The World Cup of Hockey is just around the corner, with the start date set for the 17th of September. The much maligned tournament is, supposedly, a best-on-best tournament, but has lost some credibility due to sketchy decisions, such as the inclusion of Team Europe and Team North America (23-and-under). That said, no matter one’s personal thoughts on the World Cup, it could play a big role in how the Vancouver Canucks 2016-17 campaign plays out.
There are a lot of players with a lot to prove for the Canucks this season, and for some, it may start with the World Cup. The most prominent examples of the importance of this tournament for the Canucks are Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Loui Eriksson, Jacob Markstrom, and, most of all, Luca Sbisa.
The Sedins and Loui Eriksson
Over on Team Sweden, the Sedin twins, along with the newly acquired Eriksson, will almost certainly form a trio together. The three of them have experience together, specifically, at the 2013 World Championships where Sweden took home the gold. Over the course of that tournament, each player scored at an at least point-per-game clip, with Henrik going well over that (nine points in four games).
Will this chemistry exist by the time opening night of the NHL season rolls around? Who knows, but the World Cup will be a great opportunity for what is expected to be the Canucks first line to get going early. Should they even come close to replicating their World Championships performance at the World Cup, they’ll have momentum in their favor heading into the 2016-17 campaign.
The tournament could be instrumental in helping the three Swedes get off to a productive start at the NHL level, thus benefiting the club in a big way.
Jacob Markstrom
Further down the Swedish roster, you’ll find backup (or perhaps 1B) goaltender Markstrom. While Markstrom is unlikely to play any sort of significant role for Team Sweden, playing backup to New York Rangers stalwart Henrik Lundqvist, it is valuable experience to even be surrounded by the environment of the World Cup.
The 26-year-old ex-Florida Panther could gain invaluable knowledge from being surrounded by some of the best in the game. For Markstrom, it’s about the experience, not necessarily the playing time (which he’s likely to not get much of). In any case, it won’t hurt Markstrom, and could prove to be a point of maturity for the young netminder.
Luca Sbisa
Finally, we have Sbisa, a Swiss defenceman playing as a member of Team Europe, who has the most to prove of any player mentioned so far, and arguably any player on the Canucks roster period.
Sbisa, a polarizing figure in the Vancouver market, has yet to live up to the expectations placed upon him by management. Projected as a future top-four defenceman upon his acquisition, Sbisa has been the butt of much criticism due to his often ill-timed turnovers and questionable decisions with the puck (not helped by a three-year contract at $3.6 million per season signed in 2015).
It’s very possible that Sbisa may not even start on the NHL roster, due to the rise of rookie Nikita Tryamkin and the signing of puck mover Philip Larsen. His name has also been a popular one in trade discussions among analysts and fans, making it seem like his tenure in Vancouver may be on its last legs.
A strong showing at the World Cup could mean two things for Sbisa: He’ll win back his spot on the roster and start the season with some positive momentum, or his trade value will increase, allowing him to bring back something of value to the Canucks. The World Cup of Hockey will mean a lot of different things to different players, but for Sbisa, it could make or break his legacy with the Canucks.
For many, the World Cup may not be a huge draw and overshadowed by NHL training camp and preseason hockey. For Canucks fans however, there are a few reasons to pay attention regarding their NHL club. The result of the tournament overall remains to be seen, but as it relates to the Canucks, it could be significant.
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