Can a season of rebuilding be considered a success?
The Vancouver Canucks are used to playing under pressure. A Canadian team who has yet to win the coveted Stanley Cup can't play a game without critics and supporters alike evaluating their every move. So what do the supporters and those within the organization think about this season? Is it an improvement on the past and therefore a success no matter the final outcome? Is it a stepping stone in the journey to rebuild? Or if they don't win it all, is it all for naught?
It's hard to talk about the current season without referencing the previous one; the Canucks struggled to meet their own expectations and dramatically disappointed their fans. Then came the summer of 2014, one all about change for the suffering Vancouver team.
With new management, new coaches, and a plethora of new players to complement the returning core, the Canucks started the season like a team the fans could get behind. And yet, despite being one win away from the Stanley Cup just four short seasons ago, the Canucks often found themselves fiercely fighting to stay away from the bottom of the playoff standings. While it's too early to count them out before the final buzzer sounds, the season has not come without concern.
Only a few Canucks have consistently impressed and despite the mixed reviews of midseason 'report cards', the team has managed to step it up when it seems to matter most.
A welcomed addition to the roster this year has been Radim Vrbata who stole the show early, playing alongside the Sedin twins, and currently sitting third in points and first in goals. He's provided an offensive spark the team seemed desperate to build off of.
“It feels like we’re having our most complete year,” Henrik Sedin said recently of his team's play.
It hasn't been smooth sailing for Vancouver's defensive team. Dan Hamhuis was missed on the blueline while out injured for several months, leaving Alexander Edler to step up from a career-low 2014 season to fill the void. Step up he did until February saw the defensive pairing of Edler and Chris Tanev both out of the lineup with injuries of their own. Joining fellow defenseman, Kevin Bieksa, on the injury reserve, the blueline was left without 3 of its top 4 performers.
An injury to starting goaltender Ryan Miller late in February put pressure on Eddie Lack to once again become number one between the pipes. It's a
situation he's familiar with after being thrust into the spotlight at a similar point last year but it is still an unnerving time to lose your top netminder.
“At the start of the year, we wanted to have depth in goal for this very situation. And we have depth, so I’m comfortable with that,” Canucks general manager, Jim Benning, told the media recently, instilling confidence in both Lack and backup Jakob Markstrom who will be key to the Canucks
playoff hopes.
While not one to follow what is being said outside the dressing room, Daniel Sedin admitted the fans' faith in the team might have wavered.
“When you have injuries, it can go either way,” said Daniel. “Either you start losing games or you come together as a team and find ways to win, and that’s been the most rewarding thing. I think we’ve shown this year we can still play and have an impact on our team.” have the fans been around to see it?
As the team slipped in the standings throughout the year, so did their tickets sales. With nearly 17,000 season ticket holders making up majority of their paying customers, official attendance at Canucks games still appears strong; however, handfuls of fans have been eager to sell their seats at prices much lower than market value.
So do ticket woes mean fans have left the building? Or did they leave last season? The demand is just not as high these days with experts suggest-
ing the Canucks are simply experiencing a down-turn in the purchasing cycle every team encounters at some point.
Unfortunately, success on the scoreboard doesn't mean successfully filled seats. Despite being on the verge of a turnaround all season – and surpassing their play of last season's disappointment – the Canucks lost the connection to their fans along the way and have yet to win them back. While wins will obviously make fans happy, it may be more about bringing the passion back to Rogers Arena.
The success the Canucks have seen this year was not predicted or anticipated at the beginning of the season. And yet, the town still holds its breath instead of praising its team. Vancouver's loyal fans are hesitant to celebrate any wins, or playoff spots, before the season is sealed. And even then, supporters seem prepared for disappointment. With a hurtful history on their side, fans are cautious in their optimism.
A season of rebuilding is bound to result in ups and downs and the Canucks still have a hard battle ahead of them. The Canucks may not be Conference champs of years previous but they have played most of the season sitting in a playoff spot – an improvement on last year for anyone comparing.
Will the Canucks' transitional season be considered successful if they make the playoffs? They'd be one step ahead of last year's regular season result – but is it enough? With words like 'new' and 'change' characterizing the year, do the Canucks deserve a gimmie this season? A season to adjust, to adapt and to improve? And if so, did they achieve what they had set out to do?
In an industry where vague answers and support for teammates gets thrown around all too easily, it will be hard to know how the Canucks think they have faired. Each season brings hope of hoisting the Stanley Cup over one's head so any season without the victory lap is one that can be better.
If the attitude of the fans is any indication, the Canucks are still working to earn their passing grade.
