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Instant Reaction: DeBrusk scores twice at 5v5 while Pettersson adds two assists in Canucks’ loss to Hurricanes

David Quadrelli — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 01:27:39 GMT

Welcome back to Instant Reaction, the series here at CanucksArmy where we give you our instant reaction to tonight’s Vancouver Canucks game and ask our readers to do the same in the comments section below!

Lineup

No Schenn and no Gallagher tonight. Both players healthy scratches this evening.

DeBrusk-EP40-Lekkerimäki
Cotter-Rossi-Boeser
Öhgren-Sasson-Karlsson
Bains-Räty-O’Connor

Buium-Hronek
Oleksiak-Willander
Pettersson-Mancini

First Period

It didn’t take long for the Hurricanes to open the scoring in this one, as just over a minute in, K’Andre Miller snapped home a rebound off the crossbar.

Carolina goal!Scored by K'Andre Miller with 18:42 left in the 1st. Assisted by William Carrier and Sean Walker.CAR: 1 | VAN: 0#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-08T23:17:57.861266Z

1-0 Canes.

Miller took a holding penalty just a few minutes later, giving the Canucks the first power play chance of the game. Spoiler alert: the Canucks’ power play wasn’t very good in this game, and their first period as a whole was pretty dreadful. The Canucks’ power play came and went, and the Hurricanes scored two goals in rapid succession.

The first was some shotty D-Zone coverage in front of Lankinen:

Power play goal for Carolina!Scored by Andrei Svechnikov with 12:49 left in the 1st. Assisted by Shayne Gostisbehere and Jackson Blake.CAR: 2 | VAN: 0#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-08T23:27:13.906763Z

And the second came on a Carolina power play after some crisp passing and quick decision-making by the Hurricanes’ man-advantage personnel.

Power play goal for Carolina!Scored by Andrei Svechnikov with 10:35 left in the 1st. Assisted by Jackson Blake and Shayne Gostisbehere.CAR: 3 | VAN: 0#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-08T23:31:35.271769Z

3-0 Hurricanes.

Manny Malhotra called a timeout after that third one. Canucks down by three after 20 minutes of play.

Some takeaways from the first:
-Well that wasn’t very fun.
-This Chatfield guy is pretty good! #JimKnew
-I like how intentional Manny Malhotra is with his timeouts. Tonight, he called one, was very vocal, and was very clearly calming his group down after they gave up three straight goals early.

Second Period

The Canucks started the period with just over a minute of power play time to work with, and it was by far their best sequence of the game. Brock Boeser had a good chance in the bumper that Kochetkov blockered away, and Elias Pettersson rifled a pass right through the crease. Zeev Buium also came in along the side with some speed, but whiffed on his shot attempt.

Like I said, the best sequence of the game to this point.

The Hurricanes got right back to work, as after Jamie Oleksiak and Drew O’Connor couldn’t get the puck out along the wall, the Canes moved the puck down low to Mark Jankowski, who had all sorts of time and space to snipe a shot above Kevin Lankinen’s left shoulder.

Carolina goal!Scored by Mark Jankowski with 16:40 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Jesperi Kotkaniemi.CAR: 4 | VAN: 0#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T00:16:58.256473Z

4-0.

The Canucks answered back quickly, however. Elias Pettersson broke into the offensive zone and feathered a backhand pass to Jake DeBrusk before the puck made its way back to Pettersson, who fed Jonathan Lekkerimäki in the high slot. As he so often does, Lekkerimäki thought shot first, and created a rebound that DeBrusk made no mistake in burying.

Vancouver goal!Scored by Jake DeBrusk with 15:57 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Elias Pettersson.CAR: 4 | VAN: 1#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T00:14:57.052730Z

4-1.

The Canucks got another power play chance with just under eight minutes left in the second frame, and it didn’t go very well. After a turnover in the offensive zone, Filip Hronek made an interesting choice while defending a 2-on-1 to go all in on blocking a pass from Sean Walker, but Walker managed to slide the puck past him and over to Logan Stankoven, who buried his chance to push the Carolina lead to four once again.

Short-handed goal for Carolina!Scored by Logan Stankoven with 06:47 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Sean Walker and Sebastian Aho.CAR: 5 | VAN: 1#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T00:31:36.905893Z

5-1 Canes.

Logan Stankoven added another for the Hurricanes in the final minute of the period, because of course he did.

