Vancouver Canucks season snapshot

With the NHL pausing the 2019-20 regular season on March 12 due to the concerns surrounding the coronavirus, NHL.com is taking stock of each of the League's 31 teams.

Today, a snapshot of the Vancouver Canucks at the pause:

Vancouver Canucks

Record: 36-27-6, 78 points

Playoff position: Tied with Nashville Predators for second wild card into Stanley Cup Playoffs from Western Conference, two points behind Winnipeg Jets

The Canucks added forwards J.T. Miller, Micheal Ferland and defenseman Tyler Myers in the offseason and were hoping that, combined with a full season from rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes, they would qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2014-15.

After a 9-3-2 start, the Canucks lost seven of eight but recovered and managed to remain in the wild-card and Pacific Division races thanks to a seven-game winning streak from Dec. 19-Jan. 4 and a five-game streak from Jan. 16-Feb. 1. Vancouver is one point behind the third-place Calgary Flames and eight points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the division.

More Canucks season snapshot coverage: Awards | Fantasy honors | Memorable moments

On an offense with Elias Pettersson (66 points; 27 goals, 39 assists), Brock Boeser (45 points; 16 goals, 29 assists) and Bo Horvat (53 points; 22 goals, 31 assists), it's been Miller who's been their most productive offensive player (72 points; 27 goals, 45 assists). When you add Hughes, who leads NHL rookies with 53 points (eight goals, 45 assists), it's not hard to see why the Canucks rank eighth in goals per game (3.25) and fourth in power-play percentage (24.1 percent).

Vancouver has gotten excellent goaltending from Jacob Markstrom, who missed the eight games prior to the pause with a knee injury. He was having a Vezina Trophy-worthy season with a 23-16-4 record, a 2.75 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and two shutouts in 43 starts.

The Canucks added forward Tyler Toffoli in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 17, and he scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 10 games to give them offensive depth.

Breakout player

J.T. Miller: After an offseason trade from the Tampa Bay Lighting, Miller has set NHL career highs in goals (27), assists (45) and points (72) and leads or is tied for the Vancouver lead in each category. The versatile forward also set career highs in power-play points (25) and shots on goal (165). Miller has won 59.2 percent of face-offs, is tops on the Canucks in ice time per game among forwards (20:06), and is plus-11 in 69 games this season.

Statement win

Canucks 9, Boston Bruins 3, Feb. 22: The Bruins entered with the best record in the NHL and on a five-game winning streak, but it was the Canucks who looked like the Stanley Cup contender. Eight Canucks scored, including Toffoli, who scored his first two goals after the trade. Miller had three assists, and Markstrom made 34 saves. Vancouver scored three times in the second period and four times in the third period for their most goals in a game in 24 seasons.

Most compelling game

Canucks 5, Golden Knights 4, (OT), Dec. 19: Vancouver, which entered on a three-game losing streak, took a 2-0 lead less than eight minutes into the first period on goals by Antoine Roussel and Tanner Pearson. They had a 3-1 lead after the first period before the Golden Knights tied it in the second. Pettersson's second of the game halfway through the third period made it 4-3, but Mark Stone tied it for Vegas with less than five minutes remaining. Chris Tanev scored 1:30 into overtime to give the Canucks the win.