After the Vancouver Canucks finished among the NHL’s bottom-three teams for the second consecutive season, many pundits and fans are expecting a painful rebuilding process in which they’re a few years away from making the playoffs.
The Canucks do play in the extremely difficult Pacific Division, which features the three California powerhouses plus the rising Edmonton Oilers (with Connor McDavid), and Calgary Flames.
But if you take a closer look at the division — especially the Canucks — you’ll notice that reaching the postseason isn’t that much of a pipe dream.
Pacific Division is getting weaker
Some of you may have overlooked this, but the three California teams aren’t going to be dominant much longer.