from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

Dare to dream, Tank Nation, dare to dream.

Still, as much as that draft pick offers an enticing proposition for the faithful, it's unlikely that player will make a significant impact next season. That raises the question, "what will these Canucks look like in 2016-17" and that's why the last five weeks of this season are so important.

Put it this way: Friday, they'll host a town hall meeting with their season-ticket holders but their most effective renewal campaign might take place between now and Apr. 9.

Thursday night, the Canucks again offered some evidence that the road back to respectability might not be as long or as circuitous as it's sometimes seemed this season. As was the case in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Islanders, they were led by the kids. Jake Virtanen was their best forward for the second straight night. Sven Baertschi scored his 13th goal of the season. Ben Hutton played 26 minutes on the blueline.

As for what that portends next season, who knows? The Canucks' will still be young enough to qualify for day-care subsidies. They'll struggle to score goals and the blueline remains a massive source of concern.

But there's also something intriguing about the group that will be taken into next season.

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