Three years removed from a Game Seven loss on home ice in the Stanley Cup Final, the Vancouver Canucks missed the playoffs entirely in the 2013-14 season.
Now, they seem to be in somewhat of a confusing rebuilding process after trading away goaltender Roberto Luongo at last year's trade deadline and dealing star forward Ryan Kesler to the division rival Anaheim Ducks this past offseason.
In a tough division, what chance does Vancouver have to make any noise this season? Let's take a look at what to expect from the Canucks.
Offense
Before the NHL Entry Draft, Vancouver shipped away Ryan Kesler, a fan-favorite and bona-fide offensive star in the NHL. The subtraction of him from the Canucks roster, however, may not hurt as much as some think it will.
Last year, Kesler was not extremely effective. He only scored 25 goals with 18 assists, and put up a brutal minus-15 rating. Radim Vrbata, on the other hand, had 20 goals and 31 assists last season with the Coyotes. He was signed by the Canucks this offseason and may not only fill the void left by Kesler; he could be an upgrade.
Also, Vancouver acquired Nick Bonino from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Kesler. He had 22 goals and 27 assists last season, with a plus-six rating.
It doesn't end there. In the Kesler trade, Vancouver also acquired the 24th-overall pick in the draft from Anaheim: a pick that turned into center Jared McCann. While McCann probably will not play in the NHL this season, he should be a fantastic piece in the future for the Canucks offense as he was projected by some to be a top-ten pick.
A concern for the Canucks will be the age and health of two franchise cornerstones: Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. The twins have been among the best performers in the NHL in the past decade, but both significantly dropped off in production last season.
It could have been a fluke, but it also could be a sign that the Sedins are aging and are no longer the players they used to be.
On the bright side, the youth is beginning to come through for the Canucks. 21-year-old Nicklas Jensen was a pleasant surprise last season, puck-possession-minded 23-year-old Linden Vey showed some promise last season as a Log Angeles King and top draft choice Jake Virtanen could potentially crack the roster.
Vancouver was the third-worst offensive team in hockey last year, but they should put the puck in the net a little more often in 2014-15.
Defense
Vancouver's defense was solid last season, allowing the seventh-least amount of shots last season. Power play quarterback and offensive defenseman Jason Garrison decided to pack his bags for Tampa this offseason, but he was replaced in the lineup by Luca Sbisa.
Sbisa was acquired in the Kesler deal and while he has struggled with health issues lately, he can be a produtcive defenseman.
Returning to the Vancouver blue line are Alexander Edler and Kevin Bieksa, who will make up the top pairing. Veteran Dan Hamhuis will also suit up in blue and green for another year to round out the top four.
Goaltending
After Roberto Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers, it looked as if Eddie Lack and the newly-acquired Jacob Markstrom would battle for the starting job for years to come.
Then came this offseason and the Canucks signed a face who was familiar to success in Vancouver in Ryan Miller. The former member of the Buffalo Sabres and, more recently, St. Louis Blues was unbelievable as Team USA's goaltender in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The Canucks are hoping he can capture a bit of his old self.
The battle between Lack and Markstrom for the team's backup goalie will be very interesting to keep an eye on, as both are borderline capable of being NHL starters.
Special Teams
The Canucks were the fifth-worst team in the NHL with the man advantage last season, but don't expect the power play to get any better this year.
Garrison was a legitimate power play quarterback and will be missed greatly whenever an opposing player trots to the sin bin, and Kesler was easily the team's top performer with the man advantage.
The addition of Vrbata will certainly help on the power play, but one player cannot make up for two. Expect Vancouver to have one of the worst power play units in hockey this year.
The penalty kill is a different story, as Vancouver was the ninth-most efficient team playing shorthanded last season. This was very important, as the Canucks were the third-most penalized team in hockey last season.
Expect the power play to be weak, but the penalty kill to be strong again this season.
Coaching
Willie Desjardins was hired as John Tortorella's replacement behind the bench in Vancouver. The Tortorella experiment did not work out in Vancouver, and he was promptly fired at the conclusion of the season.
Not much is known about how Desjardins will coach the team as this is his first job as a coach in the NHL, but he will likely not stress shot-blocking and defensive play as much as Tortorella did. Because of this, you can expect the Canucks to score more often this season but possibly allow more shots and, therefore, goals.
Season Outlook
In conclusion, the Canucks very well may have won the Ryan Kesler trade and could benefit from what they got in return. However, expecting Vancouver to make the playoffs this season may be a bit of a stretch due to the competition in the Western Conference.
Assuming there will be five playoff teams coming out of the uber-talented Central Division, Vancouver will need to crack the top three in the Pacific Division. This means that they will need to finish with a better record than either the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks or San Jose Sharks.
Not a likely scenario.
Nonetheless, the Canucks may find a way to be a big surprise and sneak into a wild card spot.
Only one this is for certain in Vancouver this season: the Canucks will be an unpredictable team, but one of the most interesting to follow throughout the 2014-15 NHL season.
Predicted Record: 38-31-13 (89 points)