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The Paper Feature: What has changed for Loui Eriksson?

The Canucks’ $6-million man looks better, stronger, faster.
Loui Eriksson at the Canucks media day

The Paper Feature is a weekly column and sidebars that appears in the Vancouver Courier newspaper. Track it down!


Over the last several seasons, Loui Eriksson went from underrated to overrated, then back to underrated again. It’s unfortunate that the Canucks signed him to a six-year, $36 million contract in that brief window of time in which he was overrated.

For years, Eriksson kept under the radar, but was quietly one of the best two-way wingers in hockey, consistently scoring 20+ goals. Then, in a contract year with the Boston Bruins, he had a 30-goal season, entering free agency as one of the most highly-sought forwards on the market.

Eriksson was no longer under the radar, but was flying so high that he was bound to come back to earth.

Instead, he crashed. Hard. Eriksson’s first season in Vancouver was a disaster, tallying just 11 goals and 24 points, his lowest point total since his rookie season. But even while his point totals suffered, his defensive game and puck possession remained strong. He was back to being underrated.

One of the big reasons Eriksson was brought in to Vancouver was his past chemistry with the Sedins, having played with them on Team Sweden at the Olympics and World Championships. But when Eriksson failed to score a goal in the first 13 games of the season and injuries struck, Eriksson was split from the Sedins.

This season, however, Eriksson has excelled since being reunited with the Sedins. Heading into Tuesday’s tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes, Eriksson had 10 points in his last 10 games, and he’s once again on-pace for 20+ goals and 50+ points.

So what’s the difference? Why is Eriksson putting up points with the Sedins this season when he struggled to do so last season?

First of all, Eriksson and the Sedins weren’t that bad last season. “It felt like we had some good chances,” said Eriksson, “but were not able to score goals and produce. It was just a tough start and it felt like I had to work uphill the whole season after that.”

The statistics bear that out. When Eriksson played with the Sedins last season, they controlled over 53% of the shot attempts at 5-on-5, which is fantastic puck possession. They just couldn’t put the puck in the net.

This season is similar: when Eriksson is with the Sedins, they control over 54% of the shot attempts at 5-on-5. There is one key difference: more of their shots are coming from dangerous areas on the ice.

According to hockey statistics site Natural Stat Trick, Eriksson averaged 5.06 scoring chances per hour with the Sedins at 5-on-5 last season. This season, he’s averaging 12.76 scoring chances per hour with the Sedins, more than twice as many. Is it any wonder the puck is going in a little more often?

Paper Feature - Loui Eriksson heat map from Natural Stat Trick

If you look at a heat map of shot attempts when Eriksson is on the ice this season, as provided by HockeyViz.com, it becomes clear. Where too many shots came from the outside last season, this season Eriksson is getting the puck into the slot and to the front of the net with far more consistency.

If Eriksson can continue to take the puck to those dangerous areas on the ice, he may find a balance between underrated and overrated, and end up, for the first time in his career, simply rated.

Stick-taps and Glove-drops

The Canucks deserve a stick-tap for the excellent pre-game ceremony last Saturday night for Daniel Sedin’s 1000th career point. From Markus Naslund narrating the video to Derek Dorsett delivering the silver puck, the entire thing was perfectly handled.

I’m dropping the gloves with Edmonton Oilers beat reporters, who rallied around Kris Russell after he scored an own goal to hand the Toronto Maple Leafs a win. Considering the way they torch talented players like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and now even Connor McDavid for lesser mistakes, it seems awfully hypocritical.

Big Numbers

238 - Before Jacob Markstrom finally recorded his first career shutout in the NHL, he nearly set a shutout record in another league. Back in 2014 with the Utica Comets, he nearly broke Barry Brust’s AHL shutout streak by going just over 238 minutes without allowing a goal.

13 - In a recent game in the OHL, Canucks prospect Jonah Gadjovich tallied an impressive 13 shots on goal. Gadjovich is second behind Owen Tippett in shots per game and currently has 14 goals and 25 points in 20 games.