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Filip Hronek’s agent says NHL expansion is coming to Houston and Atlanta

David Quadrelli — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 17:30:38 GMT

Allan Walsh has never really been one to mince words.

The agent of Vancouver Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek — and a long list of other NHL clients — took to Twitter/X on Thursday evening to offer up a bit of information regarding NHL expansion.

“NHL expansion is coming. Houston and Atlanta,” Walsh wrote in response to an NHL expansion-related report from Sports Illustrated’s Jennifer Streeter.

NHL expansion is coming. Houston and Atlanta. https://t.co/IgKcYEaJxp

— Allan Walsh🏒 (@walsha) August 7, 2026

The last NHL expansion team was the Seattle Kraken in 2021. Before that, it was the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017. Prior to Vegas, it was the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, who joined the league ahead of the 2000-01 season.

Many fans have already expressed concern with the idea of the league adding more expansion teams, with most citing worries of a lack of competitive balance and a worsening of the NHL product as a result.

Atlanta… third time’s a charm?

If the NHL does indeed expand to Atlanta, it would be the third time the league has tried to make Georgia’s capital work. The NHL’s first venture in Atlanta, the Flames (1972–1980), failed due to dwindling attendance and financial struggles, forcing a move to Calgary. The Thrashers (1999–2011) collapsed under poor management, dysfunction within the Atlanta Spirit ownership group, and poor on-ice performance, ultimately leading to the team relocating to Winnipeg to become the second NHL version of the Winnipeg Jets in 2011. Atlanta has been rumoured as a possible expansion destination for quite some time now, with multiple ownership groups proposing new arena developments.

Ex-Canuck Anson Carter is involved in the effort to bring the NHL back to Atlanta as well. In March 2024, Carter officially spearheaded a group called Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment (ASE) and submitted a formal request to the NHL to initiate an expansion process for Metro Atlanta. Carter, who has lived in Atlanta since 2009, previously purchased a minority stake in the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators in 2022 and, according to Carter in a 2019 interview, he has been discussing expansion possibilities with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman since 2019.

Austin or Houston?

While we’d heard more concrete information about Atlanta for a while now, we haven’t heard much more than rumours about Austin, and by extension, Houston. The state of Texas already has a team to root for in the Dallas Stars — owned by Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi — but will they get another?

Dan Friedkin (head of The Friedkin Group, which owns soccer clubs AS Roma and Everton FC) has emerged as the primary prospective owner for another Texas-based NHL team, and it appears based on Walsh’s tweet that Houston has won the battle with Austin to be selected as the team’s location. In late June, Bettman announced that the NHL entered a formal evaluation period with Friedkin to examine the feasibility of adding a 33rd franchise to Texas. This gave Friedkin exclusive rights to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a 33rd NHL franchise in South Texas.

Adding teams to Atlanta and Houston would bring the NHL up from 32 teams to 34 teams, and it will be interesting to see where the process goes from here. For now, it seems that *checks notes again* Filip Hronek’s agent is someone we should be paying close attention to for the latest rumblings.

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Another year of growth is the goal and expectation for Tom Willander in 2026-27

Jacob Fraser — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:00:06 GMT

Tom Willander’s rookie season with the Vancouver Canucks was full of ups and downs. That’s to be expected, though, for a young defenceman. The team was terrible, and the defensive environment on the ice was not conducive to success.

However, there were positives to take away from his first season. For starters, Willander wasn’t even expected to play the full year. He began the year in Abbotsford, where he played only five games before making the jump to Vancouver. And never looked back, finishing the year with 70 NHL games played. There were some flashes. He showed his skating and puck-moving ability. Not everything was pretty all the time, but at least fans got some flashes of a future top-four defenceman in his game.

Now, with that being said, this season is about continuing to develop and becoming more consistent. It’s tough for a young player to make the jump to the NHL from the NCAA. Going from playing weekend games to a full 82-game schedule, which now becomes 84, more consistency night in and night out should be expected in year two from Willander.

Last year, Willander spent most of the season paired alongside veteran defenceman Marcus Pettersson. This year he’ll likely be stapled alongside Canuck free agency signing Jamie Oleksiak. Having another big, defensively minded veteran partner to lean on should be a big help for Willander as he develops his game. Although he did have a similar partner last season, with the team’s new coaching staff focused on young player development, he should be insulated and given the freedom to explore the offensive side of his game while having the ability to make mistakes.

With the defensive system under Adam Foote last season, mistakes were much more costly because of the team’s man-on-man style of play. Assuming the team plays a style similar to what Manny Malhotra deployed in Abbotsford last year, someone like Willander should be able to make more mistakes that won’t be as costly for the team.

While it’s difficult to fault Willander for his point totals last season, 21 in 70 games is actually half-decent production from a rookie blueliner. Though adding an expectation for point totals seems a bit redundant for a second-year defenceman, it would be good to see an increase, especially if he becomes more of a regular on the power play.

So, with a desire for him to increase his point totals, and taking into consideration what the team should look like systemically on the ice, let’s dive into Willander’s goals and expectations for the 2026-27 season.

Meeting expectations: 25 points while playing top four minutes.

The point totals aren’t the important piece of this; it’s the minutes. Last season, Willander averaged 16:59 per night. Following the departure of Tyler Myers, Willander saw an increase in time on ice. With the Canucks only addition on the right side being Luke Schenn, we expect he will be the one to fill that second-pairing role while Schenn takes the third pair and penalty killing minutes.

Filip Hronek will still take the brunt of the load on the right side, but having Willander there to take around 18 or 19 minutes a night would be a good step for the young defenceman. That being said, taking that ice time is one thing; while we do want him to succeed in that role, the most realistic expectation is that he’s fine in this role. He doesn’t need to become a legit top four defenceman in order to meet expectations. We just want to see that he’s capable of playing those minutes and not looking completely out of place, as he did at times last season.

This amount of ice time will inherently come with tougher matchups, so seeing him hold his own consistently would be a big step for Willander in year two.

Exceeding expectations: 30 points while becoming a legit top-four defenceman

Once again, the point totals are secondary. Exceeding expectations in this scenario is not just filling a top-four role, but thriving in it.

This doesn’t mean Willander needs to become this superstar defenceman who can go out and shut down Connor McDavid. It just means he can become a second-pairing defenceman who can eat up 20 minutes a night and look in control while he’s on the ice.

To exceed expectations, we want to see Willander consistently in control. Whether it’s in the defensive zone, showing his ability to fend off opposing team’s players, keeping the danger away from the Canucks net or in the offensive end, jumping up into the play and getting in on the offence.

