Canucks season preview: Pettersson key in progress to playoff contention

The 2018-19 NHL season begins Oct. 4. With training camps open, NHL.com is taking a look at the five keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lines for all 31 teams. Today, the Vancouver Canucks.

Coach:Travis Green (second season)
Last season: 31-40-1, seventh in Pacific Division
RELATED: [Complete Season Preview coverage]

5 KEYS

1. New power play

The Canucks were ninth in the NHL on the power play last season at 21.4 percent, but it will have a different look this season following the retirement of Daniel Sedin, who led Vancouver with 23 power-play points, and Henrik Sedin, who was third with 17. But there have been promising signs during the preseason from a new-look group that has featured rookie forward Elias Pettersson as a shooting threat in Henrik Sedin's spot in the right face-off circle; Calder Trophy finalist forward Brock Boeser on the left side; and forward Bo Horvat alternating between the front and side of the net.

2. Young forwards score

Pettersson, 19, could be the only rookie forward in Vancouver, but for the rebuilding Canucks the focus also is on developing young forwards with NHL experience, among them Boeser (21), Nikolay Goldobin (22), Jake Virtanen (22), Horvat (23), Brendan Leipsic (24) and Sven Baertschi (25). Veterans Jay Beagle and Tim Schaller were signed to ease the defensive burden on some of those younger players, freeing them up to score.
"We've got some young players I hope are ready to contribute offensively yet we don't want to put that kind of pressure that they have to carry a team," Green said.

3. Keeping the puck out of the net

Vancouver allowed 259 goals last season, sixth-most in the NHL, and will have the same defensemen and goaltenders as last season. That places the onus on better systems play in the defensive end. Part of that hoped-for improvement was the reason the Canucks signed forwards Beagle, Schaller and Antoine Roussel, reliable defensive players; Roussel is questionable for the season opener because of a concussion.
"We have to cut our goals-against and that's a team commitment," Green said.

4. Health

Injuries again were an issue for the Canucks. Among the biggest absences were defensemen Chris Tanev, who missed 40 games, and Erik Gudbranson, who missed 30 games and had offseason shoulder surgery. The Canucks had three players play at least 80 games, but two of them were the Sedins.

5. Offense from defense

Green has said he needs more offense from the defensemen but as a group they combined for 21 goals and 122 points, fewer than every team except the Buffalo Sabres (19 goals, 113 points). Alexander Edler had 34 points (six goals, 28 assists) last season, the most by a Canucks defenseman since 2012-13.
"Part is our systems," Green said. "We've tried to tweak our systems to try to create some more offense from our back end. They have the green light to get up the ice. We want to play an aggressive style of hockey and part of that is defensemen looking to score as well."

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

Leipsic appears to have moved into the lead for a top-six spot on the wing alongside either Pettersson or Horvat. Leipsic had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 44 games with the Canucks last season after being acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 26. He appears to have edged out Goldobin,
Jonathan Dahlen
and Adam Gaudette. Goldobin could remain as the 13th forward because he'd need to clear waivers to be assigned to Utica of the American Hockey League. He had his first extended stay in the NHL last season and had 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 38 games. Dahlen, 20, and Gaudette, 21, each were sent to Utica but remain top prospects. Gaudette had nine shots on goal in five games with the Canucks last season after signing his entry-level contract March 26.

Most intriguing addition

Beagle, 32, helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup last season and signed a four-year, $12 million contract July 1 to be a shut-down center and provide leadership, roles that may be tougher to measure with the Canucks as they build around younger players.

Biggest potential surprise

Baertschi had 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) despite missing 29 games with injuries. With a chance to play left wing with Pettersson or Horvat at even strength, he has a good chance to eclipse that by staying healthy. If he also gets a chance to play on the top power play, he could surpass his NHL highs of 18 goals and 35 points in 2016-17.

Ready to break through

Pettersson is an early favorite to for the Calder Trophy after a dominant season in the Swedish Hockey League. His 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) in 44 games led the SHL in scoring and set a league record for most points by an under-20 player, passing the 53 points Kent Nilsson had in 1975-76. Pettersson also was named SHL rookie of the year and most valuable player in the regular season and the playoffs. He hasn't looked out of place defensively as a center in the preseason and will play a prominent role on the power play.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Sven Baertschi -- Bo Horvat -- Brock Boeser
Brendan Leipsic -- Elias Pettersson -- Loui Eriksson
Sam Gagner -- Brandon Sutter -- Jake Virtanen
Mikael Granlund -- Jay Beagle -- Tim Schaller
Alexander Edler -- Troy Stecher
Ben Hutton -- Christopher Tanev
Michael Del Zotto -- Erik Gudbranson
Jacob Markstrom
Anders Nilsson