News Canucks Team Notes

Canucks games will cost more to watch next season thanks to Sportsnet+ price hike

Vancouver Canucks fans will continue to be able to watch their team every night, but they will pay a little more to stream the games next season.

On Thursday, Rogers Sportsnet announced a price increase for its Sportsnet+ stream service, significantly raising the prices for the 2025-26 season.

The price of the standard subscription, which takes effect on September 9, increases from $199.99 annually to $249.99. The premium subscription, which is crucial for fans who don’t live in the markets of their favourite teams, patriculary the Canucks, rises from $249.99 to $324.99 for the year.

Fans can still opt for monthly plans; the standard subscription costs $29.99 per month, with a premium plan priced at $42.99 per month. The premium plan costs monthly subscribers an additional $13.00 per month for the year.

This isn’t the first time the telecom has upped its prices this year. In January, the regular subscription price increased from $179.99 to $199.99. If you’re doing the math, Sportsnet+ subscribers have seen their plans rise 40% in a single year, with an extra $70 coming out of consumers’ pockets.

With the price hike, fans hope that it will mean a better quality stream experience, as one of the major criticisms of the streaming service is its unreliability. Many experienced issues with keeping an eye on Canucks games throughout the season, as frequent errors popped up that said the games were not available.

Hey @sportsnet, what the heck is going on with the Canucks/Flyers game? pic.twitter.com/C0Q7uFN41y

— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis) October 12, 2024

Along with poor quality streams, trying to find games on demand has been nearly impossible, as many Canucks games are no longer available for viewing past a certain date.

Sportsnet+, originally known as Sportsnet Now, was introduced in 2014, at the same time Sportsnet started having exclusive rights to NHL games in Canada. The prices have fluctuated over its history, going from $24.99 a month to $19.99 a month, and back up again to include the WWE Network a couple of years ago.

In today’s age of cord-cutting, where everyone is trying to save a dollar to watch their favourite teams, the prices are getting to the point where people wonder if it’s worth paying the high amount.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancou...watch-next-season-thanks-sportsnet-price-hike
 
What cheaper, compromise options are still available in the Canucks’ search for centre depth?

Yesterday, we wrote about the relatively small handful of true, blue top-six centres still available on the trade market. With GM Patrik Allvin and Co. of the Vancouver Canucks said to be on the summer-long lookout for additional centre depth, it’s a reasonable thing to be thinking about.

But if we’re talking in terms of realism, we have to admit that none of the players who made that list are particularly realistic options at this point in the offseason. Really, any genuine top-six centre – particularly in this centre-starved economy – is going to cost either cap space or trade capital far over and above what the Canucks have available, and probably both.

Maybe Allvin still has a rabbit or two up his sleeve, and will be able to work his magic on a transaction of unforeseen magnitude.

If not, however, it’s probably off to the bargain bin. Which, it should be noted, is not unfamiliar territory for this Canucks’ front office. The player who filled that 2C role for the latter portion of the 2024/25 season – and even the 1C role for a minute or two – was Pius Suter, signed in the late summer of 2023 to a two-year, $1.6 million AAV contract. In the end, Suter returned close to quadruple the value of that salary.

So, it is definitely possible for the Canucks to go discount shopping for centres and still wind up with a win. Is it likely? Maybe not, but there are certainly some intriguing options on the block at the same time, and we’ve collected a number of them for you to consider below.

The Buy-Low Bargain Bin Options

Evan Rodrigues
31, 5’11”, 182lb, $3 million AAV until 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/258215173257.1%

Rodrigues has already been identified as the player most likely to be traded in order to get the Florida Panthers under the cap. If so, he’s a name well worth looking into. Able to play all three forward positions, including centre, Rodrigues is probably best described as a very good bottom-six player. That said, he’s scored as many as 19 goals and 43 points in a single season and, perhaps more importantly, has notched 30 points in his last 45 playoff games.

In other words, Rodrigues is a player who can make a big-time impact without bringing a big-time salary. One could imagine him providing adequate coverage at centre for Filip Chytil’s likely injuries, and flipping back over to the wing when necessary. He’s also a player who has some history with Allvin and Jim Rutherford during his time in Pittsburgh.

The Panthers would be looking to dump Rodrigues for picks and prospects, and would hope to take back no salary in the transaction. This would necessitate the Canucks trading a winger elsewhere, but that’s easy enough to accomplish. The real question is how high of a draft pick the Panthers are asking for. The bidding could definitely get as high as a second-rounder, but the Canucks would hope that Florida’s somewhat immediate need to cut cap might drive the price a smidgen lower.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi
25, 6’3”, 203lb, $4.82 million AAV until 2030
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/257812213358.1%

We’ve heard tell of the Canucks being interested in Kotkaniemi before, and we imagine that hasn’t changed much, given their current search for a centre.

The Hurricanes certainly have the forward depth to give him up. But one issue at play here is that Carolina missed out on Mitch Marner in free agency, which has left them with a boatload of cap space. In other words, they don’t really need to cut cap, and so they don’t really need to part ways with anyone, including Kotkaniemi.

If, mid-season, the Hurricanes decide to make improvements and want to clear space at that point, then maybe Kotkaniemi hits the trade block again. For now, however, we imagine they’re hanging onto him.

Ross Colton, Colorado Avalanche
28, 6’0”, 194lb, $4 million AAV until 2027 (12-team NTC)
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/256116132953.6%

Colton is a particularly interesting option, in that he reportedly strongly prefers the centre position, and has chafed at having to play the wing so often in Colorado. With Colorado fairly close to the cap ceiling, there is a chance that they look to swap Colton out for someone who fits their lineup a little better, and that’s where the Canucks could step in.

He has been a fairly consistent 30-point scorer since joining the NHL, and has put up as many as 40 in a season. At this age, it’s probably too late to expect a breakout, but it’s worth noting that Colton has played far down the depth chart of some pretty good hockey teams. Maybe with more opportunity in the top six, more production could be possible?

To acquire Colton, the Canucks would probably need to be willing to give up a particularly versatile winger, like a Drew O’Connor or a Nils Höglander. Is that worth their while? That depends largely on what they think of Colton’s potential to produce more.

Barret Hayton, Utah Mammoth
25, 6’1”, 200lb, $2.65 million AAV until 2026
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/258220264657.7%

It’s easy to see how Hayton might be getting lost in the shuffle as the Utah Mammoth build up their roster. Technically, he’s slotted in as their 2C for the 2025/26 season, but that could change as younger forwards look to usurp his role. Hayton’s production has grown a little stagnant over his past three seasons, stuck somewhere in that 40-point range, and perhaps we’re approaching ‘change of scenery’ territory.

The Mammoth wouldn’t be looking to sell Hayton off for draft picks or cap space, as they’ve got plenty of each. Instead, they’d probably be looking to add some scoring depth to their wings. A Hayton-for-Höglander trade might make a lot of sense, though the Canucks would have to be comfortable knowing they’re dealing skill-for-position, essentially.

Cole Sillinger, Columbus Blue Jackets
22, 6’2”, 203lb, $2.25 million AAV until 2026
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/256611223345.3%

Another player soon to be lost in the organizational shuffle is Sillinger, who we wrote about earlier in the offseason.

The son of a former Canuck, Mike Sillinger, Cole was drafted with high potential but has struggled to realize it at the NHL level. Now, he runs the risk of being pushed further down the Columbus depth chart by a blend of new acquisitions and younger prospects making the climb.

With his reasonable salary, there’s no direct impetus for the Blue Jackets to sell Sillinger. But if they foresee his minutes falling in the upcoming season, maybe they look to sell as high as they can.

Like with Hayton, we’d imagine the Blue Jackets are looking for more established NHL talent in any swap, and that’s probably, again, a winger-for-centre type trade. With Sillinger still only 22, however, expect the cost to be slightly higher, as is often the case when paying for potential.

Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings
25, 6’6”, 220lb, $3.2 million AAV until 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/257711102146.0%

Another local product, and a sizeable one at that. Rasmussen’s physical dimensions get the most attention, and that’s a large part of why he was drafted ninth overall back in 2017. But there had to be some genuine skill in there, too, at least at one point.

Rasmussen hasn’t really broken out yet at the NHL level, with a career high of just 33 points. But he’s mostly played bottom-six minutes for bad teams in Detroit, and is only 25 years old, so perhaps there’s a breakout yet to be had. Obtaining bigger minutes in his hometown seems like it might be a good way to affect said breakout.

For the Red Wings’ part, they’d be looking to move Rasmussen to clear space for younger centres, like Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson. In that scenario, Detroit is probably looking for a draft pick-based return, which would necessitate the Canucks dumping some salary elsewhere.

The Still-Lingering UFA Crowd


Of course, the UFA route remains open…if largely unpopulated.

Jack Roslovic, UFA
28, 6’1”, 198lb
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/258122173957.9%

Roslovic is easily the most productive UFA left on the market, but the issue is that he puts up the majority of his points on the wing, not at centre. Sure, he can play the position, but perhaps not well enough to move the needle for any contender, or even a would-be contender.

We know the Canucks have been interested in Roslovic in the past. But the fact that they looked into so many other UFA targets first – including Christian Dvorak – leads us to believe they’ve already decided Roslovic is no longer the solution they are looking for. The last thing they need at this point is another winger.

Robby Fabbri, UFA
29, 5’11”, 185lb
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/2544881642.1%

Fabbri also falls into the same Roslovic camp as a better winger than a centre, though he has a touch more experience down the middle.

Unfortunately, Fabbri has suffered a preposterous amount of injuries in his career. But he’s typically hovered above a 0.5 PPG rate through most of his playing time, which is better than can be said for many of the names on this list. However, it should be noted that last season’s 16 points in 44 games was one of Fabbri’s worst results.

In the end, he’s probably not a better option than what the Canucks already have on hand internally, and not really worth anything more than a possible PTO.

Joe Veleno, UFA
25, 6’1”, 201lb
GamesGoalsAssistsPointsCorsi
2024/2574891745.0%

Speaking of PTOs…

Veleno was traded to and then bought out by the Seattle Kraken, and has yet to find a new home.

Unlike Roslovic and Fabbri, Veleno is a true centre and was once considered a centre with top-six potential, at that. So far, however, he’s topped out at 28 points in a season and has largely been unable to translate his offensive skill to any higher level than the AHL.

If the Canucks still see some potential left in Veleno at age 25, he might make an interesting camp invite. In a worst-case scenario, he’s someone who could provide veteran depth in Abbotsford, a la Sammy Blais.

But hanging any real hopes on him is probably a bridge too far.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/what-c...ailable-vancouver-canucks-search-centre-depth
 
5 takeaways from the Abbotsford Canucks’ 2025-2026 schedule

Earlier this week, the Abbotsford Canucks dropped their 2025-2026 schedule.

The AHL schedule is a little different from the NHL’s version. Most of the time, American League teams will always play back-to-backs to cut the time and expenses of their road trips. They also play a shorter 72-game schedule rather than the 82-game NHL season.

While all the players and fans will never forget the Championship 2024-2025 season, it’s time to put that in the rearview mirror and focus on 2025-2026.

