The well-worn adage was a reminder to the Vancouver Canucks of what awaited in the NHL playoff grind. They knew time and space would be at a premium amid the rapid rise in testosterone levels and better forechecking and adherence to team defence by the opposition. The Canucks responded with the fewest shots per outing (20.
8) and were 10th in goals (2.54) among 16 postseason clubs. They simply didn’t score enough, despite nearly advancing to the Western Conference final, and it’s why a deep off-season dive into finding the net more often was Rick Tocchet ’s season-ending message.
In a copy-cat league, teams will try what worked for others, but the Canucks need to be bolder. They need to think outside of the box to ensure systems can be effective in the regular season and the playoffs, and especially off the rush. Shots on net were often overshadowed by so many that missed the mark.
And seam passes seldom found the mark. Hard to ignore and not address. “I’d be crazy not to and I’ve got to do a deep dive,” admitted the Canucks bench boss.
“There are simple things like hitting the net and working on your shot and changing angles. It’s my job to make sure guys keep developing those skills. “We have good minds in the room and the staff.
I know a lot of people like shot volume, but I’m not sure about throwing the puck at the net with nobody in front. We need more of a presence and I need to give the players something at training camp to look at offensively. “.
