NHL Insider Jeff Marek Says Vancouver Canucks Lack These Pieces to Compete for a Stanley Cup

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Maverick Mitchell
November 14, 2024 (7:59 PM)

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NHL insider Jeff Marek has serious doubts about the Vancouver Canucks' ability to compete for a Stanley Cup with their current group, and offers his opinion on the pieces they need and what Patrik Allvin's strategy will be moving forward.

The Vancouver Canucks have got off to a wonderful start to their season, a lot being owed to the marvelous goaltending coming from offseason signee Kevin Lankinen.

The Canucks now sit 3rd in the Pacific Division, holding an 8-3-3 record, just sitting 3 points behind the first Vegas Golden Knights. Winning the Division title and having this strong of a start has bult up the expectations for their post season run, but, Jeff Marek thinks they need to be aggressive in the market to make that a possibility.

NHL Insider Jeff Marek thinks the Vancouver Canucks are missing pieces to make a real run to the Stanley Cup

«I don't know that anyone is saying �Stanley Cup' about the Canucks,» Marek noted. «People look at this team and see a really good group-one that needs help along the blueline, Thatcher Demko to perform, and a lot of things to go their way if they're going to make noise in the postseason.

The Canucks are in that category where, if they're healthy and get some breaks along the way, they could have a deep playoff run.»

Jeff Marek joined David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal on the Canucks Conversation about what the Patrik Allvin and the Canucks draft strategy will be and what they are missing

When discussing the Canucks' trade strategy and if any moves are coming sooner rather than later, Marek believes that general manager Patrik Allvin will most probably be aggressive in trades and acquisitions well before the trade deadline approaches.

«Jim Rutherford was one of the first GMs to make moves early, and it paid off. He's always followed that model,» Marek explained. «I don't see any reason for that to change now. Rutherford believes that when you know the price for the player you want, you make the deal as soon as possible. It's a model that's worked for him and brought him multiple Stanley Cup championships.»

It is no surprise that the Vancouver Canucks need a second pairing defense, this is clear, but for Marek to discredit them from being able to make a Stanley Cup run because of a couple missing pieces is a little off the mark.

With Kevin Lankinen playing the way he is while Thatcher Demko sis set to return shortly, they will have one of the better goalie tandems int he entire NHL, along with unreliable strong 3 forward lines.