Power play goal for Carolina!Scored by Logan Stankoven with 00:58 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Taylor Hall and Sean Walker.CAR: 6 | VAN: 1#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T00:42:58.270811Z

6-1 after 40 minutes of play.

Some takeaways from the second:
-Jonathan Lekkerimäki is proving he’s willing to play through contact and is actually coming up with pucks along the boards. This is great progress for him, and it’s nice to see the point totals following.
-Elias Pettersson’s point streak continues… per Shorty, it’s the first time since his rookie season that he’s opened a season with points in each of the first five games.
-Big Logan Stankoven fan. Why can’t the Canucks get opportunities to draft guys like that?

Third Period

Canucks entered the third with Leevi Meriläinen leading them, out as Kevin Lankinen got the mercy pull.

Jalen Chatfield took a tripping penalty just over a minute into the third after a spirited start to the frame from the visitors.

On this power play opportunity, Zeev Buium did a good job of protecting the puck and stickhandling at the blueline before distributing a pass to Liam Öhgren, who got a good shot off but was denied. That and an Elias Pettersson wrister were the Canucks’ best chances of the power play, but they did get set up and of course did not get scored on, so moral victories.

Leevi Meriläinen was settling in nicely to this game. He made a couple of huge saves. This one was by far the hugest!

Sure, the Hurricanes scored again, but how about this save by Leevi Meriläinen?Let's not talk about why Buium and Willander are both chasing the puck below the goal line, that is neither here nor there. #Canucks

— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T01:17:02.663Z

Logan Stankoven eventually beat Meriläinen, though, and the kid from Kamloops had his first career hat-trick tonight.

Carolina goal!Scored by Logan Stankoven with 08:24 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Taylor Hall and Sean Walker.CAR: 7 | VAN: 1#VANvsCAR #CarolinaCulture #Canucks

— NHL Goals (@nhlgoals.bsky.social) 2026-10-09T01:21:41.465096Z

7-1.

The Canucks answered that goal, as Zeev Buium picked up his first assist of the season. It was another point for Elias Pettersson, too, who made another beautiful play with the puck to wedge the puck out in front to Jake DeBrusk, who scored his second goal of the game.

7-2.

He didn’t get a point on the goal, but that one was created almost entirely from Jonathan Lekkerimäki shielding the puck high in the zone before making a pass to Buium. Really nice game from Lekkerimäki tonight.

Some takeaways from the third:
-Really liking Meriläinen’s game so far. Lots to work with there. Challenges shooters well and seems very sure of himself with his crease movement.
-Certainly Logan Stankoven was a first-round pick, right? No way the Canucks had a chance to draft him, right? Right?!
-That’s TWO 5v5 goals for Jake DeBrusk!

What’s your instant reaction to tonight’s game? Let us know in the comments section below!

Be sure to check out Rink Wide Vancouver LIVE on the Daily Faceoff Vancouver YouTube channel after the game!

Canucks notebook: Cotter’s keeping receipts, Elias Pettersson says he’s ‘having a lot of fun’

David Quadrelli — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 20:00:27 GMT

Welcome back to the little series on our site where we highlight Vancouver Canucks stories you might have missed! Okay, really, it’s an excuse for me to blog casually instead of having to be a Big J Journalist all the time. Anyway, you know it, you (hopefully) love it, so let’s dive in.

Cotter’s keeping receipts

Did anyone hear Paul Cotter’s media availability earlier this week before the Canucks embarked on their current road trip? We mentioned it a couple of days ago, but in case you missed it, here is what Cotter first said after the Canucks’ 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights:

“For a team that everybody in the world has said is going to be last in the league, I’m pretty happy with how we’ve been doing.”

Asked again on Tuesday about the people doubting the Canucks, Cotter said:

“At the end of the day, it’s about the guys in this room as well as the coaching staff, the organization as a whole. I tend to stay off social media as much as I can, but I’d be dumb if I didn’t hear or see some things about, whatever, just people talking about how terrible we were going to be. I think every [post] that I saw, I saved just to have some receipts. I mean, that’s the type of stuff that motivates you along the way, you know, if you’re the biggest underdog in the league. We had high expectations coming into this. I’m happy with how we’ve started; obviously there’s a lot of things to clean up with where we want to be. But yeah, if no one has confidence in us, then it’s on us to prove them wrong.”

We had a few people in the live chat of our show West Coast Conversation (find it wherever you get your podcasts and watch it live on YouTube at 2 PM PT) who were troubled by Cotter’s comments because they want the Canucks to finish 32nd. And to that, I said let’s see where the Canucks are in the standings 20 games in. How does the picture look in December?