Here are five takeaways from the Abby Canucks’ schedule release:

1. Delayed banner raising night

The rafters in the Abbotsford Centre will have to wait a bit longer until the 2024-2025 Calder Cup Championship banner is raised.

Not only do the Canucks kick off their season on the road against the Henderson Silver Knights (October 10 & 11), but the following weekend they take on the Laval Rocket in Quebec (October 17 & 18). The Canucks must wait until October 24 to celebrate their Championship one last time when they raise the banner for their home opener against the Ontario Reign.

That’s three weeks into the season that the Canucks have to wait to play in front of their home fans off the back of the first Championship in Canucks history – a little disappointing for the fans.

2. On the road in November

Abbotsford starts November with a two-game homestand against the Silver Knights on the 1st and 2nd. But other than that, they play just two more home games in the entire month.

The Canucks travel to Colorado to face the Eagles on the 7th and 8th, before returning home for a quick two-game home stand against the San Jose Barraduca on the 11th and 12th. Abbotsford is then on the road the rest of the month. First, they travel to San Diego for a game on the 15th, then a quick turnaround to Coachella on the 16th. Then, it’s back-to-backs in San Jose on the 21st and 22nd, before rounding out their road trip in Tucson on the 28th and 29th.

That six-game road trip is the longest of their season, one that will span over two weeks. The club likely travels home in between games, but that is a long stretch without a home game in the American League.

3. Busy January

While November may be tough with all the travel, January is their busiest month.

The Canucks will play 15 games in 30 days, with their most difficult stretch having to play seven games in 11 days to round out the month.

They play Henderson in a standalone game on the 2nd, before a four-game home stand from the 6th to the 11th. Followed by a quick California road trip to San Diego and Coachella from the 14th to the 18th. From the 20th to the 31st, they play Laval twice, San Diego twice, Ontario once, and then close out with two road games against Bakersfield.

4. Excuse me? They play the Pacific Division how many times?

We understand that the AHL doesn’t pull the same amount of money the NHL does, but I’m sure the players don’t like playing the same teams over and over again.

Of the Canucks’ 72 games, they will play 64 of them against the Pacific Division: The Colorado Eagles four times, the Tucson Roadrunners four times, the Bakersfield Condors four times, the Coachella Valley Firebirds eight times, the Henderson Silver Knights eight times, the San Jose Barracuda eight times, the San Diego Gulls eight times, the Ontario Reign eight times and the Calgary Wranglers 12 times.

The remaining eight times, the Canucks play a pair of Canadian teams, facing off against the Laval Rocket and Manitoba Moose, four teams each.

This means that the Canucks will not be facing off against the team they defeated in the Western Conference Finals, the Texas Stars, or the team they beat in the Calder Cup Finals, the Charlotte Checkers. The distance is far, but surely Canucks fans would have liked to see a regular season rematch against those teams.

5. Opportunity to play former players

Speaking of the Canucks playing the Rocket and the Moose, Abbotsford could possibly face off against two of their former teammates who helped them on their Calder Cup run: Sammy Blais and Phil Di Giuseppe.

Blais signed a one-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens this past offseason. But if things don’t work out and Blais clears waivers, he will report to their AHL affiliate in Laval. Abbotsford plays Laval on October 17 and 18, and again on January 20 and 21.

Di Giuseppe signed a two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets this summer, and if he’s not with the big club, he’ll join the Moose. The Canucks play the Moose on December 31, January 2, and March 10 and 11.

Both players will surely be met with gratitude for their efforts in the postseason. Blais had six goals and 19 points in 23 games, while bringing a physical edge that instilled fear in his opponents. Di Giuseppe played up and down the Canucks lineup in the postseason, posting six goals and 11 points in 24 playoff games for Abbotsford.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/5-takeaways-abbotsford-canucks-2025-2026-schedule
 
NHL teams vote to keep draft decentralized for next season

The NHL is planning on keeping the NHL Draft decentralized for next season.

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman first reported on Thursday that a vote was being held amongst NHL teams about the future of the NHL Draft, and whether or not they intended to continue with it being decentralized, or if they wanted to revert back to the previous format. Friedman said at the time that, barring a wild swing from the few remaining voters, that the teams were planning on continuing with the decentralized draft.

Since then, multiple outlets have confirmed that the vote has been completed, with the decision being in favour of keeping the draft decentralized.

Teams made the decision in 2024 to switch to a decentralized draft format, with the primary reason being saving money. Teams did not want to send out entire scouting teams to one set location and pay for accommodations, and instead found it more efficient to make their decisions in their offices in their respective cities. Along with that, NHL GMs thought that it helped the team focus more.

Prior to that, all 32 teams would travel to the selected location of the draft each year, and make their picks on the floor. With all teams being there, it would often allow other teams to converse with each other more easily, and create more opportunities for trades.

There were other recent instances of the NHL using the decentralized format, as they had to use it for the 2020 and 2021 Drafts during the COVID-19 pandemic for safety purposes.

The decentralized format came with much scrutiny from NHL fans and media, as they felt like the decentralized process slowed down the process and that it took teams longer to make their selections, particularly in the first round. They also found the presentation to be very awkward, particularly the “Draft House” where players had wooden interviews with the team that selected them, with several instances of shaky connections on the team’s end.

That said, there is an avenue where a decentralized draft can work. If the league learns from their mistakes this year, cleans up the presentation, and actually strictly enforces the three-minute time limit between picks, it could work for a smoother draft than this year.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST




Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/nhl-teams-vote-keep-draft-decentralized-next-season
 
JPat’s Monday Canucks Mailbag: Outside the box questions edition

First things first, thanks to everyone who understood the assignment this week.

It’s the middle of summer. There will be plenty of time in the months ahead for hardcore hockey questions. But we wanted to have some fun with the mailbag, so we asked you for off-the-wall and outside-the-box Vancouver Canucks questions. And you delivered. So much so that we will tackle a handful of your queries this week and dive right back in again next week.

So if you still have a question or your question did not get answered this week, fear not. We’ll double back and answer more from this batch again next Monday. Let’s jump right in:

Which pair of Canucks players would perform the best in the Amazing Race?

— giraffester119 (@giraffester119) July 11, 2025

The first thing you must understand about the Amazing Race – and reality television in general – is that while there is certainly a competitive aspect to it, it is, first and foremost, a television show designed to entertain. And as such, big personalities are almost always part of the casting decisions. That’s why I’d go with Jake DeBrusk and Conor Garland. I see DeBrusk offering up constant commentary while I imagine Garland being a crafty navigator. I could also see those two scheming to form alliances to get further in the game. I think Tyler Myers would also be a great candidate, but much of the Amazing Race requires commercial flights, and I’m not sure how much Myers and those long legs would enjoy life in economy.

Which current Canuck would best play the part of Nicholas Tarnasty on the golf course?

— HIWATT (@HIWATT13) July 12, 2025

First things first, it’s Tarnasky – Nick Tarnasky – who once played 10 games for the Vancouver Giants many years ago. Although, whether intended or not, I kind of like Tarnasty. It certainly fits after watching the beatdown he laid on the now viral video. As for which Canuck would best fill that role, I guess I’d have to go with Evander Kane based solely on the abrasive style he plays on the ice. But I have no evidence to suggest that is how Kane would conduct himself on the golf course. Kiefer Sherwood would also be a candidate, although after watching him last season, I’m more inclined to believe Sherwood would have just bodychecked the guy into oblivion.

Do you remember the old Canucks' cookbooks? Which current player would have the best recipe? pic.twitter.com/LcFyIUqpmo

— Tristan Carpio (@TrisCarpio) July 11, 2025

Absolutely, I do. I kind of miss the old days when the team and the players took us inside their home lives and gave us a glimpse of their personalities away from the rink. As for which current player would have the best kitchen skills, I’m always inclined to believe that Quinn Hughes is the best at just about anything or everything, on the ice or off of it. I could certainly see him spinning away from the forecheck, weaving through the neutral zone, then making a mad dash to put some sort of spectacular casserole on the dinner table.

Four cities that should have hockey teams and one that shouldn't.

🆒 Chris Parry (@ChrisParry) July 11, 2025

Quebec City has to be at the top of the list. I’m willing to believe a second team in Toronto would be successful. The question is open enough that I suppose I could look at European options, but I just don’t think we’ll ever see expansion across the Atlantic. It certainly sounds like the NHL is prepared to go back to Atlanta for a third time. Third time’s the charm, right? And while Austin, Texas, has surfaced as a possible expansion city, I always thought Houston would be the next place in the Lone Star State to get a team. Selfishly, I’d like to see another West Coast entry in Portland or San Diego. So let’s go with Quebec City, Atlanta, Houston and Portland. As for a city that shouldn’t have a team, clearly it has to be Edmonton. Just take the Oilers roster and somehow make it so the Canucks get both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the dispersal draft.

What players do you think get honoured this season? Aren’t they running low on legacy marquee players?

Do you think the PWHL team will lean into Canucks legacy or try to distance themselves from it and create their own brand?

— Cody Dilullo (@DilulloCody) July 11, 2025

Cody coming with two questions this week. First, on Canuck honourees. It certainly has felt in recent years like there has been a thaw in the once frosty relationship between Ryan Kesler and the Canucks. Is that paving the way for a spot in the Ring of Honour? I guess I thought Alex Edler would be a Ring of Honour guy, and I suppose he still could be, although the team hosted his retirement night early last season, which didn’t include him getting his deserved spot on high. I still hold out hope that Tony Tanti is recognized by the hockey club in some fashion. He sits sixth in goals and eighth in all-time franchise scoring, and yet his contributions are somehow overlooked. Give Tony Tanti his due.

As for how the PWHL Vancouver team will carve out its place in the sporting landscape, I expect it to forge its own path. The Canucks are fairly protective of the brand they’ve built over more than half a century. I look forward to seeing how PWHL Vancouver launches with a team name and colour scheme, and I have to think we’ll get some answers on both fronts relatively soon. I’d imagine they dig into the West Coast/Pacific Ocean theme in some form for both the name and colours, but expect they’ll stay away from playing off Canuck history in any way.

Who is most likely of the current roster to have a post-playing future in media? In coaching? In a totally non hockey life?

— Kenji 🇨🇦 (@RonYamauchi) July 12, 2025

I will finish this week the way I started. I have to think Jake DeBrusk is the most likely candidate to have a career in media. His father has already blazed a trail, and I think Jake could more than hold his own on the microphone. Marcus Pettersson strikes me as the kind of guy who could easily transition into coaching when his playing days are done. He’s vocal, he’s a natural leader, and he seems like a details guy. And I suppose Elias Pettersson, the original, strikes me as someone who will likely pursue interests away from the game when his career is over. I could easily see EP40 branch off in a number of different directions when his playing days are done.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST




Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/jpats-monday-vancouver-canucks-mailbag-outside-box-questions-edition
 
2025-26 Canucks Milestone watch: Myers closing in on 1,100 games while Kane should reach 1,000

In the preceding days, CanucksArmy has outlined the reachable milestones for a number of key Vancouver Canucks this season. And while Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser all work their way up the franchise’s all-time ladder in a number of statistical categories, that quartet certainly isn’t alone pursuing significant milestones next season.