This team is very young defensively. So if he’s able to step up and stand out amongst his teammates, such as Elias Pettersson, Jamie Olesiak and Luke Schenn, while becoming the team’s bona fide third-best defenceman, that would be a big plus for Willander and the Canucks future on the backend.

Below expectations: 15 points while playing third-pairing minutes

Any kind of regression for Willander would be below expectations; that’s obvious. That being said, it would also be a disappointment if he had to be extremely sheltered all season long. The fact that he’ll likely be playing with Oleksiak means he’s already going to have some insulation, and that’s a good thing for a young defenceman. But it’s going to be a difficult thing to see if, on top of that, he’s having to matchup against other teams’ bottom sixes because he can’t be relied on defensively.

We want to see Willander take on some tougher matchups and be relied upon defensively here and there, so if Malhotra has no trust in the young Swede, that is going to be well below expectations heading into this season.

On top of that, it would be great to see Willander getting some power play time. But if he’s untrustworthy at five-on-five, he likely wouldn’t be rewarded with those opportunities, which in turn could stunt his offensive growth.

Overall, what we want to see from Willander is him becoming a solidified top three defenceman on this team. It’s going to take a fairly big step to do so, but with a new coach and new systems, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

He doesn’t need to be a superstar this year, but we’d like to see him take the next step in his growth and develop a more consistent game. If that happens, then this season will certainly be a success for Willander.

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31 days, 31 questions: Who might be getting forgotten about in Canucks’ 2026-27 roster talk?

Stephan Roget — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:00:05 GMT

No matter how long the hockey-less summer gets, no matter how deep into the dog days we are, there’s always something more to talk about in the world of the Vancouver Canucks, and there’s always something not being talked about.

Even though we’ve spent hours upon hours talking about the potential roster for the Canucks in the upcoming 2026-27 season, there’s still plenty left unsaid, and at this point, there are some names that probably haven’t been mentioned near enough.

This is a collection of some of those names and why they might be slipping through the cracks of attention.

Ilya Safonov

It’s easy to see how the 25-year-old Safonov has been lost in the shuffle of a bunch of younger and more exciting prospects. But he’s the exact sort of incoming talent that Vancouver fans would have obsessed about the potential of in years past. A few summers ago, we probably would have talked about Safonov too much.

There’s an awful lot to like right off the bat with a 6’4” centre who was acquired for free by the Canucks after the Chicago Blackhawks drafted but did not sign him. Safonov had been playing in the KHL since his teens and most recently posted a season of 16 goals and 33 points in 68 games. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but they’ve been achieved in a top pro league. And most of Safonov’s key traits are those that will serve him well in a bottom-six role, anyway, including his physicality, netfront presence, and ability to win faceoffs.

So long as Safonov’s game translates decently well to North America, he looks like an excellent candidate to be the Canucks’ fourth line centre. He might even be the leading candidate. If Braeden Cootes goes to the NHL, the Canucks’ top three centres should be Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, and Aatu Räty. The fourth spot, then, would come down to a battle between Ty Mueller (who is still waiver-exempt), Matthew Stienburg (who we’ll mention later in this article), and Safonov. And while Safonov will remain a bit of a mystery box until he hits North American ice, for now he seems like the candidate with the most potential to make an impact in both the short- and long-term at that position.

Victor Mancini

Mancini gets mentioned in most roster mock-ups, so he’s not exactly forgotten. But usually, he’s pencilled in as an extra defender on the right side behind the trio of Filip Hronek, Tom Willander, and Luke Schenn. There’s no real doubt that Mancini’s NHL time for the Canucks has been a bit of a letdown, and that’s caused him to drop in the estimation of most. But perhaps it’s been too far of a drop, and folks might now be underestimating his remaining potential.

Mancini wasn’t just a part of the return for JT Miller; he was a key part and perhaps the key-est. Filip Chytil was always a risky acquisition. The first-round pick was nice, but was quickly dispatched for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor. Mancini is the piece that the Canucks zeroed in on as the ‘future asset’ they wanted out of this trade, and at the time, it was easy to see why. (In fact, this author, in particular, didn’t believe the Rangers would even put Mancini on the table, and said so.)

He was an astonishingly quick riser for the Rangers. Mancini was drafted in the fifth round at 159^th overall in 2022. He played two more years in the NCAA before joining the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL for a 10-game playoff run. And then, in his first actual NHL camp as a recent fifth-round pick, Mancini really beat the odds and made the team outright. He’d go on to play 15 games for the Rangers in that season before being sent down to the AHL and then subsequently traded to Vancouver.

Sure, Mancini hasn’t looked great in his 40 games for Vancouver so far. But he’s already made up so much ground so quickly in his career, it makes sense for him to hit a lull at some point. There’s nothing to say he’s done rising permanently, and his play in Abbotsford suggests there is still plenty of untapped potential here.

Everyone expects Mancini to make the team, but what might be getting overlooked is the chance that he could take yet another big step forward and actually make an impact on the lineup. There’s still a real shot that he can push Schenn out of the lineup on a lot of nights.

Filip Chytil

Speaking of that Miller trade…

The topic of Chytil is a complex and nuanced one. It’s tough to separate those who don’t believe he has much of a playing future in the NHL with those who hope he doesn’t for the sake of his own health. This author has certainly been guilty of leaving Chytil out of the discussion simply because it’s easier to do so.

In the end, however, that distinction comes down to Chytil and his personal decisions. And all indications are that Chytil is healthy again, skating again, and planning on a 2026-27 comeback.

It must be said that Chytil has been pretty good on the ice for the Canucks. Sure, nine points in 27 games is nothing to write home about, but the eye test has reflected well on Chytil and especially his ability to move the puck up and around the ice. If he’s healthy all the way through Training Camp, then Chytil will make the team and earn a spot on the top-nine on the merit of his talent alone. Probably on the wing, but then a return to centre is always still possible.

And if he manages to stay healthy well into the season itself, then the conversation around Chytil will begin to change. At this point, it’s hard to imagine the rebuilding Canucks making any sort of long-term investment in a 27-year-old with his injury history, but perhaps Chytil could turn into a reasonable trade asset with a long enough run here.

Arshdeep Bains

Some may already have forgotten that Bains made the Canucks out of camp last year and played 28 games (with five points) before being sent back down to Abbotsford for the rest of the year.

It didn’t really go all that well for Bains at the NHL level, and despite some early positive underlying numbers, he mostly struggled to keep up with the pace of the league. But it’s been a long summer, and Bains has had time to work on some things. Most seem to be discounting his chances of making another run at the team in camp, but maybe they shouldn’t be.

