Season Preview: 3 players to watch on the Canucks
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
These are interesting times for the Vancouver Canucks, a team that doesn't appear to know exactly in which direction it's heading.
Seemingly on the downswing after a 28th-place finish in 2015-16, president Trevor Linden and general manager Jim Benning continue to talk playoffs, and made a significant investment in an unrestricted free agent in order to help reach that goal.
Here are three players to watch as the season unfolds:
Loui Eriksson
Vancouver's biggest move of the offseason was the signing of winger Loui Eriksson to a six-year, $36-million contract.
Eriksson, 31, recorded 30 goals and 33 assists in his best and last season with the Boston Bruins prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and is expected to fit seamlessly onto a line with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin - a trio that already played together for Sweden at the World Cup of Hockey.
This top line could be one of the NHL's most effective this season, and will have to be in order for Vancouver to have any hope of sniffing the playoffs. If that ends up being the case, Eriksson's contract will be seen as money very well spent in the eyes of the club.
Bo Horvat
Forever to be linked to Cory Schneider as the player drafted with the pick acquired in a trade with New Jersey, Bo Horvat is entering 2016-17 as a pending restricted free agent, and with a big opportunity to prove his worth to the Canucks.
Horvat scored 16 goals and added 24 assists while averaging over 17 minutes a game and playing in a variety of situations as a sophomore last season, and will be counted on to provide secondary scoring and defensive responsibility as a second- or third-line centre.
A productive year could put him in line for a nice second contract, giving Vancouver reason to believe he is indeed a player to build around in the soon-to-be post-Sedin era.
Jacob Markstrom
Jacob Markstrom also put pen to paper on a new deal with the Canucks during the offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $11-million extension that will keep him with the club through to the end of 2019-20.
What's significant here is that Ryan Miller - who carries a $6-million cap hit - is set to come off the books next summer, meaning the club has put a measure of faith in Markstrom to carry at least part of the load moving forward, or at least until top goalie prospect Thatcher Demko is ready to make the leap to the NHL.
Miller will undoubtedly begin the season as the starter, but Markstrom will get his fair share of action as well, with an eye on finally setting himself apart as a bona fide No. 1 goalie.