Even before playing for his new club, Evander Kane has the 1,000-game mark well within his sights. The veteran winger enters next season having played 930 regular season National Hockey League games split between Atlanta, Winnipeg, Buffalo, San Jose and most recently, Edmonton. If the soon-to-be 34-year-old is able to stay healthy, he will become the latest player to reach the thousand-game mark in a Canucks uniform after Tyler Myers hit the milestone early last season in Philadelphia.

Speaking of Myers, the big blueliner is showing no signs of slowing down. He will start the season within striking distance of a bunch of big round numbers. He is 34 games shy of 1,100 in his distinguished NHL career. Beyond that, he needs one goal for 100, four assists for 300 and any combination of five more points will get him to the 400 mark. So Myers should be able to check all of those off his list in the first half of the season.

Conor Garland, Filip Hronek and Teddy Blueger all have a shot at reaching the 500-game mark next season. Garland needs just 15 games to get there while Hronek starts the new season 49 games shy of 500. Meanwhile, Blueger will need to appear in all 82 games for the Canucks next season to hit 500 on the final night of the schedule.

As long as he stays healthy, Filip Chytil will reach the 400-game milestone by appearing in seven games next season. The Czech centre needs 30 points to reach 200 for his career, and the hope is that he’ll surpass that mark considerably in his first full season in Vancouver.

Jake DeBrusk set a career-high with 28 goals in his first go-round with the Canucks. If he can up the ante and score 34 goals next season, he’ll get to 200 in his time in the NHL.

Kiefer Sherwood made an impact in his first season with the Canucks. Not only did he set an NHL record with 462 hits, but he crushed his career-best scoring 19 goals. Sherwood is sitting with 98 career points, and by hitting the scoresheet twice in the early going next season, will reach the century mark.

Nils Höglander and Drew O’Connor are both closing in on 300 games in their respective careers. Höglander will get there seven games into the new season, while O’Connor still needs to suit up 59 times to achieve the milestone.

And, finally, no one is quite sure how the goaltending workload will be divided, but Kevin Lankinen is closing in on a couple of significant accomplishments. If the Finn appears in 37 games next season, he’ll get to 200 in the NHL. And if he’s able to post 30 victories – and there are scenarios where that could be possible – he will get to 100 for his career. Last season, Lankinen started 49 times, appeared in 51 games and won 25 of them.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/2025-2...ers-closing-1100-games-kane-should-reach-1000
 
Canucks’ Tyler Myers talks Miller Pettersson drama, Hughes rumours, and more

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers joined the Cam & Strick Podcast to discuss several different topics.

Myers was asked about the infamous JT Miller/Elias Pettersson drama from last season, the recent rumours about Quinn Hughes wanting to play with his two brothers, and much more.

The Miller/Pettersson reported feud took over the hockey world in 2024-2025. The reports began to emerge early in the season, when the Canucks struggled to get off to a good start. This then led to rumours about one of the players moving, and subsequently, the potential for both players to move on.

We all know how it ultimately turned out. Miller was traded to the New York Rangers, and the Canucks kept Pettersson before his no-movement clause kicked in.

What we haven’t heard much about is a player’s perspective on how the locker room was:

“It got pretty crazy, just publicly last year. Way, way more than what it was,” Myers said. “I’m not going to sit here and say there wasn’t tension. But I’ve been on a team where two players are in a full-on fist fight after a game, who I know are close friends. There’s going to be tension anywhere you go.

“Millsy and I got close. It was a lot more than it needed to be, but it wasn’t anything crazy. We were figuring things out, just like every other team does with different situations. But our locker room is great. I like coming into the rink everyday, all the guys are close and we weren’t too worried about it.”

The next biggest topic of conversation surrounding is the future of Captain Quinn Hughes. At the end of the season, President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford shared that Hughes has a desire to play with his brothers, Jack and Luke, who both play for the New Jersey Devils.

Rutherford walked back some of those comments later, but now, the rumours started to swirl about how Hughes might leave after his two-year contract is up to join his brothers. Myers gives some perspective on Hughes’ end regarding the rumours:

“Huggy doesn’t like all that speculation and stuff. He loves his brothers, loves his family like everybody else, but he’s not going around the room saying he wants to play with his brothers. I know it’s a big story around the hockey world, but everyone makes that a lot more than it is.”

Myers has been in Vancouver since signing in the 2019 offseason. Outside of five games, Myers has been around for Hughes’ entire career. So he has had a front-row seat to watch him develop into the defenceman he is today.

“Five years ago, I was like, ‘Wow, this guy is amazing.’ It seems like every year since then, he’s only gotten better. Just when I think he’s at his ceiling and in his prime, he just keeps getting better. It’s crazy. The thing with Huggy that separates him, his edge work, and the way he separates himself from guys, gives him so much time and space, and then his skill just takes over. He’s maybe the best player I’ve seen in my career. Him and [Cale] Makar are on another level. It’s fun to watch.”

The Canucks re-signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a three-year, $8.5 million average annual value contract on July 1 this offseason. This led to the subsequent trade of Calder Cup Champion and AHL playoff MVP Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins a few days ago.

Much of the hesitation about moving Silovs is due to the health of Demko. The American netminder has suffered numerous injuries over the past two seasons, restricting Demko to starting just 26 of the following 111 Canucks games over the past two seasons. But Myers shares that Demko is healthy and preparing for the year ahead:

“Demmer’s world-class. Whenever anyone asks about him, we always say it’s hard to explain how good he is. I know he’s feeling good coming into this year, and I’m excited for him to have that feeling because I know there were times last year when it got tough for him. The way he’s feeling now, I know he’s excited, and I’m excited for him because he’s that good and he’s great in the room.”

A Saturday night game against the Edmonton Oilers in mid-January got a little physical. So much so that both Tyler Myers and Connor McDavid were suspended for three games. McDavid for cross-checking Conor Garland in the head, while Myers for cross-checking Evan Bouchard in the face.

Myers details what happened on that night from his perspective:

“I didn’t even know what was going on behind me. I initiated it, no question. I did something on the wall, it was at the end of the game. I gave him a little shot, nothing bad, you know, normal in a hockey game. From there, he just kind of started coasting towards me. I didn’t really know what was going to happen. Obviously, Bouch is a really great player. That [physical] part of his game probably isn’t what he does all the time.

“Still, a player skating at me, I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I just decided to get my hands up a little bit,” Myers joked. “Honestly, I thought both suspensions that day were too much. I didn’t think either of them, looking at them after, was what everyone made them out to be. But I will defend myself. If you slow down the video, I’m going at his chest. His hands do kick up my stick. I don’t go looking to cross-check guys in the face.”

As a playful end to the interview, Cam & Strick asked Myers who was the most vocal on the team, but toward the opponents. This led to Myers then describing the significant impact Kiefer Sherwood made on the Canucks in his first year in Vancouver.

“Kiefer Sherwood,” Myers said without hesitation regarding the best trash-talker on the team. “[He’s a] Non-stop talker. He’ll throw some funny ones out there every once in a while.

“He just finishes everything. If he’s around another guy, he’s finishing him. It doesn’t matter where he is. He’s a warrior; he competes with the best of them. He broke the hit record this year. Anytime he was around somebody, he was leaning into them, whether he was big or small. He was really good for us. He brought an element [that] I think our team needed.”

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancou...s-miller-pettersson-drama-hughes-rumours-more
 
Besides Bowen Byram, which upcoming UFAs have BC connections for the Canucks to consider?

There were an awful lot of rumours out there about the Vancouver Canucks this offseason, and not all that many of them ended up coming to fruition.

The Canucks kept their first-round pick instead of trading it. They definitely didn’t trade it for Marco Rossi, either.

The Canucks were said to be in on a number of UFAs. Instead, they just re-signed one of their own in Brock Boeser.

No one saw the Evander Kane trade coming, and yet it did.

So, this summer’s round of rumours can probably be taken – as all rumours probably should be – with a heaping dose of salt.

But there was one bit of speculation that was so prominent and persistent, there almost had to be at least some smoke to it. And that was the ongoing rumour about Bowen Byram, and how badly he wished to return to his hometown of Vancouver. (Well, Cranbrook, technically, but they don’t have an NHL team there yet.)

We wrote about these rumours back in June and deemed that they didn’t make much sense at the present moment. Byram, for all his talents, is a left-shooting defender, and the Canucks are already set on those heading into the 2025/26 season with Quinn Hughes, Marcus Pettersson, Elias Pettersson, and Derek Forbort all under contract.

But the scuttlebutt continued, all the same, right up until this past week, when Byram and the Sabres avoided arbitration with a two-year, $6.25 million AAV extension.

But are those rumours over and done with, or have they just been put on pause?

See, by signing a two-year extension, what Byram has effectively done is walked himself right to UFA status at the youngest possible age of 26. When this new two-year deal expires, he’ll be free to market himself to the rest of the league, or to whichever specific corners of the league he prefers.

Most Buffalo fans have already made peace with the fact that they’ll likely need to trade him before that date comes, because otherwise he’s set himself up to walk for nothing.

And in two years’ time, maybe Byram makes more sense for the Canucks to pursue, or to be pursued by. We won’t delve into the reasons why that might be, as they’re a bit depressing, but there you have it.

For the Canucks’ part, GM Patrik Allvin and Co. have made a bit of a transition toward a preference for players who want to be in Vancouver. That was a big part of deciding to retain Boeser and offer extensions to Conor Garland and Thatcher Demko on that same day. It was a big part of the decision to bring in Kane.

With that in mind, we wonder which other prominent upcoming UFAs and RFAs have some concrete British Columbian connections that might be considered in the offseasons to come. Below, we’ve collected a few of note.

Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres

LD, 24, 6’1”, 205lb
UFA in 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/258273138

We can’t talk this much about Byram without at least giving him a little write-up of his own.

He’s one of those players who you can’t believe is still this young, because it feels like he’s been around forever. Byram will enter his sixth NHL season in 2025/26, and in his career thus far, he has already won a Stanley Cup.

The former fourth overall selection has also continued to develop his skills to the point that he’s now an exceptionally talented offensive defender who has also started to drastically improve in his own end. He made pretty good hay with Rasmus Dahlin on the Sabres’ top pairing for much of the past year, and one has to wonder what greater heights might be possible for him outside of that organization.

For the Canucks’ part, as we said earlier, they don’t currently have much need for any additional LD, even one as good as Byram. But in two years’ time, things could look very different indeed. And if they do, the thought of having a strong two-day D in their prime who is specifically looking to sign in Vancouver might be mighty appealing.

Alexander Kerfoot, Utah Mammoth

C, 30, 5’11”, 185lb
UFA in 2026
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2581111728

We realize we’re taking a major step back in excitability here, but that’s okay. In the end, there just aren’t that many BC-related players in the NHL right now, and the bulk of them are locked up for the foreseeable future.