Bains, after scoring 24 points in 24 playoff games en route to the Calder Cup in 2025, has to be a Manny Malhotra favourite, to some extent. If any coach is going to see the best in Bains and believe in him, it’s Malhotra.

Does that give Bains a leg-up when it comes to making the team? Probably not, with camp set to be so competitive, but it at least gives him as good a chance as anyone. Bains has the potential to put himself back into a conversation that he’s fallen out of with a good summer and an even better camp.

Matthew Stienburg

Another new face. As of this writing, Stienburg is the Canucks’ most recent acquisition, signed on July 2, a day after the Free Agent Frenzy began.

The 25-year-old from Halifax has only played eight NHL games to date, and scored zero NHL points, but is an interesting player all the same. Standing at 6’1” and a little under 200 pounds, Stienburg doesn’t look like a bruiser, nor does he have an inordinate amount of PIMs. But he’s said to be one of those players who hits everything that moves as hard as he can, and who plays with a sort of reckless abandon, as evidenced by his decision to fight (and beat!) Nikita Zadorov in his first NHL game.

That’s the sort of gumption the Canucks need in their lineup, and it’s easy enough to imagine Stienburg standing out in camp and preseason with a Kiefer Sherwood-esque showing, and making the team as a result. Of all the so-called “AHL signings” the Canucks made this summer, Stienburg stands out as the one most likely to spend time as an NHL player this year.

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31 days, 31 questions: Who is going to play with Elias Pettersson?

Tyson Cole — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:00:18 GMT

Welcome to a new series here at CanucksArmy, where over the month of August, we’ll ask a new question each day about the Vancouver Canucks. We’re calling it “31 days, 31 questions”. Today, on August 6th, we will explore who will play with Elias Pettersson for this upcoming season.

It’s been a tough last two seasons for Elias Pettersson. After earning an eight-year, $11.6 million AAV extension following a 100-point campaign in 2022-23, and another over-a-point-per-game season in 2023-24, the Swedish centre has “lost his fastball” offensively.

In his first year with his big boy contract, Pettersson battled injury, scoring just 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games. It was a disappointing season, but was excused by many due to a year filled with off-ice issues. The 2025-26 season was supposed to be a fresh start, where Pettersson could bounce back to the player Canucks fans were used to seeing. But as we all know, that didn’t happen.

Pettersson played 10 more games but scored the same number of goals (15) and only improved his point total by six (51). Many like to point to his defensive game and how much that has improved, but strictly defensive players don’t get paid what Pettersson is making.

There’s been a clear decline in his skating speed, ability to drive play, and willingness to attack the middle of the ice and to challenge opponents downhill on his own. That’s on him and explains the decline in play. However, it’s fair to question whether Pettersson has truly been put in the best situations over the past two years in order to produce like the player he once was.

Over the last two seasons, Pettersson hasn’t necessarily been given the elite linemates to help him out of his funk. The old regime thought they found Pettersson his forever winger in Jake DeBrusk, signing him to a seven-year, $5.5 million AAV contract in the 2024 offseason. However, the two haven’t necessarily gelled as many would believe.

As a result, we saw DeBrusk float around other linemates throughout last season. DeBrusk was still Pettersson’s most common linemate; however, Evander Kane, who is still searching for a new team, was not far behind. After that, Conor Garland, Drew O’Connor, Brock Boeser, and Linus Karlsson were the other players to play at least 150 5v5 minutes on Pettersson’s wing.

Don’t get it twisted, Garland and Boeser are serviceable wingers who have shown flashes with Pettersson, but that chemistry wittled away once the centreman started declining.

However, when an organization is paying a player $11.6 million annually, it shouldn’t matter who said player is playing with. They are expected to carry their own line and help their linemates succeed. But as we’ve covered here earlier in the week, it’s time to set new expectations for Elias Pettersson.

All who watch the Canucks closely are rooting for a Pettersson bounce-back. However, after what we’ve seen over the past two seasons, it doesn’t appear that he’s going to make that happen on his own. With that in mind, we’re posing the question: who is going to play with Elias Pettersson in 2026-27?

As currently constructed, here are Daily Faceoff’s projected forward lines for the Canucks next season:

Daily Faceoff has DeBrusk and Karlsson slated to flank either side of Pettersson’s line.

As we’ve already touched on, Pettersson and DeBrusk just haven’t fully clicked, but as of now, he likely is the favourite to start the year on Pettersson’s left side – that is if he isn’t traded by then.

The right side is the bigger question mark. Did Karlsson have a breakout rookie campaign? Absolutely. Is he ready for top-line deployment against top opposition while hovering between 18-20 minutes on a nightly basis? That might be asking a little much from the 26-year-old. Over his 79 games last season, Karlsson played over 18 minutes just once. And while he was one of the only success stories from last season, he still only produced 35 points.

Second-line wingers such as Liam Öhgren and Brock Boeser seem to be pretty locked in to flank Marco Rossi next season after developing strong chemistry throughout last season. That really only leaves two other options: Drew O’Connor and Jonathan Lekkerimäki.

O’Connor and Pettersson played just under 200 5v5 minutes together last season, but the numbers don’t suggest they necessarily gelled together. With those two on the ice at 5v5 last season, the Canucks did a fine job generating offence, generating more scoring chances and expected goals for than they allowed. However, they couldn’t capitalize as they were outscored 9-3.

The value of O’Connor playing with Pettersson is that he brings the speed that the centreman has lost over the last two seasons. The worry, however, lies in their ability to capitalize on their chances. That’s where Lekkerimäki could be the perfect complement to that line as the clear sniper. However, like the worries with Karlsson, Lekkerimäki is even more unproven than Karlsson at the NHL level. He’s had enough trouble sticking in the NHL, whether that’s performance- or injury-related.

Given how the forward group is currently constructed, there don’t appear to be clear linemates who will help Pettersson break out of his two-year slump. But what do you think, Canucks fans? Who would be your ideal linemates for Elias Pettersson in 2026-27? Let us know in the comments below!

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Can Linus Karlsson take another step forward after strong rookie season?

Jeff Paterson — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 18:00:13 GMT

Let Linus Karlsson play.

That seems like it should be one of Manny Malhotra’s mantras in his first season as Vancouver Canucks head coach. Not only is Malhotra familiar with Karlsson’s game from their fruitful time together in Abbotsford, but with his play last season, the 26-year-old Swede has earned more opportunities to show what he can do in the National Hockey League.

Karlsson had a share of the Canucks team lead with 13 goals at 5-on-5 last season and added two more on the power play. More than that, he was the most productive Canuck at even strength, registering a team-high 31 points. With his rangy frame, he has shown a willingness to engage in board and netfront battles and somehow finds a way to more than hold his own.

