Optimism for an upcoming hockey season is hardly a new phenomenon when the calendar flips to September but there’s a different buzz in the air for the Vancouver Canucks this year.



There’s excitement for the full-time arrival of Quinn Hughes, the further development from the team’s young core and the expected impact of their marquee offseason additions. The Canucks have expressed their belief that they’re ready to turn a corner in the rebuild. It’s a refreshing time to be a fan as the city unites behind a universal hope of winning games in the here and now.



But with all that hope and optimism comes heightened expectations, particularly given the chips that were pushed in to improve the roster. Vancouver drastically bolstered their supporting cast but it came at the cost of a future first-round pick to complete the J.T. Miller trade and a five-year deal for Tyler Myers which will likely hurt them in the last couple years of the contract.