Kerfoot’s is a name that has been attached to the Canucks before, but never with much sincerity. He remains a useful middle-six talent who can play all three forward positions and is usually good for between 30-40 points per year.

As of now, the Canucks’ forward corps is a little overstuffed. But that could change over the coming year, and if the Canucks find themselves in need of cheap depth next summer, they could certainly do worse than a versatile veteran who can still skate and who hails from Vancouver.

Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres

RW, 29, 6’4”, 219lb
UFA in 2026
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2582363167

Okay, now you’ll really have to bear with us on this one.

If Tuch makes it to UFA status, he’ll easily be one of the best on the market in the summer of 2026. And given that Tuch is a Buffalo Sabre and has yet to sign an extension, chances seem good he’ll make it to market. That’s just the way it seems to go for the Sabres.

Now, on the surface, Tuch has no real connection to Vancouver. He’s from Syracuse, New York, and is pretty much already as close to home as he can get.

However, if you pay attention to the rumours surrounding Tuch’s future, they tend to suggest that his wife is from the Vancouver area, and there have been loud whispers about the couple’s desire to eventually return there. Is that coming from people in the know, or is it just a case of wishful thinking? Impossible to know, but if it’s even close to true, this would be an incredibly exciting player for the Canucks to pursue next offseason.

Tuch is a genuine power forward still in his prime, who has scored 36 goals in two of his past three seasons. When a player is that good, the fit doesn’t matter. If he wants to come to Vancouver, they’ll make the room.

Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens

RW, 33, 5’9”, 185lb
UFA in 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2582211738

Gallagher is a player who, really, always should have been a Canuck.

Though born in Edmonton, Gallagher spent most of his growing up in Tsawwassen, and did all of his developing in the GVA, right up to and including four seasons with the Vancouver Giants.

The Canucks somehow missed Gallagher coming out of their own backyard and allowed the Montreal Canadiens to scoop him up with the 147th overall selection in the 2010 Entry Draft.

What has followed is a brilliant 13-year career with the Habs that has featured more ups than downs for Gallagher. He’s still popping in 20 goals and agitating with the best of them at the age of 33, and one has to imagine that the fiery competitor still has a few good seasons left in him.

He wouldn’t be a premier free agent at the age of 35, nor is he someone the Canucks should hang any real hopes on. But if Gallagher and the Canadiens part ways, a homecoming to end his career might be nice, and it’s hard to imagine him not at least contributing on the fourth line.

Jared McCann, Seattle Kraken

C/LW, 29, 6’1”, 191lb
UFA in 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2582223961

Like with Tuch, we’re stretching here. McCann’s from Ontario, and he already (technically) had some time in the Toronto organization.

However, there is an intriguing opportunity here for both the player and the club to seek a little redemption. For their part, the Canucks could finally get some value for a player they carelessly dumped far too early. For his part, maybe McCann wants to take a shot at making a positive difference for the team that drafted him.

Or, maybe not. Either way, if the Canucks haven’t solved their search for a 2C in two summers’ time – and if neither Aatu Räty nor Braeden Cootes have stepped in yet – McCann would make an excellent fill-in target at the age of 31.

Really, this is more about storyline than anything, but one can’t deny that McCann remains a useful and versatile top-six talent.

Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning

Coach, 57
UFA in 2026

Forgive the lack of stats here. We don’t write about coaches very often.

But we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Prince George’s finest, coach Jon Cooper, is set to become a free agent as of this next summer.

In place since 2013, Cooper is by far the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL. And he’s been a good one, with a regular season record of 572-306-83 and a playoff record of 88-67, with two Stanley Cups to show for it.

But the Lightning have also exited the playoffs in the first round in three straight seasons. Eventually, even the best coaches get let go, and the summer of 2026 may make for a natural breaking-off point between him and Tampa Bay.

We don’t know yet how Adam Foote’s first season as head coach will go. But if it doesn’t go all that well, and if Cooper does wind up being available, it’s going to be very, very tempting for the Canucks to make a homecoming pitch.

Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks

C, 19, 5’10”, 185lb
RFA in 2026
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2582234467

Now here’s the name you’ve all been waiting for.

Yes, Bedard is a free agent next summer. No, he’s not a UFA, and the Blackhawks will retain his rights as an RFA.

But, with three NHL seasons under his belt at that point, Bedard will be eligible for offer sheets. The odds of Chicago letting Bedard go for any offer sheet-related compensation are low. But if the Canucks wanted to be really sneaky, they could offer Bedard a high-priced, four-year offer sheet.

Such a contract would walk Bedard right to UFA status. So, the Blackhawks would be forced to match – and then watch Bedard walk for nothing in four seasons, presumably to Vancouver – or try their best to get fair value for him in the interim.

If Bedard really wants to come home as early as possible, this strikes us as the best possible route. Is it a likely one? With the rarity of offer sheets, and especially offer sheets this aggressive, the answer is probably ‘no.’ But that doesn’t change the excitement factor on the idea, in general.

Kent Johnson, Columbus Blue Jackets

C, 22, 6’0”, 180lb
RFA in 2027
GamesGoalsAssistsPoints
2024/2568243357

Much was made of Johnson accompanying Bedard to watch some Abbotsford Canucks action during the Calder Cup run. Hailing from Port Moody, Johnson will have to wait a little bit longer than Bedard to hit RFA status, as of the summer of 2027. But once he’s there, the offer sheet path becomes a little bit clearer.

He’ll already have completed his fifth NHL season at that point, which means he could pull a Byram and sign for exactly two years, walking himself to UFA status. Or, he could sign a two-year offer sheet and achieve the same thing.

In other words, if either Bedard or Johnson – or, ideally, both – want to engineer their way toward Vancouver, there are definitely ways.

And in these days of cutthroat competition for talent, the Canucks should probably consider anyone who might be as interested in Vancouver as Vancouver is in them.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/beside...fas-bc-connections-vancouver-canucks-consider
 
How can the Canucks create more offence in 2025-26?

Last season, the Vancouver Canucks struggled to generate offence, particularly off the rush. According to Money Puck, the team ranked 22nd in expected goals percentage in five-on-five play and 22nd in goal differential with a minus-10 at even strength.

The biggest talking point throughout the year was former Head Coach Rick Tocchet’s systems and how they didn’t utilize the roster’s strengths to generate offence.

Coming into the 2025-26 season, the team has a new Head Coach in Adam Foote. The club also brought in some new personnel in Evander Kane with the hope of adding more offence to the team’s top-six forward group.

Although Foote is seen as a more defensive-minded coach, like Tocchet, we can expect changes to the team’s style of play to improve their performance in the offensive zone.

The first thing we can examine when it comes to creating more offence this season is the defensive group the team is starting with.

Quinn Hughes led the way last season, registering a team-high 76 points. He managed to do so despite Hughes playing through a nagging injury for a large portion of the season. A healthy Hughes, paired with the rest of the defensive corps that has been vastly upgraded from what it was on opening night last year, is the first key to success offensively.

At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, there was a glaring lack of puck movers on the backend. Coming into this season, there is no shortage of capable puck movers. Filip Hronek, Elias Pettersson, Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers all have the ability to jump up into the rush and support the forward group to open things up in the offensive zone.

While we’ve seen this defensive group play together last season, we haven’t seen them at full force for a large portion of an NHL regular season, especially when you consider Hughes was playing through his aforementioned injury.

The Canucks did well at opening things up with their puck movement on the backend last season. The defencemen did a better job of keeping their feet moving at the point while maintaining puck possession, which kept the opposition on their toes and opened up more for the forwards down low.

There were many times when Hughes and Hronek ended up with the puck below the circles, while forwards jumped back to the point to support the defencemen, as they moved the puck around the offensive zone. This is what creates confusion defensively for the opposing team and allows the Canucks to find holes in the defence to generate offensive chances.

With the upgrades to the defensive core, it’s not just up to Hughes and Hronek to do this, as the team can rely on its bottom four pairings to be capable of jumping into the play and play a similar style in the offensive zone.

Shifting to creating more offence off the rush, the Canucks forward group has a solid combination of players capable of generating chances up the ice. The biggest key to this is speed. Players like Filip Chytil, Conor Garland, and Nils Höglander have had considerable success creating off the rush, utilizing their combination of speed and skill to enter the offensive zone with possession of the puck.

Last season, we saw the team play a lot of dump-and-chase hockey. Often, the Canucks would dump the puck into the zone to try and create through the forecheck and cycle down low. There will always be a time and place for this style of hockey, but to be a dangerous team offensively in the NHL, you need to be able to create chances off the rush as well.

Though there haven’t been many changes to the Canucks forward group, we can attribute their lack of play off the rush to Tocchet’s preferred style of dump-and-chase hockey. Players like Elias Pettersson, who are highly skilled, need to be given the green light to play creatively to be successful.

Allowing Pettersson, Chytil and the rest of the forward group to play with creativity off the rush, along with the team’s defencemen jumping up into the play, is the best way for the Canucks to generate more scoring chances and open things up while entering the zone. Creating odd-man rushes, either four-on-threes or three-on-twos, while entering the offensive zone means there is an uncovered skater for the puck carrier to find for a scoring chance.

The Canucks’ roster may not have seen as many upgrades as fans had hoped for so far through the offseason. That being said, we haven’t seen much of the team from last year at full force and with a new coaching staff, there are many new opportunities for the team to learn from last season and create new systems to generate more offence both in zone and off the rush.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/how-can-vancouver-canucks-create-more-offence-2025-26
 
WDYTT: Which recently departed Canuck will have the most success elsewhere?

Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet where being columned on a weekly basis is a downright guarantee.

Speaking of guarantees, there aren’t many to be offered when it comes to the Vancouver Canucks these days. In fact, if the Canucks were to be any property in the Marvel Cinematic Universe right now, they’d definitely be What If…?, because that’s the only real question being asked about the team right now.

What if…Elias Pettersson bounces back?

What if…Thatcher Demko returns to health?

What if…Evander Kane rebounds in his hometown?

What if…Filip Chytil never gets another concussion?

What if…the Abbotsford Canucks can roll their winning ways into the NHL?

The Canucks have potential for success in 2025/26, but that potential is anything but concrete, and no one should feel all that comfortable predicting it.

But one area where Canucks fans often feel all too comfortable predicting success? When it comes to departing players. We heard plenty of this in the past week as Arturs Silovs was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a song, and a number of fans, understandably, shared their dismay.

We don’t know yet how well Silovs will play in Pittsburgh, or whether he’ll be able to wrest the starter’s reins from Tristan Jarry. But if he does, just know we’re going to be hearing about it for a long, long time.

Which brings us to our topic for today. Let’s extend our lens to the past 365 days. Over the past year, the Canucks have seen a number of notable departures, including Silovs, JT Miller, and Pius Suter, as well as other notable names such as Carson Soucy, Danton Heinen, and Noah Juulsen.

Our question today is pretty simple, and it’s a prognostication as to which of the departed Canucks is going to have the most success elsewhere from here on out.

This week, we’re asking:

Which recently departed Canuck will have the most success elsewhere?


