Canucks Next Game: Time to get Kraken to keep playoff dream alive

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Faint though their post-season hopes may be, Vancouver will be counting on stars like franchise record-minded Quinn Hughes to knock off Jared McCann and neighboring Seattle

Kraken leading scorer Jared McCann was a promising rookie with the Canucks, a first-round draft pick in 2014 who has since gone on to play for three more teams.
Kraken leading scorer Jared McCann was a promising rookie with the Canucks, a first-round draft pick in 2014 who has since gone on to play for three more teams. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Imagesfiles

SEATTLE KRAKEN

(26-46-6), 8th in Pacific Division

at VANCOUVER CANUCKS

(38-30-11), 5th in Pacific Division

tuesday7 p.m., Rogers Arena.

TV: Sportsnet. Radio: Sportsnet 650.

WHY WATCH

Can Hughes make point of eclipsing long-standing record?

Quinn Hughes sets performance standards, but the fleet-footed, laser-like passing Canucks defenseman doesn’t make them public. To him, improving his overall game to rocket from a minus-24 rating last season to plus-7 was Job 1. With that diligence came confidence and transition to pass the franchise record for assists in a season by a club defender (55) and take aim at the points plateau (63) set by Doug Lidster in 1986-87. Hughes can eclipse the mark Tuesday and it will mean everything to the 22-year-old puck magician if it keeps the Canucks’ playoff hopes afloat.

LEADER POINTS

KRAKENE

1. Jared McCann GP 70 W 26 A 21 PTS 47 (-26)

2. Yanni Gourde GP 70 W 20 A 26 PTS 46 (-12)

3. Jordan Eberle GP 76 W 19 A 22 PTS 41 (+21)

CANUCKS

1. JT Miller GP 77 W 30 A 66 PTS 96 (+12)

2. Elias Pettersson GP 77 G 32 A 34 PTS 66 (E)

3. Quinn Hughes GP 73 W 7 A 56 PTS 63 (+7)

SPECIAL TEAMS

KRAKENE: PP 14.6% (29th) PK 74.5% (29th)

CANUCKS: PP 23.3% (9th) PK 73.9% (32nd)

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE KRAKEN

• McCann gets stability: Jared McCann, 25, signed a five-year, US $25-million contract extension on March 8. Is the Kraken’s leading scorer the one that got away? The Canucks’ first-round pick in 2014 (24th overall), he scored five goals in his first nine rookie games, but 14- and 25-game scoreless streaks led to him being dealt to Florida. He’s now with his fourth club from him.

• Having their moment: Expansion teams never have it easy, unless teams take them lightly and they slay a dragon. The Kraken scored three goals in the first period Wednesday to stun the league-leading Avalanche 3-2 for the club’s first three-game win streak.

• Eberle cuts to chase: The Kraken were going to take their lumps, but it’s how they take them, according to veteran Jordan Eberle. “You have to lose games first in order to learn how to win,” said the winger. “Once you start winning, losing in terrible fashion hurts that much more.”

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