The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their preseason campaign with a modest record, underscoring the limitations of evaluating a team’s full potential from exhibition play. After finishing with just one win in four games, the results highlight the challenges of projecting long-term performance based on preseason matchups. Analysts and fans alike will likely focus on how the team’s early struggles translate—or fail to—as the regular season approaches. For hockey observers, the preseason serves as a teaser rather than a definitive statement on the Canucks’ trajectory.

The Vancouver Canucks have finished their preseason, and thankfully we can stop pretending those games tell us everything we need to know about this hockey club. The Canucks went 1-3,…