We always remind people that the onus for a tanking/rebuilding effort to be successful is on the management group building the roster. In fact, in a rebuild, you want players to play with the sort of never-say-die attitude the Canucks have played with for the first four games of the season. You want to keep signing UFAs like Paul Cotter, who can push the pace and be good in your room, while also being perfect trade chips to flip for assets that get you closer to building a true Cup contender.

And as much as I agree (and have been banging the drum for a long time about) that the Canucks likely need at least two or three top-five picks to pull this rebuild off right — to not “rebuild” into being yet another mushy middle team — could you imagine the field day Paul Cotter would have when it’s time to cash in on those receipts? I want to somehow see that happen, but also see the Canucks’ select 1st, 2nd, or 3rd overall in the 2027 NHL Draft. Yes, yes, I know we likely can’t have both things.

Elias Pettersson is “having a lot of fun”

Normally, a player having fun wouldn’t make the headlines.

But for Canucks fans, Elias Pettersson “having a lot of fun” is great news.

Pettersson has been on a heater to start the new season. He’s got two goals and four assists through four games this season, and has been playing with a level of swagger and excitement that we just haven’t really seen from him over the past two seasons.

Here is the quote from Pettersson, courtesy of Thomas Drance of The Athletic:

“Are you having fun?” I asked Pettersson on Saturday, fresh off a big victory against the Calgary Flames that turned on a hit he threw at Zayne Parekh in the third period.

“’I’m having a lot of fun,’ Pettersson answered without hesitation. We should take whatever joy we can find, whenever we can find it. I’m just trying to get back to, or, get back to playing my hockey and doing what I do best,” Pettersson continued. “I still think I have more to give.”

We’ve cautioned against big proclamations that Pettersson is “back” to the player we saw put up 102 points in 2022-23 and enjoyed three consecutive seasons with 30+ goals. It’s only been four games, after all.

But dammit, it sure does make Canucks hockey a lot more enjoyable when we’re watching this version of Pettersson again.

That version, of course, is the one whose level of fun having is both infectious and obvious.

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Scenes from morning skate: Canucks healthy scratch Schenn and Gallagher against Stanley Cup champs in Carolina

Jeff Paterson — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:00:18 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks (2-2) face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes (2-1-1) at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Puck drop is set for 4 pm PT. It’s the opener of a six-game road trip that will continue with three games in the New York area and conclude with two games in Florida.

What we saw

#Canucks on the ice for an optional skate in Raleigh ahead of their game Thursday against the defending Cup Champions.

15 skaters and both goaltenders, with a handful of veterans taking the option. pic.twitter.com/KqdB0Xf5nU

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) October 8, 2026

It wasn’t a surprise to see the Canucks conduct an optional skate this morning in Raleigh. After a 2pm local time practice on Wednesday afternoon and with three games in four days to kick off this road trip, Manny Malhotra was never going to grind his players with a full morning skate. Still, as creatures of habit, 15 skaters and a pair of goalies took to the ice ahead of tonight’s game.

The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reported that Brendan Gallagher, Luke Schenn, and Guillaume Brisebois were the last players on the ice this morning. That is usually a solid indication of who will sit out come game time. If that’s the case, the Canucks look like they’ll be making two line-up changes for tonight’s game. Jake DeBrusk is fully healthy and will return to the line-up after missing both games over the weekend due to illness. At practice on Wednesday, DeBrusk returned to his net front spot on the team’s top power play unit.

It’s been a quiet start to the season for the veteran Gallagher. He has yet to record a point and is averaging just 9:56 of ice time through his first four games.

And all signs point to Victor Mancini making his season debut on defence. He was paired with Elias Pettersson at practice over the past two days. This will mark Mancini’s first regular-season game since April 11th against San Jose. It will also be the first time this season that Luke Schenn takes a seat in the press box.

Canucks’ expected line combinations vs. Hurricanes

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Lekkerimäki
Cotter-Rossi-Boeser
Öhgren-Sasson-Karlsson
Bains-Räty-O’Connor

Buium-Hronek
Oleksiak-Willander
DPetey-Mancini

With weekend back-to-backs on the horizon, Kevin Lankinen and Leevi Meriläinen will likely split those duties. As for tonight, expect Lankinen to get the call against the defending champs. He was the first goaltender off the ice this morning and was solid in a 3-2 loss to Vegas on Sunday.