As he established himself, Karlsson went from a season low of just 6:49 of ice time in a November 26th game in Anaheim to logging a career-high 18:05 just three months later on March 28th in Calgary.

Karlsson caught fire around the holiday season and scored five times in a six-game span between December 20th and January 2nd. That prompted the Canucks to sign Karlsson to a two-year contract extension worth $2.25M per season.

His overall production as an NHL rookie came with Max Sasson and Teddy Blueger as his most frequent linemates at 5-on-5. It begs the question of what might be possible if Karlsson gets the opportunity he’s looking for to play significant minutes in the team’s top six. As it stands now, the Canucks need to figure out how they want to deploy their right wingers, with Brock Boeser, Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Brendan Gallagher filling out the depth chart at that position. With Boeser showing some late-season chemistry with Marco Rossi, it may come down to a battle between Karlsson and Lekkerimäki for the opportunity to lineup alongside Elias Pettersson to start the season.

Exceeding expectations: Karlsson reaches the 20-goal mark and finishes among team leaders in goals scored

The coach-player relationship is going to be interesting to follow given how well Karlsson performed for Malhotra on Abbotsford’s run to the 2025 Calder Cup title. After scoring 23 times in 32 regular season AHL games, Karlsson led the Canucks with 14 more in 24 playoff contests. That’s a total of 37 goals in 56 games that season. Buoyed by that performance, Karlsson made the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis for the first time last season, and the hope now is that there is no looking back.

Without question, Karlsson brings an honest effort to the rink night in and night out and seems to understand how he has to play to be successful. The biggest question now is whether there is more in his game at this stage of his career or whether this is as good as it will get.

A scorer at every other level, Karlsson has shown flashes of that form in his brief time with the Canucks. With more power play opportunities, perhaps there will be more production to come.

Meeting expectations: Karlsson scores 12-15 goals and adds penalty killing duties to round out his NHL skill set

Whatever the case, where last season Karlsson was pencilled in as a bottom-of-the-lineup contributor, he’s shown he can be more than that. He seems to be a lock to make the hockey club out of training camp this time around, and now it’s up to Manny Malhotra to see if he can unlock another level to Karlsson’s production in the NHL.

It also stands to reason that, given his size, Karlsson could be a disruptive penalty killer at the NHL level. He saw just 2:02 of shorthanded ice time last season, so he wasn’t part of the club’s penalty killing deployment. But the Canucks were dead last in the league on the PK, and with the departure of players like Teddy Blueger, Conor Garland and Kiefer Sherwood, the Canucks will need to develop some internal candidates. Perhaps Karlsson can fit the bill.

Below expectations: Fewer than 12 goals and looking like a one-hit wonder

With one solid NHL season under his belt and a new contract in his back pocket, Linus Karlsson needs to build on what he accomplished last year. One area to watch with Karlsson is consistency. He needs to find a way to bring more of it to the mix. He went his first 13 games of last season (albeit with limited ice time) without scoring. His first goal of the season came on November 9th against the Colorado Avalanche. He also scored in just one of the team’s final 14 games down the stretch (a two-goal performance against the Utah Mammoth on April 4th). Now that he has a baseline for success in the NHL, he needs to find ways to avoid the lengthy stretches where he was a non-factor.

In a full rebuild, a player like Linus Karlsson should get ample opportunity to perform. It’s going to be interesting to observe what he does with his chances and whether he takes another step forward or suffers any kind of sophomore step back.

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Why has the last month been so slow for the Vancouver Canucks?

Stephan Roget — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:00:45 GMT

To say that the Vancouver Canucks have had a slow offseason wouldn’t just be a misstatement; it’d be an outright inaccuracy. Since officially closing out the 2025-26 campaign, the Canucks have changed most of their front office, replaced their coaching staff, drafted nine players, signed eleven contracts, and completed four trades.

That’s plenty of action. In most years, that’s more than a whole summer’s worth.

But the last of these transactions came on July 2, 2026, the day after the Free Agent Frenzy, when the team signed Matthew Stienburg to a one-year, two-way deal. It’s been radio silence from the team in the more-than-a-month since, and there’s no denying that it’s led to this offseason feeling a bit…slower than expected.

Why might that be? As usual, there are a few different answers to be found.

First and foremost, the Canucks have got their business done as early as possible, and often ahead of time. Really, this goes back to the Rutherford Regime, and if you’re going to give that front office for anything, it’s probably proactivity. The Canucks managed to trade Quinn Hughes at essentially the exact right time. The same goes for Conor Garland, dealt near the Trade Deadline, right before his no-movement clause was about to kick in.

Were the Canucks still trying to negotiate the departures of Hughes, now less than a year away from unrestricted free agency, and Garland, who now has a full NMC, then this summer would indeed be a lot busier. But busier and a lot more stressful. Most can be grateful that it’s the Minnesota Wild dealing with the Hughes extension drama at this point in time, and that the Canucks have firmly moved in a different direction.

This trend has largely continued under Ryan Johnson, though that may be a matter of natural sequence, as some moves just needed to happen ahead of others. Management needed to be replaced ASAP because the new management needed time to prepare for the draft and the offseason. You needed the new management in place to fire the old coaches, and you needed new coaches in place before free agency hit, because who’s going to sign on a team with no coach? With that all taken care of, the draft and Free Agent Frenzy each came in turn.

That said, there were a few instances where Johnson and Co. were genuinely proactive. Trading Marcus Pettersson for a far-flung first round pick in anticipation of Jamie Oleksiak becoming available as a Pettersson replacement via free agency? That’s a proactive move, in contrast to signing Oleksiak first and then spending all summer shopping Pettersson around. It might lead to a quieter kind of summer, as it has, but that’s a trade-off worth making.

The Canucks could even be said to have spent some of this offseason proactively laying down tracks for an eventual sale at the Trade Deadline, which is really thinking ahead.

Speaking of which, another reason why the Canucks haven’t done much in the past month is that none of what they have left to do has much time-related pressure attached to it. Yes, there are still a few things on the agenda, and few feel as though the Canucks are ‘done.’ But with the rebuild, the franchise is officially on a long-view, and there’s just nothing else that has to get done this summer.

Many are expecting more trades of veterans eventually, and especially so in the case of Jake DeBrusk. But nothing says that has to happen in any sort of immediate future. DeBrusk isn’t anywhere close to a detriment on the ice, and for the time being, still provides ample veteran insulation for the younger Canucks. He’s also, as we’ve pointed out, a fairly consistent player, year-to-year, and not someone who is likely to lose much trade value over the next season or two.

