, with 4 points in two games, but it should be noted that the first was played against a haphazard New York Islanders team in Terrace, B.C. Still, if Shirokov can work the same magic against Calgary and Edmonton, and Hodgson does nothing special, Shirokov will probably win.

But with two games remaining, anything can happen. Who knows, perhaps Grabner will score a hat trick, and Hodgson will set up all three goals. The youngsters hold their fate in their hands.


Note: This is being posted in lieu of Monday’s post, because it simply cannot wait!