Canucks Game Day: Reid Boucher Returns to Lineup vs Blue Jackets

With the Vancouver Canucks playoff hopes significantly fading, they’ll hope to get a boost from Reid Boucher tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Is it too early to say “Stick a fork in ’em: Vancouver Canucks edition”?

With losses in nine of their last 12, the Canucks now trail the Calgary Flames by seven points for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Though we say this every game, this truly seems like a must-win game to salvage their season.

And how fitting that the most important game of 2016-17 (so far), will take place against their former head coach John Tortorella, who is now the Columbus Blue Jackets’ bench boss.

The Canucks have probably figured out this roster isn’t good enough to win much down the stretch, but perhaps Reid Boucher can become the Alexandre Burrows of 2009. He was picked up by the Canucks off waivers on Jan. 4 and suited up for the Jan. 17 game against the Nashville Predators.

Can Boucher somehow inject a spark into this Vancouver team that looks destined to miss the playoffs for third time in four seasons?

Vancouver Canucks

OVERVIEW:

2016-17 Record: 23-24-6

Away Record: 6-16-3

2015-16 Record vs. Blue Jackets: 1-0-1

Goals For: 125

Goals Against: 154

Power Play: 14.7% (28th)

Penalty Kill: 78.7% (24rd)

Leading Scorers: Bo Horvat (53 GP – 15 G -–19 A – 34 PTS), Henrik Sedin (53 GP – 11 G – 21 A – 32 PTS), Daniel Sedin (53 GP – 11– G – 17 A – 28 PTS)

Injuries: Sven Baertschi (concussion, day-to-day) Ben Hutton (upper body, day-to-day), Anton Rodin (knee-day-to-day), Erik Gudbranson (wrist, indefinite), Derek Dorsett (neck, out for season)

WHO’’S ON OFFENCE:

MORE FROM THE CANUCK WAY

Bo Horvat: Like many games this season, Horvat was one of the few standouts in Tuesday’s loss to Nashville. He had an assist and has four points in his last six games.

Henrik Sedin: He’s been pointless in his last four games, which means he’s going to get on a hot streak now. Am I right?

WHO’’S ON DEFENCE:

Alexander Edler: His goal on Tuesday was his first point in six games. The Canucks could use more of Edler.

WHO’’S IN NET:

Ryan Miller: If Miller wants a long-term future in Vancouver, he better impress between now and the trade deadline. He’s lost four-straight games — allowing 15 goals in those outings.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Daniel Sedin — Henrik Sedin — Loui Eriksson
Markus Granlund— — Brandon Sutter — Jannik Hansen
Reid Boucher — Bo Horvat — Alexandre Burrows
Jayson Megna— — Michael Chaput —— Jack Skille

Alexander Edler — Troy Stecher
Luca Sbisa — Chris Tanev
Nikita Tryamkin — Ben Hutton

Ryan Miller
Jacob Markstrom

2016-17 Record: 34-13-5

Home Record: 18-6-1

2015-16 Record vs. Canucks: 1-1-0

Goals For: 173

Goals Against: 129

Power Play: 24.0% (1st)

Penalty Kill: 81.8% (14th)

Leading Scorers: Cam Atkinson (52 GP – 26– G – 22– A – – 48 PTS), Alexander Wennberg (52 GP – 10 G – – 34 A -44 PTS), Nick Foligno (50 GP – 18 G – 22 A – 40 PTS)

Injuries: Josh Anderson (concussion, day-to-day), David Savard (undisclosed, day-to-day), David Clarkson (back, out indefinitely)

WHO’’S ON OFFENCE:

Cam Atkinson: The Jackets’ leading scorer has feasted on the Canucks, scoring four points in the last three meetings. He’ll be a big test for Troy Stecher and co.

Alexander Wennberg: With eight points in his last seven games, Wennberg will also provide a huge challenge to the Canucks’ young defensive core. He had an assist in their Dec. 18 meeting, but didn’t get a shot on goal.

WHO’’S ON DEFENCE:

Seth Jones: It’s been a nice breakout year for Jones, whose already set career-highs in goals (10), and points (28). He has eight points in his last seven games, too.

WHO’’S IN NET:

Sergei Bobrovsky: The Jackets’ star netminder has struggled as of late. He’s lost four of his last five starts — allowing 18 goals.

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Brandon Saad — Alexander Wennberg — Nick Foligno
Boone Jenner —– Brandon Dubinsky — — Cam Atkinson
Matt Calvert —– William Karlsson — — Josh Anderson
Scott Hartnell —– Lukas Sedlak — — Sam Gagner

Zach Werenski — Seth Jones
Jack Johnson –— Markus Nutivaara
Scott Harrington — Ryan Murray

Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo

Reid All About It

So what’s the story about this Boucher kid?

The New Jersey Devils took him 99th-overall in the 2011 Entry Draft. Boucher showed promise in 2015-16, scoring seven goals in 39 games, but wasn’t able to lock down a roster spot in the early weeks of 2016-17.

He went on waivers and was claimed by the Nashville Predators on Dec. 3, but they too gave up on him. General manager Jim Benning can only hope that for Boucher, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Boucher stands at 5-feet-10, 195 pounds. He’s got great speed which goes well with this Canucks roster, but putting it all together is another story. In desperation mode, Vancouver will take anything he can bring.

Maybe we’re being too optimistic, but the Canucks might be able to turn Boucher into a gem. Did anyone really think Alexandre Burrows would be a consistent 20-goal scorer when he made his NHL debut?

Where to watch

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets– 4 PM PT

Nationwide Arena — Columbus, OH
TV: SN, FS-O
Radio: TSN1040
Online Streaming: Rogers NHL GameCentre LIVE, NHL.TV

Predictions

Alex:

VancouverCanucks2

They’re arguably the NHL’s best team, and they’re much more balanced up front, on defence and in net.

Janik:

VancouverCanucks0

The Blue Jackets are everything the Canucks wish they were. Four scoring forward lines, solid defence, and a Vezina-caliber goalie. A sad game for Vancouver.

Jeff:

VancouverCanucks2

What Janik said, except the Canucks will put two goals past the Vezina-caliber goaltender. The Jackets’ power play is lethal, while the Canucks special teams are… not.