In fact, after DeBrusk’s very odd 2025-26, in which he produced a preposterous amount of his points on the power play and very little at five-on-five, any return to a more normal stat line in 2026-27 probably increases his trade value.

Long story short, the difference in what the Canucks might get back for DeBrusk now, or in-season, or at the trade deadline, or even next offseason, is relatively minimal. And so, it’s not just fine for the Canucks to sit around and wait for a great offer; it’s probably the wise choice.

You can apply similar thinking to most of the remaining vets on the roster. They’re all, for one, players who management seems fine keeping around as mentor-types for the next generation, at least on a short-term basis. They’re also a bunch who stand to either maintain or increase their personal trade values throughout the 2026-27 season. You’ve got the likes of Elias Pettersson, so badly in need of further rebounding, but unlikely to bottom out any harder. You’ve got mid-range ‘vets’ like Marco Rossi and Linus Karlsson still on an upward trend. You’ve got Filip Hronek, who likely won’t be traded until a future year when his NMC has run dry. And then you’ve got a bunch on short-term, expiring deals who would likely be dealt closer to the deadline, if anything, like Paul Cotter, Brendan Gallagher, Drew O’Connor, or Luke Schenn.

There are some exceptions to this general rule. Filip Chytil remains a question mark, likely to be allowed this final year of his contract before being quietly let go, but unlikely to be traded unless he sees a serious return to health. Brock Boeser, in specific, seems likely to lose trade value as he continues to age, and so if the team were planning to trade him, sooner would be better than later, but they don’t seem too motivated to do that.

For the most part, the Canucks are more than content to sit with what they have and only make trades when the time is right.

If there’s an area of the roster where they’re not exactly content, it’s probably the crease, but there, the Canucks options are limited. At this point, they kind of have to wait and see how Thatcher Demko’s latest comeback goes, and until the result of that is known, the whole situation is frozen. The Canucks seem set on hanging on to Kevin Lankinen as a reliable backup, and if Demko were to re-injure himself or need more time, the team would still want to have Nikita Tolopilo on hand. The Canucks might move one of these three goalies eventually, but that will have to come after at least a little of training camp has played out.

The final reason to which we’ll attribute the slow past month is going to be the most important, and it’s that the small handful of actual time-pressing tasks left to the Canucks are by far their most complicated. And when we say this, we primarily mean the contract extension for Zeev Buium – though Liam Öhgren and the younger Elias Pettersson are also extension-eligible, and deserve some mention.

That Buium extension will be the most consequential contract the Canucks have signed since Hughes was eligible for his second contract. And the Canucks need to do better this time around. Buium became extension-eligible as of July 1, but they’ve only got until September 15 to sign him to an eight-year deal. After that, the new CBA takes hold, and the maximum is reduced to seven years.

Given the outrageous developments with RFA contracts around the league, the Canucks have to see this as an opportunity to lock up their most important asset with a long-term contract that is almost guaranteed to age well. The fact that Buium is not offer-sheet-eligible now but would be in any future RFA summer only adds to the need.

But at the same time, Buium and his camp have to be aware of how rapidly RFA salaries are escalating league-wide. Though their negotiating ability is limited, there’s no reason for them to not be asking for at least an increased portion of the pie.

It’s a complex and nuanced negotiation, is what we’re saying. And it’s one the Canucks have to get right. That takes time, and if it takes the entire summer, it’ll have been time well spent. In other words, the thing they’re taking the longest with is the thing they should be taking the longest with. As we get closer to September, we can begin discussing the notion of running out of time, but we’re still a good six weeks away from that.

In the end, though it’s made for a boring month, the reasons why business has been so slow around the Canucks of late are largely positive ones. Getting stuff done early, and ensuring that the team isn’t operating under the gun of any self-imposed deadlines, is no doubt of great benefit.

Would another trade be greatly welcomed at this point? Absolutely, if only for something else to talk about. But one doesn’t need to happen anytime soon, and that’s the point here.

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WDYTT: Who is the current fan favourite Canuck?

Stephan Roget — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 14:00:30 GMT

Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet with a built-in fascinator.

Speaking of fascinating, we had a bit of a fascinating thought to share and explore this week, and it has to do with fan favourites.

The Vancouver Canucks have been blessed with a lot of great players and a lot of likeable players over the decades. It’s never been too tough to guess who the fan favourites might be, whether that be some of the true superstars, like Trevor Linden, Pavel Bure, Markus Naslund, and the Sedins, or some of the big personalities, like Stan Smyl, Curt Fraser, Tiger Williams, Kevin Bieksa, or Rick Rypien.

Until now, that is. The Canucks have undergone a lot of change and a lot of letdown of late. Several of the players who fans might have previously listed as their favourites, like JT Miller, Quinn Hughes, and Conor Garland, are all out the door. Those previous favourites who remain are tinged with disappointment and underperformance.

It’s got to the point where we look at the current roster and have no real idea who fans would list as their favourites here.

So, we thought we might as well ask.

This week, we’re keeping it relatively simple and making as much of a poll as an inquiry.

This week, we’re asking:

Who is your current favourite Canucks player?

Let it be known in the comment section.

Last week, we asked:

Who is your dark horse to make the Canucks out of Training Camp 2026?

You answered below!

Carlos:

Mine is Vilmer Alriksson.

Reubenkincade:

Novotny.

Tanksalot:

I think we’ll see Chase Wouters in a few games to start the season.

Captain Tank:

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

Trey Fix-Wolansky. RW, had 31 goals in the AHL last year. More importantly, he’s 5’7 and 194lbs, a cannonball on skates. I’d like to see him crack the lineup, he’d be fun to watch.

CoconutsGrow:

Hoping for Tolopilo… either Demko or Lankinen need to move on, preferably Lankinen before camp breaks, so Demko can rebuild some trade value. Last thing we need is Demko meddling with the season-long punt for DuPont.

nuxlander:

Is Mancini considered a dark horse? A lot of people seem to have written him off – seems like a case of all the tools there, just have to get the toolbox in order.

RagnarokOroboros:

Adam Novotný is my dark horse to make the team. He has a man’s frame and some NHL-ready skills. Of course he could use some more development, but I think he will surprise people.

Not Quite Dead Yet:

Prediction: someone not in the organization yet will be claimed off of preseason waivers and then will be kept on the active roster for opening night, annoying fans who wanted their own favorite prospect to get that spot instead of the waiver claim.

DerekP63:

Safonov. If his size and faceoff skill translates to the NHL, then I think he may get a look. Next would be Cootes getting another look. After those two, I’m not sure any have a realistic shot at the roster this season.