Paul Cotter and Jonathan Lekkerimäki scored the Vancouver goals against the Golden Knights. Cotter leads the team with four goals through four games while he and Elias Pettersson share the team lead with six points apiece. Filip Hronek has five assists through four games, tops all Canucks in ice time averaging 25:52 per game and leads the NHL with 17 blocked shots.

Max Sasson is set to become the third Canuck already this season to reach the 100 NHL game milestone. Liam Öhgren and defenceman Elias Pettersson passed the century mark for games played last week.

The Opponent

The Hurricanes are coming off a 6-4 win in Montreal on Tuesday night. Sebastian Aho led the way with a goal and two assists while Taylor Hall scored his first two goals of the season. Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski also scored for Carolina. Brandon Bussi made 16 saves as the Canes outshot the Habs 34-20.

Carolina has won back-to-back games after starting the season with a pair of losses and just two goals in those first two games. Aho leads the hockey club with four goals and seven points in the early going this season. He also shares the league lead with five minor penalties taken.

Against Montreal, 17 of the Carolina skaters recorded at least one shot on goal. The only one that didn’t was Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who logged a team-low 6:53 of ice time. The Hurricanes trailed 2-1 and 3-2 in the first period, but scored four of the game’s final five goals.

Both Hurricanes wins have come on the road. The team is 0-1-1 on home ice, including a 1-0 OT loss to Florida in the team’s banner-raising season opener. Last season, Carolina won a league-high 29 games at home and then went 8-2 in 10 post-season games in Raleigh.

Seth Jarvis is out of the Hurricanes line-up after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery. He took part in the team’s morning skate this morning, but will not play tonight.

Pyotr Kochetkov will make his second start of the season tonight. He was in goal for a 3-2 OT win in Philadelphia on Saturday night.

News and notes

The Hurricanes took both ends of last season’s series, winning 4-3 in overtime on home ice and 6-4 in Vancouver. Carolina will be the opponent on October 20th in the Canucks first game at Rogers Arena after this road trip. The Canes have won four straight head-to-head matchups.

The referees for tonight’s game are Kelly Sutherland and Kyle Rehman.

Don’t forget to join Rink Wide Vancouver for full postgame coverage after this game – and every game. The livestream starts moments after the final buzzer. Rink Wide is the place for full postgame analysis and discussion. Contribute to the live YouTube conversation with your thoughts on the game and support our charity partner – the BC Mental Health Foundation – with a Superchat.

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How many roster spots might the Canucks need to open up between now and next season?

Stephan Roget — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:30:46 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks have barely begun the 2026-27 season, and so it might seem more than early to be talking about next year. But the nature of a rebuild means that our eyes must always be fixed at least a little bit down the road.

Last week, we talked about the fact that the Canucks are a rebuilding team without a single rookie on their roster, and whether or not that was a problem. It’s not, really, and part of the reason it’s not a problem is that the rookies should be arriving both soon and frequently. That process probably starts sometime later this year, and absolutely by the start of the 2027-28 campaign.

With that in mind, we thought it was a fine time to take a look at what rookies might be arriving in the near-ish future. Not simply to get ahead of ourselves, but in an attempt to anticipate the sorts of roster moves the Canucks might make over the course of the next year. After all, those rookies will need spots in the roster that are currently occupied by other players, and that will require the making of some room.

First, the rookies themselves…

Rookies likely to push for roster spots by 2027-28

Braeden Cootes: It’s hard to imagine Cootes not pushing extremely hard for a roster spot in his third Canucks training camp. Chances are, in fact, that he’ll have about nine games worth of cameo appearances throughout the rest of the 2026-27 season already under his belt at that point, and should be raring to go.

More time in the AHL will be possible for Cootes, but unlikely. His arrival likely necessitates the opening up of a spot at centre.

Caleb Malhotra: It’s not a guarantee or a necessity that Malhotra makes the team next year. But given his status as the most recent third overall selection, it’d have to be considered at least a little disappointing if he didn’t. Malhotra will be eligible for AHL deployment next year, if he so chooses, but NHL time has to be the plan until proven otherwise. There’s a strong possibility, actually, that Malhotra signs his ELC and finishes this current year with the Canucks, and then never leaves.

Should both Cootes and Malhotra push for spots next year, that would require the Canucks to open up two different centre spots on the roster.

