NHL season preview: Vancouver Canucks

This is part of our series of season previews for the seven Canadian-based NHL teams. We've also covered Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg,Calgary,Ottawaand Toronto.

Vancouver Canucks

2015-16 record: 31-38-13 (75 points), 6th out of 7in Pacific Division, missed playoffs.

Key off-season additions: F Loui Eriksson, D Erik Gudbranson, D Olli Juolevi, F Anton Rodin, D Philip Larsen.

Key off-season subtractions: D Dan Hamhuis, F Radim Vrbata, F Jared McCann, D Yannick Weber, D Matt Bartkowski, F Linden Vey, F Chris Higgins, F Brandon Prust.

Probability of winning the Cup*: 1.4%

Probability of making the playoffs** 31.6%

*derived from betting odds posted by Pinnacle

**derived from betting odds posted by Bodog

Last season's story

You want your team to be one of two things (ideally, both): good or young. Toronto, Buffalo and Edmonton have shown that fans will put up with losing seasons if they think their team is building toward something. What you don't want to be is the 2015-16 Vancouver Canucks, who limped to the third-worst record in the league and tied for the fifth-oldest roster when adjusted for ice time, per hockey-reference.com. The Sedin twins, who have since turned 36, led the way in scoring once again, but Daniel managed only 61 points, Henrik had 55, and no one else reached higher than 40 as several key supporting players missed significant time with injuries. The Canucks were a bad possession team that gave up 31.1 shots per 60 minutes third-most in the league and highly paid goalie Ryan Miller wasn't able to bail them out.

The off-season

The Canucks are in a tough spot because, while the Sedins would draw interest from contending teams, they must be moved as a package due to their no-trade clauses and refusal to play apart. That means someone would have to be willing to take a $14-million cap hit both this year and next, when the Sedins' matching deals expire, for the privilege ofacquiringa pair of players in the twilight of their careers. Canucks GM Jim Benning signaled he wanted to put off rebuilding and take one last shot with his aging stars by inking 31-year-old winger Loui Eriksson to a six-year, $36-million deal. A 30-goal scorer last year with Boston, Eriksson should round out a formidable top line with the Sedins, but the rest of the forward roster looks thin, and No. 5 overall draft pick OlliJuoleviisn't ready to help the defence yet after being returned to juniors for more seasoning.

Dream scenario

Energized by the addition of Eriksson, the Sedins turn back the clock and produce a vintage season with a healthier set of teammates; former Vezina winner Miller does the same; the bottom nine forwards somehow hold their own; Vancouver fans are treated to a valiant playoff push as the franchise's top two all-time leading scorersmake their last stand.

Nightmare scenario

Eriksson fails to click with the Sedins, who lose their battle with undefeated Father Time, rendering them even more untradeable; the rest of the forwards get overrun when the twins are on the bench; Miller doesn't play well enough to attract trade offers from contenders willing to add an expiring contract; the Canucks miss the playoffs by a wide margin again and another year is wasted in limbo as the inevitable rebuild looms