Let it be known in the comment section.

Last week, we asked:

Which of Elias Pettersson or Thatcher Demko is more likely to bounce back in 2025/26?


You answered below!

defenceman factory:

If both don’t have good years, the Canucks are in some trouble. Demko doesn’t need to bounce back, he needs to stay healthy. Flip a coin.

Canucks do nothing without a productive EP40. It’s never been clear if his issues were more physical or mental. Predictions on the level of information available are just guesses.

Hockey Bunker:

Injuries are unpredictable…without injuries, Demko is most likely to bounce back…but given his injury history, it is a low probability that he will go injury-free this season.

Pettersson should be able to arrest the steep decline in points, but will he be able to get back to 100 points, which is the level he is paid to achieve?

This may be more probable than Demko going injury-free, but I would put it still at less than 50/50.

In summary, Demko likely to bounce back but not last the season…Pettersson likely to improve, but not get back to 100 points.

RDster:

Pettey. There is a chance Petey will have a relapse of his chronic tendonitis in 2025/26, whereas Demko has only been able to start 106 games in the past three seasons – only 35 starts a year – Demko’s best work is almost surely behind him at this point.

Killer Marmot:

(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)


Demko will have the biggest bounce back.

Not because I think so, but because I hope so. The Canucks’ team save percentage last year was a mediocre .886. If they can get that over .905, it will mean 17% fewer goals against and a lot more wins.

And it’s doable. Demko and Lankinen have career save percentages of .910 and .904, respectively.

Richard Hickey:

I am more worried about Petey. He has nowhere to hide, and will be hard matched. That alone could spell trouble for him, even if he gets his game back. He’ll need more touches on the PP. That will be up to the coaches.

If Demmer gets his game back, he has a much better D to support him. The only worry is possession. If we are getting hammered 60/40 on possession and O-zone time, Demmer will need to go bubble mode.

Ultimately, gotta go with Demmer. The goalie has more of his perceived performance resting on his own play.

Brian:

I dont have confidence in either one. The one I’m really curious about is Kane. How will he perform now that’s he’s in the place he wants to be.

Longtimelurker:

Health is a big issue. If both are 100% and stay healthy, yes. Chronic injuries can end careers. Big thing about injuries is being unable to train in the offseason.

Craig Gowan:

From a performance perspective, it’s Petey who needs to bounce back. When he’s healthy, Demko has nothing to bounce back from in terms of his performance. I am hoping and praying the Canucks will let Lankinen play lots of games, so Demko can sustain a healthy season. I think Foote will get that. Demko also has reportedly incorporated some new training methods that may help. With Petey, it is more complicated. We’re not sure what the problem is. Is it psychological? I suspect so. Was he out of shape last year? I think so. One way or another, he seemed to play with no confidence. I am unclear how to fix that. I’d bet on Demko being more likely to have a “bounce back” year.

LauchlanGuessI’mAHabsFanNow?:

I’d be happy to be proven wrong, but I’m inclined to say Demko.

He’s got a talented backup so can rest often, a new training regime etc. I have complete faith his issues were injuries and I’m a big believer in physio.

Petey… Maybe/hopefully it’s a wild coincidence that his play declined about the minute he signed his contract. I’ve never seen anyone in the organization think his injuries were particularly serious, so I really think it’s mental/effort. (If you were guaranteed $70 million or whatever, would you really bust yourself every day, go to the corners to get hit by a 200lb monstrosity when you could just… Not?) Though, in my eyes, a strong bounceback by Petey would include a playoffs where he doesn’t play like I would (afraid of getting murdered in the corners by giants on skates.)

I hope I’m wrong because while we have a strong backup goalie, we don’t have another 1C.

West Coaster:

Both should have been moved, and IMO both are responsible for the failure this popsicle stand is… both will fall flat on their face… do not get your hopes up, kiddies, major suckage for 2025/2026 season coming right up which clearly justifies higher ticket prices…

bill nazzy:

Petey will silence the anti-nuck fans, and if Demko is 100% healthy, there is nothing to bounce back from.

Magic Head:

The Canucks’ blueline is a lot better than it was two years ago, so obviously the chances of Demko bouncing back to form is way better than Pettersson’s chances of being a 100-point player again.

Bond:

Expect Demko to bounce back with a stronger D in front of him and capable Lankinen to play many games. Deep down, hoping Petey bounces back, but that could be a pipe dream.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/wdytt-...ouver-canuck-will-have-most-success-elsewhere
 
Canucks fans react to the Dakota Joshua trade

On Thursday, the Vancouver Canucks made the difficult decision to trade power forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick.

After some earlier summer reporting, Canucks fans were well aware that this was a possibility. With under $1 million in available salary cap space, the Canucks were looking to shed some cap. The roster has a few too many middle-six wingers making $2-$3 million annually, and one of them had to move on. Unfortunately, it was Joshua who was moved.

Let’s see what Canucks fans are saying about this trade.

CanucksArmy comment section

From kanucked: Don’t like this move. Dumping Joshua when his value was so low is a bad move. Worse if it’s for Roslovic.

From DerekP63: Decent move to clear space. Gives them some room to sign or trade for a 2C. RHC Roslovic might be the target, 22 goals, 54.1% in the circle. He may not be ideal but he would help a thin roster, giving them that elusive RHC they’re missing and have wanted since the Lindholm rental. With Pettersson/Roslovic/Chytil/Raty-Blueger as their 4/5 Cs, they’d look better than they did a week ago. Blueger could be traded next if they have faith in Raty but they’d miss his PK for sure. I’m hoping they could keep him for that alone.

Fro teejay: I like Joshua but this seemed inevitable with the added grit of Kane and the fact that Van is bursting at the seams with bottom 6 wingers. Hopefully making room for Roslovic or better to shore up the C position. He’s going to be used up and down the lineup for the Leafs who needed some grit, and I’m sure we’ll get to see him scrap the 6’8 meat-head in NY at least once or twice.

From Richard Hickey: Liked Joshua when he was in top form. We just got smaller. However, had to move a middle six winger. I think Joshua is better than DOC, but probably not by 50% of salary. I’m still iffy about Hoglander, but he has the upside. I can get onboard with this. I hope they don’t spend it on another bottom six center though. We need impact players.

From Tyson (not the author): Absolutely mind boggling. Massive Leafs W.

From BeerCan Boyd: I’ll be the devils advocate here. Joshua had a grand total of one season where he came anywhere close to living up to his potential. Got his big deal, good for him. The cancer was an unfortunate setback, but Allvin and co have obviously decided that he has peaked at age 29, and his contract was too rich and ultimately disposable. He very rarely played to his size, and I think this is a good move.

As for the troll brigade banging on about Roslovic, he’s younger, almost the same size, and a RHC. He also has 2 20 goal seasons and more than 3X the career points that Joshua has. He’s simply a better player, and if his signing is the eventual result of this trade, I’m 100% for it.

From Dickie Dunn: NOT a fan of this trade. Having said that there is another shoe to drop. Lets hope Canucks management secured the peice coming in before letting Joshua go (who will have a bounce back season). If its just Roslovic its a total waste. Over paid under producer. Of all the teams Dak could have gone to why the Leafs??? Urggghhhhh

From Fozzy Bear: Well hope the best for DJ in TO personally I liked this player and its tough to see him go, had a feeling he was going to have a great bounce back year but maybe I am wrong we’ll see. Question for me is couldn’t they have tried to package another player or draft pick to get a better return?

From Alex h: The 2023–24 playoffs were unforgettable, Joshua, Zadorov, Cole, Miller, and Soucy were absolute wrecking balls out there. That physical edge was our identity. Now they’re all gone. I have no idea what this management is even doing. Extends Garland, then immediately trades the one guy he has the most chemistry with. We get smaller, softer, and easier to play against.

From Pucker: Turning a mistake over payment contract into a 4th rd pick and cap space sounds like a win to me.

Kane is a upgrade.

Need the cap space to get a C.

Fine with.

Joshua is a beauty though.

— Ryan M (@inthe250_) July 17, 2025

Gonna miss dak, he was a beast in the playoffs

— Skate of Mind (@skateofmindpod) July 17, 2025

Ok with it, Dakota was a fan favourite 2 years ago, but wasn’t in top gear last year. Shed some salary to bring in a bigger name. Canucks are cooking.

— Fou-add (@fouadshalaby) July 17, 2025

Love the guy but had to be done. We have too many wingers and need a C. It could end up being swapping Joshua for a 4th and roslovic which is a good deal for us

— sambooski (@Mobinderr) July 17, 2025

Don't like it here and now, but wait to see how the salary is used before judging.

— I Pray You're That Stupid (@xerxes_master) July 17, 2025

Bottom 6 is loaded. Moving out the $3+ mil cap hit makes good business sense. Another move may get our 2C

— WMG (@WMGullison) July 17, 2025

With the influx of players coming from Abby, his cap hit made him expendable. The extra cap space will allow the Nucks to target a player who can play higher up the lineup. Value for Toronto will depend on how he bounces back. Have to see who Van adds before the final verdict.

— Mike in the Valley (@mikeinthevalley) July 17, 2025

Have a hard time understanding the plan

— Focus on 2025 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@FAorthopod) July 17, 2025

I don’t understand the logic, we sign his best buddy and someone he had great chemistry with ( Connor G ) but trade him away for nothing but to clear cap space? or o have more prospects 3 years from now? zero sense

— Riddim (@trybalbeatz) July 17, 2025

👎👎👎 pic.twitter.com/0ws3or4UxJ

— Rabies-2xStanleyCupChampBM63 (@r4bid_cryptid) July 17, 2025

pic.twitter.com/jv2MPYe7mX

— Rafa Prada • Riseˢᶠᶜ (@rafaprada) July 17, 2025

Instagram

From charlie._kirchner: This hurts. They better do something real good with that cap space.

From doomsdayemoji: Love the guy but it’s time. Too expensive with one good season.

From shaunaseasons11: Such sad news but from a business perspective I get it

From themountain1290: He’s a fan favourite but wasn’t really playing the way he was sold to be. He was a bottom 6 winger that could throw the body, be a phalysical presence to scare the other teams, protect his team mates and forecheck. Thing is he isn’t the faster guy out there, didn’t really go and intimidate anyone, and barely finished checks. He doesn’t do anything different than a younger cheaper kid would do from the AHL. Sorry I don’t mean to be brutally honest but he’s not going to be a key part of the Leafs team either

From mattyfri: If they traded him to get anything less than a 2C it’s a fail. Move out Chytil and possibly Blueger to bring in McTavish and you make me happy.

From speckyman27: I hope he has a huge year. Just traded away another big body that brought a level of toughness and grit.
He had an off year last year and we all know why. Not liking this trade at all

From lindenoliver: Unless we get a proper forward this is pointless

From haydenbruvold: I think he’s gonna have an amazing season. I just wish it was for us. Guys a stud. Big and physical with some scoring touch. I hate this move. Unless they do something crazy and get someone unreal for the 2C spot we might as well just skip to next years draft and pick 12-15th like we do every year.

