For the last 18 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 19th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer/fall. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

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Gone – Jake Virtanen, Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Kole Lind, Jayce Hawryluk, Jimmy Vesey, Travis Boyd, Alex Edler, Nate Schmidt, Braden Holtby

Incoming – Conor Garland, Jason Dickinson, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Nic Petan, Justin Dowling, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tucker Poolman, Brad Hunt, Luke Schenn, Brady Keeper, Jaroslav Halak

Impact of Changes – Whether it's a good idea or not, the Canucks are kicking problems like the salary cap and the prospect pipeline down the road in order to be more competitive today. By adding Garland, they've bolstered what might be the strength of their team, which is scoring. Now it appears they can spread out their scoring with a decent top nine. Even Ekman-Larsson, whose overall game has dropped off over the past two seasons, has been consistent offensively in scoring at or near a half-point per game for the past nine seasons.

The Schmidt didn't work out as hoped for either player or team, which is why he was quickly moved out for a third-round pick (which is what the Canucks paid to acquire Schmidt in the first place). With longtime Canuck Edler also moving out, there are some real question marks on defense. Although his contract is hardly desirable, Poolman fills a void on the right side of the defense and should be leaned upon heavily. Dickinson isn't a huge offensive talent, but the Canucks are hoping his acquisition will help with faceoffs and matchups against opponents' top lines.

Ready for Full Time – After two years in KHL following his draft season, Vasily Podkolzin is coming to North America. The captain of the Russian team at the last World Junior tournament, Podkolzin is an effective two-way player who appears to be penciled in to play on the third line. His offensive numbers in the KHL weren't great (11 points in 35 games in 2020-21), but that had a lot to do with a lack of deployment. Don't expect huge numbers to start, but he's a potential future bangers league option.

In his third AHL season, Jonah Gadjovich took a huge step forward by scoring 15 goals and 18 points in 19 games. It was believed that Seattle would take either Gadjovich or Lind from the Canucks, with the Kraken opting for Lind. Gadjovich has power forward size (6-2, 209 lbs.), but a lack of skating ability might keep him from making a meaningful NHL contribution. Expect him to be one of the first AHL callups, although he likely won't make the team out of camp.

Jack Rathbone had an effective eight-game cup of coffee at the end of the 2020-21 season, which would make you think he would be on the roster to start 2021-22. However, the Canucks brought in several potential bottom-pair d-men as free agents, and the fact that Rathbone won't need to clear waivers could factor into him starting the season in the AHL. His long-term future with the Canucks is very bright, as he should be a fixture on the defense and has at least leapfrogged Olli Juolevi in terms of upside.     

Fantasy Outlook: Elias Pettersson got off to a slow start (1 PT in first 6 GP) but then found his game before a day-to-day wrist injury became season-ending. At the time of writing, he remains unsigned. Brock Boeser was the one Canuck who appeared to meet expectations, leading the team in goals (23) and points (49). His shooting percentage (16.3%) appeared to be a bit high, but having Pettersson back for a full season should make up for it. J.T. Miller should be the third option on this line on the wing, even though rumors have circulated that he will move down the lineup to center the third line (Dickinson should center that line).

Captain Bo Horvat is a safe option who has produced at a 55-65-point pace over the last four seasons. Nils Hoglander finished seventh in rookie scoring (27 PTS in 56 GP) and will look to take another step forward. With a new contract in his pocket, Tanner Pearson will be firmly entrenched in the middle six.

Quinn Hughes didn't necessarily struggle offensively, but his team-worst minus-23 is a reflection on how he struggled with his overall game. Like Pettersson he is unsigned, so keep an eye on his contract situation. Ekman-Larsson should help the second-unit power play, and given his contract should be counted on for at least as many minutes as he saw in Arizona. Tyler Myers should also compete for second-unit power-play minutes and can show occasional flashes of offensive brilliance.

Thatcher Demko cemented himself as the starter at about the midway point of last season. Although he is worth drafting in most fantasy formats, don't expect him to have an easy time, as the Canucks defense could be one of the worst in the league. Halak has been brought in simply to be the backup, so you probably shouldn't have to worry about a timeshare here.

Fantasy Grade: B+ (last year was also a B+)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.