Adam Novotny: No rookie pushed harder for a spot in Training Camp ’26 than Novotny, fresh off his selection at 24^th overall. He’s since returned to the OHL, where he’s off to what can only be called a dominant start. He’ll be back next year, he’ll be pushing for a spot again, and the team is probably going to want to give him one. Again, the AHL is an option here – as it was this year for Novotny – but it can’t be the only plan.

If Novotny is successful in this next push for an NHL job, it’ll require the Canucks to open up a wing spot; one in the top-nine at a minimum.

Kirill Kudryavtsev: Really, if we’re going by merit, Kudryavtsev should have made the team this year after plainly outplaying Victor Mancini at camp. It’s hard to imagine Kudryavtsev being kept off the team next year, especially with the impending loss of his waiver-exempt status and the obvious trust he’s developed with coach Manny Malhotra.

One of the best things about Kudryavtsev is that he seems to be equally adept on either side of the ice, so the Canucks only need to open up a D spot in general for him – it doesn’t necessarily matter whether that’s on LD or RD.

(Non-Rookie) Leevi Merilainen: We have to mention Merilainen here, even though he’s not technically a rookie (32 NHL games already heading into this year) and is currently on the Canucks’ roster. That’s because Merilainen doesn’t truly have a spot right now, and instead he’s occupying Thatcher Demko’s spot while Demko is on IR.

Unless Demko remains on IR all the way into next season, or ends up back on it after a return, the Canucks would need to clear a goalie out if they wanted to keep Merilainen around full-time next year. Which, based on the early returns, they probably do.

At Least One Other Forward: Few of the forwards around the periphery of the Canucks lineup made a real push to make the team this past training camp. But they’ll each have an extra year of development under their belts by Training Camp ’27, and that should translate to at least a couple of them appearing more NHL-ready.

When we say this, we’re thinking names like Ty Mueller, Ilya Safonov, Riley Patterson, and Vilmer Alriksson. We should expect at least one of them to really make some noise for next season, and the Canucks, in the interest of continuing the youth movement, should probably want to save adequate space for that eventuality. That might mean clearing out yet another forward spot.

The 2027 Top Pick?: This one is a little harder to project. But everyone is sure hoping that the Canucks find themselves back to the top of the draft board in 2027 – maybe even right to the very top. And if the Canucks do manage to select in at least the top-three again, then there’s a strong possibility that their 2027 pick arrives directly into the NHL.

At this point, we don’t even know what position that player might play, so all we can really say is that the roster probably needs to be kept at least partially flexible for 2027-28.

How the Canucks might open up those spots

That might sound like a lot of spots to open up, and it is, but the Canucks will have the ability to get there somewhat naturally via the expiry of contracts. Up front, all of Filip Chytil, Brendan Gallagher, Drew O’Connor, and Paul Cotter become UFAs after this season if not extended, along with possibly Arshdeep Bains (unless he plays 27 more games this season, which seems likely).

On the back-end, Luke Schenn and Guillaume Brisebois will become UFAs.

Left untouched, that might open up the right number of roster spots, but not necessarily in the right spots.

Centre might be the trickiest spot. As of now, the Canucks will have all three of Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, and Max Sasson under contract heading into next year – their current top three centres. They’ll also have Aatu Räty heading into restricted free agency. Keeping one spot open for either Cootes or Malhotra seems easy enough, but opening up two spots probably requires at least one trade of a centre between now and next season.

The goaltending position is also, understandably, ambiguous. Demko and Kevin Lankinen remain under contract into next season and beyond. Merilainen will be an RFA after this year. Again, if the Canucks want to keep Merilainen around, that probably equates to either Demko staying on IR or one of he or Lankinen being moved before next year.

Still, we’re not seeing anything contrary to their general plans here. The Canucks should be able to open up enough roster space by simply dealing out or letting go the players they were probably always going to depart with eventually anyway. The only difference might be making some of those decisions a little sooner than they might have otherwise.

WDYTT: Do you believe Canucks’ Elias Pettersson is bouncing back, and if so, how big?

Stephan Roget — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:00:48 GMT

Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet built on initialisms and alliteration.

Speaking of alliteration, we snuck three Bs into the title this week, but today we’re talking about an A-grade topic. It’s Elias Pettersson, the elder one, otherwise known as EP40, and we’re definitely not the only ones talking about him right now.

Pettersson tends to be a frequent subject of discussion in hockey circles no matter how he is performing. But his hot, angry start to the 2026-27 season certainly has people talking a lot more positively about him than usual, and using words like “comeback,” “bounceback,” or just “back.”