From alfred_g._lunden: ….If he performs on the same level as last season for the duration of this contract, then it is a good salary dump. But if he returns to form, then the Canucks got Fleeced !!

From todddonnelly30: keeping Joshua means status quo, and that’s not good. The team needs new blood and management aren’t afraid to move on from middle six players to take a shot at improving

From t.woods43: Damm, Joshua added a bit of fire to the team, I guess Sherwood and Kane are going to have to step up more would have like to see more coming back the other way


From Ariel Villaverde: The ONE player who shows emotion out there

From Andrew Bauer: I like Joshua, but something had to give. We need a centre and we had a surplus of bottom 6 wingers. A fourth round pick is fine.

From Ken Louis: Well, considering Vancouver has both Sherwood and Kane, and both of them are serious upgrades from Joshua in a similar role, Vancouver’s need for a top six fwd, and Joshua’s readiness to be a more impactful power forward, I would say this was a necessary trade for both sides. I like Joshua, and am sad to see him go, but I’m sure he will find more ice time with Toronto than he would see with Vancouver. Seems Vancouver has created some more cap space while providing a prospect a chance to make the team.

From Jordan Andrew Toorenburgh: I know its a necessary move but you cant trade away a fan favorite , something is owed to the fans of Vancouver.

From Ryan Sali: At least half the people on here commenting this was a bad move…… please understand ….. 1) we need a 2C badly! 2) we needed to shed cap to make that happen 3) any winger not in the top 6 was expendable. 4) If Blueger is our 3C on the depth chart, we might be in trouble. 5) BB, DeBrusk, Kane, garland, hogs, lekerrimaki i would expect are our top 9 wingers which doesn’t leave much reason to pay Dakota what he was making with all those other guys around.

From Michael Turner: Hate it. Joshua was grit and determination. Where else is this on the forward lines. Softer than Dairy Queen.

From Tony Susec: We need to get the kids on the farm up. We have too many overpaid wingers on this club.

From Barry Birtch: Canucks will live to regret this and the Podkolzen give-aways! They need more not less of what these guys bring

From Daniel Corkish: Traded what they need size ,grit,effort a teammate who held the other team accountable good PK guy!

Yes big cap hit
Yes a glut of bottom 6 guys
Pick someone else

If he got 17 to 22 goals this year no one would care about the$ No one on the farm has that skill set so not an easy replacement!

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-fans-react-dakota-joshua-trade
 
Why the Bowen Byram extension with the Sabres is a good thing for the Canucks

The Buffalo Sabres announced that they had avoided arbitration with defenceman Bowen Byram by agreeing to a two-year, $12.5 million contract, which carries a $6.25 million average annual value (AAV).

This move likely posed as disappointing news for most Vancouver Canucks fans, who were hoping there was an outside chance at bringing the British Columbian home. But, at this point, that wasn’t really a realistic option.

The Canucks’ blueline is already a little crowded, especially on the left side, with Byram being a left-shot defenceman. Now, Byram did showcase that he can play his offside, playing most of the 2024-2025 season on the right side of the top-pair in Buffalo with Rasmus Dahlin. But even then, the Canucks already have too many defencemen as is to make room for Byram right now.

Vancouver has Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson, and Tyler Myers, who are lineup locks. Derek Forbort likely is as well, but we could see him coming out of the lineup occasionally, depending on how many of their young defenceman are NHL-ready. With that in mind, young blueliners Elias Pettersson, Victor Mancini and Tom Willander will have to battle with recently signed Pierre-Olivier Joseph for that sixth and final spot on the blueline.

It makes it difficult to picture where Byram would have fit into the Canucks current lineup. But that’s not to say it won’t make sense in two years, when his freshly signed contract expires.

Considering the Sabres took Byram to arbitration, the Cranbrook, BC native got to pick the term of the contract. With him picking two years, that walks him straight to unrestricted free agency for the 2027 offseason.

Before he signed, Colorado Avalanche analyst Adrian Dater mentioned on social media that Byram has an interest in being a Canuck.

I believe Byram wants to be a Canuck https://t.co/wK2EO6bAWl

— Adrian Dater (@adater) June 16, 2025

Shortly after, Donnie & Dhali’s Rick Dhaliwal shared that the Canucks’ interest in Byram was high, but they just couldn’t get a deal done with the Sabres.

But now, they might not have to.

In two years’ time, if Byram still desires to become a Canuck, he can freely sign with Vancouver in the 2027 offseason. And that already projects to be a big offseason for the Canucks.

Tyler Myers is set to become a free agent that summer. He will be 37 at the time and may lose his spot to younger right-shot defencemen in either Willander or Mancini. So, even if Byram signs in Vancouver and is willing to play on the right side, there may not be room for him.

However, there’s a more high-profile defenceman that is set to become an unrestricted free agent that summer…Quinn Hughes.

Now, Myers recently spoke on the Cam & Strick Podcast about how Hughes doesn’t like the chatter about him potentially leaving in free agency, but it is still a talking point.

Hughes is one of the best defencemen across the entire league, in the midst of his prime, and is due a substantial raise. As soon as he’s extension eligible, Hughes will likely be met with a cheque book and a pen in his stall. However, if the Canucks aren’t competitive, he could look to find a new home with a contender to battle for the Stanley Cup – whether that’s with his brothers or not.

If Hughes decides to move on, he will leave a massive void on the left side of the Canucks defence, let alone the offensive output he makes from the backend.

Now, outside of Cale Makar, there’s nobody who can replace the impact level that Hughes provides. However, if they are going to lose him, there could very well be an offensive left-shot defenceman that hits the market, who wants to play in Vancouver: Bowen Byram.

Again, everybody’s preference is for Hughes to re-sign and play out his entire NHL career in Vancouver, of course. But having Byram as a backup option to fill that void would slightly minimize the blow.

There’s no guarantee Byram signs with the Canucks, either. But his recent two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres, that walks him straight to unrestricted free agency, certainly poses as an intriguing Hughes contingency plan for the Vancouver Canucks for the 2027 offseason.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-bo...ffalo-sabres-good-thing-for-vancouver-canucks
 
CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #15 Josh Bloom

We are back with the 2025 summer edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.

Today, we present to you our 15th-ranked player in the system, a hard-nosed energy forward who has found success at the ECHL level.

Our previously ranked prospects:


If you’re curious about our ranking criteria, you can find them in our HM installment.

Josh Bloom


Team: Abbotsford Canucks/Kalamazoo Wings | Age: 22 | Position: Left Wing | Height: 6’2″ | Weight: 185 lbs | Shoots: Left | Drafted: Round three, 95 overall, 2021 (Buffalo Sabres) | Midseason rank: 17

The loss of a few graduates within this list, combined with an improved season at the ECHL level, has Josh Bloom jumping two spots from our midseason ranks.

Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round in 2021 and later acquired by Vancouver, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound left-shot forward showed promising resilience and growth with a nice bounceback in his first full professional season.

His journey to this point has been slightly unconventional. Despite making the Abbotsford Canucks as a 20-year-old in 2023-24, he struggled to find a spot in the lineup and was eventually loaned back to the OHL. After scoring the Memorial Cup-clinching goal as a 20-year-old in junior hockey with the Saginaw Spirit, he aimed to re-crack the Abbotsford Canucks’ roster in 2024-25.

Instead, he landed with the Kalamazoo Wings, where he embraced a top-six role and took full advantage of the situation.

Despite missing time due to injuries, Bloom finished tied for the team lead with 20 goals and ranked third on the Wings with 39 points in 43 games.

His 20 goals placed him fifth among U22 skaters in the ECHL to boot.

Averaging around 17 minutes per game, he played in all situations, including the penalty kill, showcasing a nice balance of versatility and competitive edge.

What has stood out to us with his game is how he generates his production. He’s a relentless competitor who thrives in the gritty areas, digging for pucks and battling at the net front to create scoring chances. While his power play work on the half-wall highlights a quick, accurate shot that could beat ECHL netminders, it’s always his hustle that stands out as his true calling card.

At the ECHL level, Bloom’s speed is a significant asset. It allowed him to exploit defenders in transition, win footraces, and generate breakaways.

His ability to combine agility with a never-quit attitude makes him a constant threat, whether he’s crashing the net or chasing down loose pucks.

Can he translate that to consistent production at the AHL level in 2025-26? Time will tell. But even when he hasn’t cracked meaningful minutes in Abbotsofrd, his hustle is always one thing you can count on.

While Bloom’s time in Kalamazoo wasn’t the AHL debut some envisioned, it’s a valuable stepping stone in his young development.

Despite setbacks early in his career, Bloom’s speed, tenacity, and nose for the net make him an intriguing prospect with a clear path to push for a bigger role in the Canucks’ system. His competitive nature and ability to produce against men in the ECHL suggest he’s ready to vie for a permanent Abbotsford spot in 2025-26.

Ceiling: Having just turned 22 (June), the pathway for Bloom remains long, yet still a viable one. His NHL ceiling is that of a third-line energy forward, bringing speed, physicality, and occasional offensive contributions.

Floor: At worst, he’s a high-energy AHL winger, comparable to Tristen Nielsen, capable of driving play and providing depth.

ETA: His development has hit some bumps since being acquired, with injuries and a slower-than-expected transition to pro hockey delaying his timeline. However, at 22, he has time to refine his game and build on his promising foundation. Looking ahead, Bloom’s path to the NHL will likely involve a full season in Abbotsford in 2025-26, during which he will gain pro-level experience and refine his skills. If his development progresses smoothly, he could compete for an NHL call-up by the 2026-27 season, though 2027-28 may be a more realistic target for a consistent role, likely at age 24.

That’s our #15 spot. Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow here at CanucksArmy.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST


6IS-107-GRA_ShowPromo_727x404-FINAL-NoBetway.png


Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/cas-top-20-vancouver-canucks-summer-prospect-rankings-15-josh-bloom
 
CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #14 Kieren Dervin

We are back with the 2025 summer edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.

Today, we present to you our 14th-ranked player in the system, a young centre who has played primarily at the High School prep level early in his career.

Our previously ranked prospects:


If you’re curious about our ranking criteria, you can find them in our HM installment.

Kieren Dervin


Team: Kingston Frontenacs | Age:18 | Position: Centre | Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 183 lbs | Shoots: Left | Drafted: Round three, 65 overall, 2025 | Mid-season rank: N/A

Ultimately selected in the third round, 65th overall, in the 2025 NHL Draft, Kieren Dervin emerged as a late-blooming prospect whose draft stock fluctuated somewhere within the third and fifth rounds.

Although his offensive upside may come slightly lower than some third-round products, the Ontario natives’ unique development path and flashes of two-way potential make him an intriguing addition to Vancouver’s prospect pool.

That said, his 2024-25 season was a tale of two leagues, making his potential somewhat difficult to gauge. He spent the majority of his draft-minus-one year at the AAA Prep level with St. Andrews College, a slightly unconventional path for such a pivotal season. It had been done, but it’s by no means a familiar path.

There, he dominated, posting 37 goals and 55 assists for 92 points in 61 games, helping his team to a PHC Championship.

