Centers and right-handed defensemen are the two most valuable commodities to any NHL team.
Look at the rosters of the recent Stanley Cup champion teams and it’s clear that no team is making it through the slog that is the NHL playoffs without plenty of depth down the middle.
In this area, the Canucks seem to be well-prepared for the future as Elias Pettersson has slid seamlessly into the top-line centre role, allowing captain Bo Horvat to bounce down to the second line and give the Canucks the crucial 1-2 punch that they need.