Vancouver Canucks

Canucks admit they don't play aggressively in OT

Published Dec. 22, 2015 10:46 a.m. ET

foxsports

The NHL's switch to 3-on-3 overtime this season prompted many teams to adopt new strategies when it comes to the overtime period, and the Vancouver Canucks revealed their secret overtime plan to reporters recently. Daniel Sedin told the media that the team actually does not play to win.

That's right. The Canucks instead try to play tight defense in the overtime frame and then attempt to win in a shootout, which seems totally counterproductive to the NHL's idea to use 3-on-3 overtime as a way to avoid shootouts.

Via the Vancouver Province:

"The way we play in OT, we started talking to each other, saying let’s just play these tight defensively and we’ll take our chances in the shootout," Sedin told the Province. “Our thought is, play it like a PK. When you start skating around that gets tiring. Now, we’re standing still and just trying to defend the slot. It’s not pretty, but that’s the way we have to play."

That plan has not been successful this season. The Canucks have gone to overtime 11 times this season and made it to a shootout in four of those 11 attempts. The team lost all seven times the game was decided in overtime and has two shootout losses.

Vancouver has just two shootout wins so far this season. Perhaps it's time for a new strategy.

Get more from Vancouver Canucks Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Vancouver Canucks

National Hockey League

Canucks admit they don't play aggressively in OT

2024 NHL Stanley Cup odds: Hurricanes, Oilers top odds to win NHL Finals