He took that momentum and eventually transitioned to the OHL full-time (having already played a few games mid-season), where he concluded his season with the Kingston Frontenacs, who had drafted him 86th overall (fifth round) in the 2023 CHL Priority Draft.

His OHL stint drew mixed reviews. While he showed flashes of skill, his board battles, puck decisions, and overall game sense were inconsistent. Perhaps expected for a player adjusting to a faster, more physical league at just 17, on the cusp of his 18th birthday.

When all was said and done with his 21-game tenure, he put up a combined six points (two goals, four assists), fighting for minutes and roster spots among the middle-six of the team.

Despite some growing pains, Dervin’s strengths offer plenty of optimism. At 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds, he has a solid frame for a young and developing centre, with room to add strength as he matures.

His offensive game, while not elite, shows promise through smart positioning and playmaking in the attacking zone. He creates chances with quick passes and has a knack for finding open ice, though his finishing needs refinement. From time to time, he would show flashes of soft hands mixed with power elements to make for some excellent bursts.

Defensively, his responsible two-way play stands out as his calling card and the area which offers the most upside for the future. He tracks back diligently, provides good support down low and uses his reach to disrupt plays. While his offensive touch needs room to grow, his responsible two-way ability makes him a worthy third-line centre in the making.

Having committed to Penn State University for the 2026-27 season, his next few years are spoken for, providing him with a clear development path. Before that, he’ll play a full 2025-26 season with Kingston, where he’s expected to take on a larger role in the Frontenacs’ top-six, potentially as a key offensive contributor.

Ceiling: Dervin’s NHL ceiling is that of a third-line checking center, leveraging his two-way reliability and smart play to anchor a shutdown line. While his offensive pedigree isn’t elite, his combination of size, hockey sense, and defensive instincts could make him a valuable depth player down the road.

Floor: He risks stalling as an AHL forward if his offensive game doesn’t develop or if he struggles to adapt to higher levels. His youth and raw tools, however, give him a long pathway to realize the mentioned ceiling.

ETA: As a 2025 third-round pick, Vancouver saw his potential and will be playing the long game with Dervin. His NCAA commitment means he’ll likely spend two years at Penn State, starting in the 2026-27 season, followed by what is expected to be one to two seasons in the AHL with Abbotsford to refine his professional game. An NHL debut could come by 2029-30, likely at age 22 or 23, assuming steady progress.

That’s our #14 spot. Stay tuned for another installment later today here at CanucksArmy.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST


6IS-107-GRA_ShowPromo_727x404-FINAL-NoBetway.png


Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/cas-top-20-vancouver-canucks-summer-prospect-rankings-14-kieren-dervin
 
CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #13 Danila Klimovich

We are back with the 2025 summer edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.

Today, we present to you our 13th-ranked player in the system, a sharpshooting winger who plays with an edge but continues to struggle with consistency.

Our previously ranked prospects:


If you’re curious about our ranking criteria, you can find them in our HM installment.

Danila Klimovich


Team: Abbotsford Canucks | Age: 22 | Position: Right Wing | Height: 6’2″ | Weight: 203 lbs | Shoots: Right | Drafted: Round two, 41 overall, 2021 | Mid-season rank: 14

What a difference a year can make.

With four years of Abbotsford hockey now under his belt, the 6-foot-2, 203-pound right-shot forward enjoys a slight turnaround to revitalize his prospect status with a breakout 2024-25 season.

Previously on a downward trajectory due to limited minutes, he thrived with a larger role under new Head Coach Manny Malhotra, posting career highs across the board: 25 goals, 13 assists, and 38 points in 66 games, along with 178 shots and 59 penalty minutes.

His 14% shooting percentage was another personal best, and he led the team in goals, power-play tallies, and shots. His impact extended to the playoffs, where he scored four goals while dressing in 16 of Abbotsford’s 24 Calder Cup games, including three game-winners, two in double overtime.

🚨DANILA KLIMOVICH, OT HERO! 😮

The fancy moves and the incredible backhand puts the Abbotsford Canucks ONE WIN away from the Calder Cup Final! They win Game 4 and take a 3-1 series lead!@abbycanucks | @Canucks#AHL #CalderCup #ProudlyAbbotsford #Canucks pic.twitter.com/g6vM8EndC1

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) June 5, 2025

These clutch performances, particularly in high-stakes moments, place a direct spotlight on his ability to deliver when given the opportunity, which has played a significant role in hindering his development over the last few years. However, fighting for a spot in and out of the lineup reflects his ongoing challenges in earning consistent trust from coaches—a hurdle he continues to face, regardless of the coach behind the bench.

When at his best, however, Klimovich’s pure scoring ability is what sets him apart from the pack. His potent snapshot combines power and precision, making him a constant threat both off the rush and from his office on the half-wall.

He has improved his skating, moving more fluidly for a player of his size, and his discipline has also progressed, but it remains a work in progress.

Using his 203-pound frame to battle for position and capitalize on rebounds. When he’s playing to his abilities, he’s engaged on the forecheck and doesn’t shy away from taking the body.

He’s just not always dialled in.

Consistency remains his biggest obstacle, and knowing which version you will get on a night-to-night basis can be challenging to predict. While he has shown he can dominate in stretches, lapses in decision-making and defensive play have kept him out of the lineup as he goes long stints without contributing to the team’s success.

It’s a classic tale of “when he’s on, it’s great.”

With all the changes in development in the world of hockey, it’s hard not to daydream about what could have been had he not been rushed into the American League fresh out of his 2021 draft.

Ceiling: Klimovich’s ceiling is that of a second-line NHL winger and power-play specialist, leveraging his elite shot and physical presence to contribute offence. Questions about his defensive reliability and consistency temper expectations, but his ability to score at any level is undeniable.

Floor: With one year remaining on his deal, it will be interesting to see what direction the club heads with him as a draft pick courtesy of the former regime. If he doesn’t get a sniff in the 2025-26 campaign, could he be a candidate to bolt and become a threat at the KHL level? That’s certainly a reality and where his floor likely stands.

ETA: At 22, he’s still young for a prospect with his experience, and his recent progress offers hope. A strong start to the 2025-26 season in Abbotsford could force the Canucks’ hand, potentially leading to his first NHL call-up. More realistically, he’ll need another whole AHL campaign to refine his two-way game, targeting a consistent NHL role, if ever, by 2026-27.

That’s our #13 spot. Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow here at CanucksArmy.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST


6IS-107-GRA_ShowPromo_727x404-FINAL-NoBetway.png


Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/cas-to...-summer-prospect-rankings-13-danila-klimovich
 
The benefits of the Canucks standing pat heading into 2025/26

A famous thinker once said, “The only that is permanent in life is impermanance.” Sounds like Plato or Descartes, right? Well, it was actually Thor from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it still reads well, and it definitely still applies to most situations, including life as a fan of the Vancouver Canucks.

GM Patrik Allvin and Co. of the Canucks made a trade earlier this past week, sending Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a fourth-round pick. It was a transaction aimed almost entirely at freeing up roster and cap space for the 2025/26 season, and it certainly accomplished that goal.

Most believe that space is going to be spent in the stretch of time between now and the opening of Training Camp 2025 in September. And they’re probably not wrong to think so. A number of free agents remain on the market, including Jack Roslovic, who the Canucks have been tied to numerous times. There’s also always the possibility of closing another summer trade.

But the option remains for the Canucks to ‘stand pat,’ so to speak, and to stick with the setup they’ve got on hand now, at least for the start of 2025/26. In fact, not only is that a possibility, but it’s a possibility with some distinct benefits for the team as a whole.

Setting Up a Competitive Training Camp


We took a look at the Canucks’ depth chart post-Joshua earlier in the week and came up with something that looks like this:


DeBrusk ($5.5M) – Pettersson ($11.6M) – Boeser ($7.25M)

Höglander ($3M) – Chytil ($4.44M) – Kane ($5.13M)

O’Connor ($2.5M) – Blueger ($1.8M – Garland ($4.95M)

Karlsson ($775K) – Räty ($775K) – Sherwood ($1.5M)

Bains ($775K)



Hughes ($7.85M) – Hronek ($7.25M)

M. Pettersson ($5.5M) – Myers ($3M)

E. Pettersson ($838K) – Willander ($950K)

Forbort ($2M) – Mancini ($870K)


Goaltending

Demko ($5M)

Lankinen ($4.5M)


And if that is indeed the same roster that makes it to September, there’s a lot to like about it.

This depth chart allows space for the Canucks’ most exciting and most accomplished young players to directly compete for – and actually earn – jobs. With this depth chart, all of Aatu Räty, Linus Karlsson, and Arshdeep Bains should make the cut, along with whichever of Tom Willander or Victor Mancini the team wants to keep up.

Injuries inevitably happen, sure, and sometimes in the preseason. Were that to occur with the depth chart, all it would mean is someone else – like a Max Sasson or a Danila Klimovich – getting an earlier shot at more NHL ice-time than anticipated.

Having a roster where the Abbotsford contingent isn’t actively blocked by a bunch of new warm bodies is a plus both for those who want to see a competitive camp and for those who wish for those players’ championship run to be justly rewarded.

Injury Call-Up Space


Speaking of injuries…

That depth chart above carries a projected cap hit of $93,225,000, once Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Ilya Mikheyev’s $5,479,167 worth of dead cap is added to the total. That leaves the Canucks with some $2,275,000 in projected cap space under the new $95,500,000 ceiling.

In our previous article, we wrote about the possibility of using this space to improve the roster, and that will probably happen at some point or another in some fashion or another.
But for the time being, that extra bit of cap space could prove quite useful when it comes to covering short-term injuries.

Remember, NHL teams only get cap relief for long-term injuries – meaning injuries of either ten games or 24 games in length, or more – and that using this relief space comes with some disadvantages, like an inability to accrue additional cap.

To cover short-term injuries and the call-ups needed to replace them, teams need at least a little extra wiggle room.

With more than $2 million in space, the Canucks could be free to call up any two players from Abbotsford at any time – so long as IR placement opens up the roster space – without having to worry about demoting anyone to clear cap.

That’s not a bad option to keep on the table all season long, if a team can manage it. Over time, that extra space can come from accrual, but early on in the season, it’s got to be carved directly out of the books.

Bonus Cushion Space


There’s also something to be said about saving cap space to accommodate various ELC performance bonuses.

The Canucks don’t have a lot of eligible bonuses around for 2024/25. The younger Elias Pettersson is a good bet to hit his full $80K. Willander famously held out for extra bonuses, and so it stands to reason that he intends to hit close to his maximum $500K. Mancini has $80K of his own, Jonathan Lekkerimäki has up to $450K, and a small handful of others could factor in at various points in the season.

If a team winds up not having enough cap space to cover earned bonuses, the cap from those bonuses can be rolled over to the next season. But that’s never ideal, and it’s always best to cover them in the present moment if possible.

As well, there can be some complications in calling someone with bonuses up mid-season. In short, when that happens and the team is using LTIR, the team needs to have enough cap on hand to cover their full array of possible bonuses – or the call-up can’t happen.

