The NHL first began recording shots on goal on a team basis in the 1959-60 season, back in the Original Six era.
In the past 66 years, no NHL team has averaged fewer than 20 shots per game over a full season. In fact, the record is a woeful 23.1 shots per game, set by the hapless 1974-75 Washington Capitals, the consensus worst team in NHL history.
The Vancouver Canucks are currently averaging 19.8 shots per game.
The Canucks’ average has sunk so low thanks to firing fewer than 20 shots in each of the last five games of their 10-game losing streak.
Their worst game was against the Detroit Red Wings, where they went over 39 minutes without a shot on goal and ended the game with a paltry 13 shots.
Last game against the Minnesota Wild, they came out hot with ten shots in the first period — still only on pace for 30 shots in the game, which would be right around league average most years — but managed just eight shots in the final 40 minutes to finish with 18 shots.
“It’s related to that lack of consistency in our effort,” said head coach Manny Malhotra about the lack of shots. “When we were direct in the first period, and we were applying pressure in the O-zone, obviously you create looks. Number one, you’re able to get pucks back to be able to shoot the puck. When you come off of those things, and you’re not applying the same pressure, you don’t get the same looks.”
Now the Canucks are on pace for one of the most ignominious NHL records of all time.
Here’s the thing: even before those last five games, the Canucks were in trouble. Their season high for shots so far is 26, which is still below the league average of 27.2.
Without the last five games, the Canucks were still averaging 21.1 shots per game, well below the NHL record set by the 1974-75 Capitals.
Malhotra drew a distinction during training camp between losing hockey games and playing losing hockey. This is starting to look a lot like losing hockey.
Everyone expected the Canucks to be bad this season — it’s in the Canucks’ best interests long-term to tank for a top draft pick — but they don’t have to be this bad.
It’s a team-wide problem. Even the players who are shooting the puck are not shooting it at their usual rates.
Jake DeBrusk leads the Canucks with 23 shots on goal, but his average of 7.85 shots per hour is well below his career average, even if that also leads the team this year. Last season, he averaged 9.62 shots per hour.
Elias Pettersson seems like he’s shooting the puck more, but he only has 18 shots through 13 games, and his rate of 4.24 shots per hour is the lowest of his career by a wide margin.
Brock Boeser has just 16 shots this season and is averaging a 4.01 shots per hour, the lowest of his career by over two shots per hour, and miles away from his career high of 9.9 shots per hour from his rookie season.
The Canucks are also getting very few shots from their defence.
The other Elias Pettersson leads the Canucks defence with 13 shots. Filip Hronek has 12 and is averaging 2.17 shots per game, easily the lowest rate of his career.
The one positive story might be Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who is getting the puck to the net far more frequently than he did last season. He’s averaging 6.12 shots per hour through 13 games, which is much better than his 3.95 shots per hour from 13 games last year.