The Vancouver Canucks have rebounded from their nine-game losing skid with three straight wins, which have moved the Canucks up to 25th in the league and dropped their lottery odds to 7.5%. 

While some may argue the late season surge is a reason for optimism ahead of next season, Canucks captain Henrik Sedin argued against that logic after the team’s 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings Monday night.

McKenzie: Fools gold to win this late in a season

Bob McKenzie says it really doesn’t amount to much to win this late in the season. Bob also suggests that with the Canucks picking anywhere from 1-8 they will get a very good defenceman.

“I think we have to be really careful to evaluate our team based on the last five, 10 games of the season,” Sedin told the National Post. “I’ve seen that mistake from other teams. You go into next year thinking you’ve got a good shot at it. We’ve got to remember we’re playing teams getting ready for the playoffs and I don’t see them putting their full, full effort into it.” 

Henrik Sedin sits second on the Canucks in points this season, behind only his brother Daniel. 

On the season, the Canucks are tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the league’s worst goal differential at minus-45.  Vancouver owns a 30-36-13 record with games remaining on the year. 

Sedin’s comments mirror the remarks made by Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock about his team in March.

“One of the things you have to be real careful of this time of the year when you’re a non-playoff team is overevaluating what you have,” Babcock said, via the Globe and Mail, March 20 following a win over the Buffalo Sabres. “Because the team playing against you some nights isn’t prepared to play. When you’re a really good team, teams prepare to play against you every night. We don’t want to overevaluate anybody.”

Both the Canucks and Maple Leafs have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.