Harold Drunken:

Riley Patterson. I know he’s a 20 year old right shot center, but if Johnny Lekks doesn’t come to camp ready to earn a spot, Pattersson might get his shot on right wing.

Rickster64:

Great question, it’s nice to have some prospects and tweeners knocking on the door. A dark horse to make the team would be Ty Mueller, but it might require a preseason injury or two to open a spot for him.

Jibsys:

I think Kudryavtsev will have a real strong chance. Seems it’s between him and Mancini at this point for a final D spot, so he has a good opportunity and looked good in a handful of games last season.

JCanuck:

Has to be Tolopilo.

The Canucks will carry three goalies and have Tolo be the practice goalie while starting periodically.

They can juggle D-men.

Reg Dunlop:
Kirill Kudryavtsev, the young LHD that played in Abbotsford last season.

Hockey Bunker:

Demko…given he is doubtful for camp.

Magic Head:

Thatcher Demko.

Kiwi Canuck:
I can see Novotny getting a 3-game taster just as Cootes did. He’s got the size, skills, and attitude to do it.

ParodyGuy:

Ty Young.

With Demko’s availability for training camp already in question, I am going to assume he will not be ready for the start of the season. One small injury to Lankinen or Tolopilo and the Canucks will have to being up another goalie onto the roster by opening day.

Richard Hickey:

This week’s question is a great one. There is enough to choose from: Novotny, Cootes, Kudryavtsev, Safonov, and Mueller come to mind.

I am very high on KK. He may not be a complete dark horse. He seems to be on more than my radar.

The decision on how many goalies break camp will play a huge factor in KK breaking with the team. If we carry three, he probably has to be waived.

Safonov is a big body, but I have no clue how he plays. He would be the biggest unknown with a real chance if he’s a player.

Chuck:

I don’t really consider Safonov or Mancini darkhorses. Mueller or Kudryavtsev might fall into the darkhorse category but are both pretty well on the radar.

I’d say the three darkhorses are the post-prospect but still youngish AHL guys who have NHL experience under their belt.

Akil Thomas – 26 years old, 32 NHL games with 7 points, plays C & W. Not the greatest production but was a proficient JR player.

Matthew Stienburg – 25 years old, 8 NHL games, plays C & W. Often injured but a maniac, fought Zadorov in his first shift and injured three Lightning players in one game (two on a single shift).

Trey Fix-Wolansky – 27 years old, 26 NHL games, 6 points, RW. Highly productive AHL player who is a wrecking ball.

If I was to pick one it would be Trey Fix-Wolansky followed by Stienburg. Trey has that upside where he could lead the team in scoring in the pre-season while being a sparkplug. Stienburg is a bit younger and more unproven but he could also make a big name for himself.

Craig Gowan:

I would say Safonov, but the darker horse is probably Novotny.

Voice of Reason:

Dark horse to make the team is Ty Mueller as fourth line centre. Manny seems to love how he plays and will allow Cootes time to hone professional game out of the glare of NHL expectation during a season that is more about growth than results.

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31 days, 31 questions: Would Zeev Buium even want to sign a longer-term contract with the Canucks?

David Quadrelli — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:00:49 GMT

We’ve seen a trend developing around the National Hockey League: Young players are getting paid coming off their entry-level contracts.

Macklin Celebrini, who emerged as one of the game’s truly elite players this past season, signed a five-year contract extension with an $18.8 million annual average value that won’t kick in until the 2027-28 NHL season. Connor Bedard, a restricted free agent this offseason, re-upped with the Chicago Blackhawks at $15 million annually on a five-year deal. And don’t forget Leo Carlsson, who signed an offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers for a five-year contract at $18 million annually, which the Anaheim Ducks subsequently matched, keeping Carlsson in Anaheim.

Celebrini’s deal will see him hit unrestricted free agency as a 26-year-old, and Bedard will also be heading into his age 26 season when he’s a UFA. And would you look at that? Leo Carlsson’s deal also sees him hit free agency in his mid 20s (though he’ll turn 27 in December 2031).

Do you see the other trend developing? On top of getting paid, these young players are taking contracts that walk them right to unrestricted free agency in their mid 20s.

Enter Zeev Buium.

Zeev Buium and the Canucks

After arriving in Vancouver as part of the Quinn Hughes trade, Buium didn’t exactly light the world on fire. Like most Canucks defencemen under Adam Foote, Buium struggled defensively. He also put up just 12 points in 45 games, and 14 points through 31 games with the Minnesota Wild before the trade. Before all of that, though, Buium turned in a final season of college hockey that ended up being one of the most productive modern NCAA campaigns by a defence prospect.

In the same number of games (41) Buium put up just one fewer point than Cale Makar did in his sophomore season — 48 for Buium, 49 for Makar. Buium also posted a higher points per game mark than Quinn Hughes did in his sophomore season — Hughes 1.03, Buium 1.17. His sophomore point totals outpaced defencemen like Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy, Owen Power, and Jake Sanderson. As a result, Buium has been regarded by many as one of the premier prospects in the sport, and it’s also why he was the focal point of the Quinn Hughes trade.

After his disappointing rookie season, takes on Buium are a bit polarizing among Canucks fans these days. Some want to see more from him at the NHL level before handing him a contract. The Canucks have been allowed to sign Buium to a contract extension since July 1st, as he has one season remaining on his entry-level contract before becoming a restricted free agent. He’s also a 10.2(c) player, meaning he isn’t offer sheet eligible. The Canucks have time here, and don’t have to worry about a Leo Carlsson situation with Buium. But should they choose to wait and see what happens next season, Buium could quite possibly realize his potential and command a hefty salary on his next contract if he emerges as a top-pairing defenceman next season.

It’s why, on the other end of the Buium-takes-spectrum, you have Canucks fans saying that the club should have signed Buium to a big money eight-year deal already. After all, as of September 15th, players won’t be able to sign eight-year contracts under the new CBA, so the Canucks could use that to entice Buium with a big-money total dollar contract that will look like an absolute steal if Buium hits as a prospect. It’s what the Montreal Canadiens have done so well (seriously, if you haven’t checked out the Habs’ PuckPedia page, you might as well do it now, because you’re going to be doing it a lot over the next handful of years and asking yourself how they got their books looking so good.) Montreal just recently locked up Ivan Demidov on an eight-year deal at $9.15 million, a salary that’s already looking measly with the way other young players are getting paid this offseason. Not to mention Lane Hutson, who is already locked up at $8.85 million annually until 2034. The rebuilding Habs identified their young core pieces early before they hit their potential, placed their bets, and are looking good long-term as a result. The situation with the Habs’ youngsters and Buium is obviously different, but the point of locking up young players early is the one Canucks fans who want Buium signed long-term are pointing to.