This is all avoided by simply having those players on the opening day roster, thus creating a potential bonus cushion. With lots of cap space on hand, the Canucks can engineer a roster with Willander and Lekkerimäki both on it – even if they don’t actually ‘make the team’ – and thus maintain the largest possible bonus cushion and maintain maximum call-up flexibility throughout the season.

Accruing Cap Space Over Time


You may have heard that the concept of ‘papering’ players down to the minors has ended as of the new CBA, and it’s true. Now, players re-assigned to the AHL must play at least one game there before returning. That ends the practice of the Canucks constantly re-assigning players on off-days just to accrue a little extra cap space.

Or, we should say, that ends the practice…as of 2026/27. The new CBA doesn’t kick in until after this season, so it’s back to Abbotsford business as usual for this year.

That $2,275,000 in current cap space should accrue nicely on its own. The way this works, in short, is that players acquired mid-season already have most of their cap hit off the books, so they’re easier to fit under a season-long cap of $95,500,000. To oversimplify it, if a team acquires a $10 million player with a quarter of the season left, they’ve only got to have $2.5 million of that $95.5 million available.

Were the Canucks to sit on that $2,275,000 in cap space all season long, it’d accrue to the point that they’d be able to add more than $10 million in cap space by the Trade Deadline.
That won’t actually happen, of course, with injuries, call-ups, and eventual acquisitions getting in the way. Until then, however, the Canucks can both continue to accrue and continue to do the sneaky sort of paper transactions on off-days that help them accrue even more.

For 2025/26, there aren’t nearly as many waiver-exempt individuals on hand, but there are the trio of Pettersson, Willander, and Mancini on the back-end. Expect them to be making plenty of day-trips to Abbotsford for as long as the Canucks remain in the business of accruing cap.

Keeping Room Available for In-Season Trades


This is the big one.

It stands to reason that there is not currently a 2C available for a price that the Canucks are willing to pay.

If there were, they’d probably have already paid it by now.

There are players available, of course. The aforementioned Roslovic has got plenty of attention as a forward who can play centre, albeit with limited effectiveness.

But it’s also true that more players will become available later, and that could include either a better 2C than is available now – or one of the same 2Cs, but available at a better price.

The 2024/25 season saw centres like Lars Eller, Jack Drury, Morgan Frost, JT Miller, Filip Chytil, Mikael Granlund, Trent Frederic, Yanni Gourde, Brock Nelson, Dylan Cozens, Josh Norris, Charlie Coyle, and Logan Stankoven all move via trade.

No, those aren’t all legitimate 2Cs. But it’s a lot of centres traded all the same, and enough to suggest that some more should certainly shake loose in 2025/26.

Keeping cap space, roster space, and tradeable assets on hand for the eventuality of another player becoming available seems like smart business for a team in the Canucks’ position, and they’re currently set up to do exactly that – if they don’t rush into another move just for the sake of it in the waning days of summer.

Keeping the 2026/27 Books Free and Clear


The NHL’s cap ceiling jumped more than $7 million this offseason. But the Canucks barely felt that, with the increase entirely consumed by raises to the likes of Brock Boeser, Marcus Pettersson, Nils Höglander, Drew O’Connor, and – most troubling of all – Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s buyout all conspiring to take up all that extra space and then some.

It would be nice for the Canucks to more fully take advantage of the further $8.5 million coming for the summer of 2026. They’ll have a few pending free agents at that point, like Kiefer Sherwood and Evander Kane, but nobody who is going to break the bank. There’s Thatcher Demko’s raise to consider, but it’s manageable.

As it stands now, the Canucks are set to have some $20 million or more in cap space under the $104 million projected ceiling of 2025/26. It’s not a bad thing at all to leave that space open as long as possible, so that the Canucks can have a greater opportunity to explore the myriad ways in which they might use it.

Sponsored by bet365

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/benefits-vancouver-canucks-standing-pat-heading-into-2025-26
 
Vancouver native Jayden Lee signs AHL contract with Abbotsford: report

A native son is getting the chance to join his hometown organization.

According to CanucksArmy’s Irfaan Gaffar, North Vancouver native Jayden Lee has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Abbotsford Canucks, the Vancouver Canucks’ primary affiliate.

North Vancouver’s Jayden Lee has signed with the Abbotsford Canucks. 24-year old d-man, former captain, and national champion with Quinnipiac now gets to rep his hometown organization.

— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) July 20, 2025

This is the second year in a row where the defenceman has been under an AHL deal. In 2023-24, his first season in professional hockey, he signed a deal with the Washington Capitals’ top farm club, the Hershey Bears. Yet, despite being called up to Hershey, Lee never saw the ice in an American League game.

Instead, the 24-year-old spent the entire season with the Capitals’ ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays. Lee was a solid contributor at both ends of the rink. In 48 regular season games, he scored eight goals and 24 assists for 32 points, finishing 10th on the team in scoring, second among defenders behind Connor Moore. His played helped the Stingrays win the Brabham Cup as the best team in the regular season.

However, it didn’t lead to postseason success, as South Carolina was stunned by the Orlando Solar Bears in the South Division Semifinals, losing in seven games. Lee scored two goals and an assist in the series.

Prior to turning pro, Lee had a fruitful career playing at the university level in the United States. He played five years at Quinnipiac University, being a solid defensive force for one of the top teams in the ECAC. In 2022-23, the former Powell River King was part of the Bobcat squad that took down the University of Minnesota, in thrilling fashion, to win the program’s first NCAA Championship.

Lee’s best season at Quinnipiac, individually, came in his fifth year. While captaining the team in 2023-24, he posted a career-high 23 assists and 26 points. Lee was named First Team All-ECAC as the Bobcats won the conference regular-season title for the fifth year in a row.

Lee’s experience representing his region dates to his minor hockey days. Along with playing for the BC Junior Canucks at the 2011 Brick Invitational, he played for the North Shore Winter Club at the 2013 and 2014 Quebec PeeWee Tournament.

Lee joins a team in Abbotsford that is coming off winning the Calder Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancou...-signs-ahl-contract-abbotsford-canucks-report
 
CA’s top 20 Canucks summer prospect rankings: #10 Vilmer Alriksson

We are back with the 2025 summer edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.

Today, we present to you our 10th-ranked player in the system, a towering “diamond in the rough” Swede, who combines a 6-foot-6 frame with solid skating and soft hands in tight.

Our previously ranked prospects:


If you’re curious about our ranking criteria, you can find them in our HM installment.

Vilmer Alriksson


Team: Abbotsford Canucks | Age: 20 | Position: Left Wing | Height: 6’6″ | Weight: 234 lbs | Shoots: Left | Drafted: Round four, 107 overall, 2023 | Mid-season rank: 8

The time has come for us to see Vilmer Alriksson, one of the Canucks’ most intriguing prospects, make his professional debut.

With two years of OHL experience under his belt, he’s expected to make the jump to the professional ranks on a full-time basis and will push for a role on the Abbotsford Cnaucks this fall.

Alriksson’s 2024-25 season began with a strong impression at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton, where he tied for the points lead and helped Vancouver to a 3-0 record. His poise carried into the Canucks’ main camp, where he earned two NHL preseason games, logging 19:15 of ice time, delivering six hits, and even dropping the gloves against veteran John Hayden after a heavy hit on Seattle’s Logan Morrison.

Vilmer Alriksson drops the gloves with John Hayden! 🥊🥊

🎥: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/4v3M2U0U55

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) September 25, 2024

If you weren’t familiar with his game by then, you sure were now.

That month-long audition secured his entry-level contract before he returned to the OHL’s Guelph Storm.

“Vilmer had a solid training camp and continues to develop and improve,” Patrik Allvin said in a statement released by the team. “We really like his size, skating ability and skillset, and we will continue to monitor his progress and work with him this year to help Vilmer get ready to take another step forward in his hockey career.”

Despite the Storm’s rough start, losing nine of their first 10 games, Alriksson was a bright spot, posting 11 goals and 23 points in 26 games by the Christmas break.

Looking to bulk up for a Memorial Cup run, the Brampton Steelheads acquired his rights mid-season, where he joined top prospects like Porter Martone and Carson Rehkopf.

Despite enjoying similar usage, both at even strength and power play, while playing alongside an impressive line of players, his transition to the new system was somewhat slow. He managed 11 points in 17 games.

That said, at 6-foot-6 and 234 pounds, he’s a towering presence, using his long reach and strength to dominate board battles and protect the puck. His soft hands allow him to weave through traffic, creating space for himself and teammates with deft moves that belie his massive frame.

Vilmer Alriksson, 6'6, leverages his reach for excellent puck protection, combining that with slick hands. #Canucks

I'd like to see him use his size more assertively this year, both in his inside drives and board battles. Yet, overall, the potential is undeniably intriguing. pic.twitter.com/jsjhMHxORp

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) September 20, 2024

While not a dynamic scorer, he’s a dual-threat forward, capable of finishing from distance or in tight, with most goals coming around the net. Although his game could use some more edge, his physical frame stands out each shift. His hits and one-on-one battles make him a force, and his board work is among the best in Vancouver’s prospect pool. Canucks fans, familiar with the value of strong board play, will appreciate his ability to win puck battles and maintain possession.

Consistency has been an ongoing issue throughout his career, so we expect his professional transition to encounter some bumps along the way. Then again, a structured system such as Manny Malhotra’s could be just what the doctor ordered for him to find his footing as a full-season player.

As Alriksson transitions to Abbotsford in 2025-26, his physical maturity may give him an edge in the AHL, where his size and strength could overwhelm opponents. His skating, while solid for his size, isn’t elite, but it’s functional enough to keep pace. Improving his consistency and refining his defensive game will be key to unlocking his full potential.

With 67 points (32 goals, 35 assists) in 110 OHL games, he’s unlikely to be an offensive dynamo, but his combination of size, hands, and grit offers a strong foundation for a pro career.

Ceiling: Considering that Alriksson is a fourth-round project, we do our best not to get too carried away when it comes to his ceiling. There’s still a long road ahead for him to realize any said potential. Yet, with the unique mixture of size, skating ability, and hands, there are certainly some intriguing qualities. We look at players such as Alexei Protas in Washington, who broke out at 24 years old, and St. Louis’ Alexei Toropchenko, whose ceiling we can’t help but figure lies somewhere in between the two.

Floor: At worst, he’s a reliable AHL contributor or SHL mainstay, leveraging his physicality to carve out a professional career.

ETA: He will transition to Abbotsford in 2025-26, where we get a better feel for how his game transitions on a full-time basis. Consistency has been an area of need even at the Junior level, so how he fares in the AHL will be a telling sign. If all goes well, we envision him as a call-up option as soon as Spring 2026 with a year or two of full-time development in Abbotsford.

That’s our #10 spot. Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow here at CanucksArmy.

PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST


6IS-107-GRA_ShowPromo_727x404-FINAL-NoBetway.png


Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.

Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/cas-to...-summer-prospect-rankings-10-vilmer-alriksson
 
Back
Top