But would Buium even want to sign a longer-term contract with the Canucks at this juncture?

Let’s say the Canucks offer Buium a contract that most would say is at least near “hard to refuse” territory: 8 years at $10 million annually. That’s $80 million guaranteed for a player who has six goals and 20 assists through 76 NHL games. Would Buium even accept that?

If you’re Buium and his camp, you’re no-doubt seeing the rising salary cap and its effect on player contracts, and you’re also seeing the trend of big money on deals that walk players right to UFA, as we talked about in the intro. So what’s the path forward?

There’s value in the security that $80 million of guaranteed money represents when you’re a 20-year-old who hasn’t realized his potential at the NHL level just yet. But Buium doesn’t exactly come across as someone who lacks confidence. Might he accept a deal like that from the Canucks today? Of course he might. What we’re saying is that such a contract offer isn’t the slam-dunk that some people seem to think it is.

If Buium’s next contract with the Canucks comes in at six years, that would walk him right to free agency. Seven would buy one UFA year, eight would buy two. On a six-year deal, Buium would hit free agency as a 27-year-old. Would the Canucks want those numbers? Would Buium?

The short answer is maybe not, and that goes for both parties. That’s why literally anything is on the table when it comes to Buium’s next contract, and it’s not as simple as saying “the Canucks should go long with this player!”

When you break down the incentives for both sides, a shorter-term “bridge” deal (say three years) starts to look less like a compromise and more like the ideal scenario for player and team alike.

From Buium’s perspective, signing long-term right now could mean selling low on his potential. His rookie stats don’t reflect the elite offensive driver he was at Denver, and if he emerges as an elite defenceman, he could be in the underpaid category in a hurry if he were to sign long-term right now. If Buium believes he’s the top-pairing star his NCAA pedigree suggests, taking a short-term contract is the ultimate bet on himself. A three-year bridge lets him adjust to a new (hopefully far better) coach, prove he can hold his own defensively, and rack up the points his talent promises. By the time that bridge expires, he’ll be 24, the cap will be significantly higher, and he’ll be in a position to demand true elite-tier money rather than settling for an AAV suppressed by a quiet rookie year.

For the Canucks, a bridge deal offers crucial risk management. As enticing as it sounds to pull a Montreal and lock up young talent before they explode, the Canucks are in a different structural position. Handing out $10 million+ on an eight-year commitment to a player who hasn’t lived up to expectations in his first 76 NHL games obviously carries risk. A short-term deal gives the Canucks time to verify what they actually have in Buium.

And because Buium can’t be offer-sheeted, the Canucks should have more leverage on the exact term. A three-year bridge keeps Buium as a restricted free agent at its conclusion, giving Vancouver full control over his rights while pushing his big payday down the road. And for Buium, that also sets him up to command a hefty salary as a 24-year-old from the Canucks, should he realize his potential.

To put it simply, the Canucks and Buium are standing at a crossroads where patience might just be the smartest play for both sides. The Canucks would almost certainly have to get to a truly uncomfortable number to make Buium seriously consider signing long-term at this juncture, so that’s why they might hold off. And for Buium, it’s hard to ignore what’s happening around the league and make a bet on yourself to see just how high that AAV can really get.

Canucks’ Elias Pettersson spotted training in LA

Tyson Cole — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:35:35 GMT

We are just under two months away from the start of the 2026-27 season, and one Vancouver Canucks forward is already on the ice preparing for the season.

On Tuesday, August 4, Elias Pettersson was seen training in Los Angeles at the Kings’ practice facility.

The video quality isn’t perfect, so it’s hard to identify who is on the ice, but we clearly see former Canucks teammate and current San Jose Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli with him. Along with Pettersson, there are players sporting Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Winnipeg Jets practice jerseys in the clip. We can also see a handful of players wearing Ontario Reign sweaters, as well as a BCHL jersey among the participants.

You can watch the full eight-minute video below!

This is to be taken with a grain of salt, as it is just a summer skate, but it looked as though Pettersson was having fun out there, which is a positive sign.

Typically, this wouldn’t even be a talking point. However, it’s encouraging to see Pettersson out there training in early August after some of the comments this new regime made in mid-May.

“With Elias, we’ve been through this as players,” Co-President of Hockey Operations Daniel Sedin shared. “You’re going to have some really good seasons, you’re going to have some tough seasons. We’ve found that after a long career, looking back, our best seasons we had, we were well prepared. That is everything you can control. It’s how hard you work in the summer, mentally ready to get when training camp hits. I think that’s the one message to him: preparation.”

“Here’s my initial thought on Elias: I want to wipe away all the expectations that may exist in him,” said GM Ryan Johnson. “Just like the rest of our hockey club, not just our players, but our staff. We’re asking them to come into September the most prepared that they could be. For our players, it’s going to be physically and mentally to make a decision.”

Pettersson, 27, is coming off the worst statistical season of his eight-year NHL career. He scored just 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 74 games, good for .69 points-per-game.

While the Canucks aren’t expected to be competitive as they head into their rebuild, seeing their $11.6 million AAV man grinding this early in the summer for next season is encouraging, suggesting that Pettersson has taken the criticism well and is gearing up for a bounce-back year in 2026-27.

Increasing shot volume should be main goal for Brock Boeser in 2026-27

Jeffrey Kennett — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:00:43 GMT

Despite enduring a career-long 21-game goal drought last season, Brock Boeser can still beat NHL goaltenders. The question facing him this season is how often the Vancouver Canucks can put him in position to do so.

Should Vancouver’s rebuild eventually push him toward considering a move to a playoff contender, any deal would require his approval under his no-movement clause. His best chance of restoring enough league-wide value to make that option realistic is to return to the 30-goal range and prove he can still help a contender win.

Boeser enters the second year of the seven-year, $50.75-million contract he signed last summer. At a $7.25-million cap hit, the Canucks need more than leadership and steady top six minutes from their longest-serving player. For a roster that finished 30th in the NHL with 216 goals last season, Vancouver needs increased goal totals from Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser at the top of the lineup.

The Minnesotan scored 22 times and added 26 assists in 75 games during a difficult 2025-26 campaign. He missed time with another concussion and finished with a league-worst minus-48 rating. Boeser recovered late, leading Vancouver with 10 goals and 23 points in 25 games after the Olympic break, and his work with Marco Rossi and Liam Öhgren gave the Canucks one of their few encouraging combinations down the stretch.

Whether that finish to a dismal season revives talk of Boeser returning as a 30-goal scorer remains to be seen, but he can inch toward that mark by firing pucks on goal more often.

Boeser put 166 shots on net last season, good for 2.21 per game. He took 204 shots when he scored 40 goals in 2023-24, averaging 2.52 per game and converting 19.6% of his attempts, pairing increased volume with finishing that ranked among the NHL’s best.

Every season for Boeser is seemingly about hitting the 30-goal mark, but at 29 years old, and only getting there once, what does a realistic season look like for Vancouver’s longest tenured player?

Exceeding expectations: 30-40 goals, 220+ shots, positive +/-

A return to the 30-goal club would qualify as an excellent response to the 2024/25 campaign, especially if Boeser pushes beyond 30 without relying on an unsustainable shooting percentage.

The top 25 goal scorers – who all had over 30 goals – last season averaged about 245 shots and 3.10 per game. That group also averaged more than 41 goals, so it includes high-volume stars such as Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Jason Robertson. Boeser does not need to match that average to score 30, but his 166 shots fell well below the usual volume produced by the league’s top scorers.

Players closer to the 30-goal line showed that strong finishers can reach that mark with fewer attempts. Juraj Slafkovsky scored 30 goals on 180 shots, Tom Wilson scored 30 on 153, Anthony Mantha scored 33 on 152, and Mark Scheifele scored 36 on 175.

Those players converted between 16.7 and 21.7% of their shots. Boeser has the release and scoring history to finish above league average, but at last season’s rate, Boeser would need 226 shots to score 30 goals at his 13.3% shooting percentage. If he raised his percentage to 16%, he would need 188.

Boeser has reached 188 shots four times in his career. He has also recorded a shooting percentage above 16% in four full or shortened seasons. A 30-goal campaign does not demand a repeat of everything that happened in 2023-24, but he will likely need to combine parts of both profiles.

His target should be about 190 shots, or roughly 2.3 per game over a healthy season, although reaching 200 would give him more margin for error. Thirty goals on 200 shots works out to a 15% shooting percentage, a daunting mark but one Boeser has cleared several times.

The quality of those attempts, however, is just as important as the total.

The former North Dakota Fighting-Hawk scored 17 high-danger goals in 2024-25, placing in the 93rd percentile among NHL forwards according to NHL Edge. He also tied for second in the league with nine goals on tips or deflections, a mark of how much his scoring has changed since his early NHL seasons. Boeser still owns a dangerous wrist shot, but much of his offence now comes through his crafty work around the crease.

Vancouver needs him inside the dots rather than drifting to the perimeter waiting for a perfect pass. Rossi should help. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone, hold possession and draw defenders before finding Boeser in scoring areas, while Öhgren’s forechecking can create second chances and extend offensive-zone shifts off his speed.

A steady first-unit power play would also help boost that total. Boeser scored 16 power play goals during his 40-goal season, accounting for 40% of his total. Scoring between 30 and 34 goals would indicate that Boeser remains a high-end finisher, while reaching 35 would likely mean he has taken at least 200 shots and scored at least 10 times on the power play.

Meeting expectations: 22-29 goals, break even at 5-on-5, improve minus-48 finish

Boeser’s most reasonable goal projection comes in somewhere in the mid-to-high 20s.

He has scored between 22 and 29 goals six times, including 29 as a rookie, 26 in his second season, 23 twice and 25 in 2024-25. His career works out to just under 30 goals per 82 games, though injuries and shortened seasons have often kept his final total below that line.

Netting 25 to 28 goals and approximately 55 points would give the Canucks reasonable production from a $7.25-million winger, and fits Boeser’s established career level more closely than another run at 40.

His year will be defined by more than just goals, though.

Boeser’s minus-48 rating was ugly, even after accounting for the problems with plus-minus as a statistic, such as quality of teammates, goaltending, empty-net situations, and overall team strength. Vancouver finished with a minus-100 goal differential as a team, which pulled down nearly everyone who played major minutes.

Still, Boeser isn’t completely absolved of responsibility. The Canucks were outscored 63-29 with him on the ice at five-on-five and controlled only 41.4% of the expected goals. His actual goal differential looked worse than the quality of chances suggested, but his lines spent too much time defending.

Meeting expectations should include a sizable improvement in those numbers. Boeser does not need to become Vancouver’s best defensive forward, but he needs to help his line hold the puck and avoid another season in which opponents own close to 60% of the expected offence during his minutes.

A final line around 27 goals, 28 assists and 55 points would seem about par for the course.

Below expectations: 10-21 goals, fewer than 84 games played and 140 shots on goal

Barring an injury that costs him a large part of the season, the longtime Canuck would fall below expectations if he fails to reach 22 goals.

Another year with near-20 goals would be difficult to accept if he plays 70 or more games, given that Vancouver awarded him a seven-year contract because it believed his scoring would hold into his 30s. The Canucks cannot afford to receive middle-six production from that deal this early.

Boeser recorded only 145 shots in 2024-25 and followed with 166 last season. Another total below 160 would raise concerns. His 22 goals last season closely matched the number of chances he generated, leaving less room to blame the result on poor luck. The 21-game drought hurt his total, but his overall workload never reached the level normally associated with a 30-goal scorer.

A season between 18 and 21 goals would put more scrutiny on the remaining six years of his contract, and anything near 10 to 15 goals over a mostly healthy schedule would signal an alarmingly rapid decline.

2026-27 goals for Boeser

Play a full 84-game season
Continue developing chemistry with Rossi
Fire 200+ shots on goal
Score 10+ on the power play
Put up 30 goals and 30 assists

Returning to Boeser’s peak form starts with approximately one extra shot every four games, and contributing to a dangerous attack on the power play. If Boeser approaches 190 shots and stays healthy, which is a huge question mark given his track record, history says 30 goals remains within reach. But if he settles near 160 again, the Canucks will probably receive another season in the low 20s.

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31 days, 31 questions: Who is going to play with Elias Pettersson?

Can Linus Karlsson take another step forward after strong rookie season?

Why has the last month been so slow for the Vancouver Canucks?

WDYTT: Who is the current fan favourite Canuck?

Who is your current favourite Canucks player?

Who is your dark horse to make the Canucks out of Training Camp 2026?

31 days, 31 questions: Would Zeev Buium even want to sign a longer-term contract with the Canucks?

Zeev Buium and the Canucks

READ NEXT: CA’s complete ranking of the Canucks’ top 20 prospects

Canucks’ Elias Pettersson spotted training in LA

Increasing shot volume should be main goal for Brock Boeser in 2026-27

2026-27 goals for Boeser