But is he?

Through four games, Pettersson has two goals and six points, good for a tie with teammate Paul Cotter for third in league scoring behind Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard. Perhaps more impressively, as of this writing, Pettersson sat at second overall in the NHL with 19 hits, trailing only former teammate Kiefer Sherwood.

But forget about the stats. The eye test also says Pettersson is playing a lot more like he used to than he has anytime recently, and that includes clappers from the top of the right circle. His approach seems to contain a lot more of that unique Swedish form of revenge we were promised a year ago.

But…it’s early. It’s only been four games. And this is a fanbase that has a well-developed and well-earned lack of trust in good things continuing to happen for it.

With all that in mind, at this early juncture in the season, we thought we’d collect what we’re sure will be a wide range of initial opinions on the subject of Pettersson bouncing back, and the relation therein.

This week, we’re asking:

Do you believe Elias Pettersson is bouncing back? And if so, how big is he bouncing back this season?

Let it be known in the comment section.

Last week, we asked:

What is a random prediction you have about the 2026-27 Vancouver Canucks season?

You predicted below!

JCanuck:

The Canucks will lead the league in OT games. Most wins and losses.

Hockey Bunker:

Emilie Castonguay quits the Canucks to become the first ever commissioner of the PWHL.

Rickster64:

My random prediction is that Canucks trade Paul Cotter for a first or an equivalent young prospect toward the TDL.

Magic Head:

Arturs Silovs will have more shutouts than Kevin Lankinen while earning almost half of what Lankinen makes.

Nanaimo Bars:
Jim Rutherford leaves the Canucks organization and becomes the POHO of Seattle Kraken.

He promptly promotes Allvin to GM and hires Tocchett outta Philly cuz the Flyers are sick of Rick.

Superpest:

Truthfully, after watching the effort, especially Cotter along the boards prior to scoring? Scares me. If they play that way, the mushy middle here we come. Just outside the playoffs like Columbus last year. Close, but no cigar AND no high draft pick.

Jibzzz:

OK, fun question, anything goes.

I’ll be positive and predict that the Canucks lend Cootes to the Canadian u20 WJHC team where he is named captain and leads the team to gold.

TH:

Linus Karlsson will record a hat trick at some point during the season.

Dogface Riley:

Many older fans will report nodding off before the third period trying to watch 8:00 start games. Games are so boring and demoralizing that nobody actually notices or cares.

Alex h:

I think Hronek is set for a career year. Getting full PP1 time, something he’s never had before, should easily get him roughly 30 PP points. On top of that, he will get the team highest ice-time without PK duties, it will keep him fresh, and picking up maximum even strength ice-time should net him another 25 to 35 points.

JustaNucksfan:

The Canucks will lose all their games against Dallas, Dallas will lose all their games against Edmonton, and Edmonton will lose all their games against Vancouver.

nuxlander:

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

Game 1 of 84 will be the best game of the season.

kanucked:

Was going to say that they win the draft lottery, but there’s zero chance of that. So I’ll go with the guess that the Canucks have three goalies who get one shutout each this season.

Kyle:

The Canucks win the draft lottery for the first time in team history, but still have to draft third overall after two new expansion teams are granted the first two picks.

RagnarokOroboros:

I predict Canucks will play at least five different goalies in the NHL this year.

Leevi, Lankinen, and Demko are easy to anticipate.

I’m betting Demko gets traded and we will get a goalie in return.

Further, I’m betting there will be an injury and Tolopilo will get called up.

DeNihilist:

Bains enjoys his first full season in the NHL.

Scores minimum 15 goals and 15 assists.

Bartholomew Gimble:

Canucks trade Mancini and a future second to Tampa for Conor Geekie.

Harold Drunken:

Here’s the twofer no one axed for, plus a bonus:

1) Paul Cotter fulfills his destiny as the next Kiefer Sherwood and is traded at the deadline for two seconds.

2) Canucks follow that up by drafting three times in the top 48 and claim all players picked were ranked in their own top-20.

And the bonus take no one wanted: Having no relatives ranked in the top ten of the draft, the Canucks astutely wait until the fifth round to select Valter Sedin.

Voice of Reason:

What is a random prediction you have about the 2026-27 Vancouver Canucks season?

Not sure example how to define “random” but one prediction I am making is that by the end of the season the Canucks will have the youngest average age of any team in the NHL (they are currently third youngest, so perhaps it isn’t all that random after all).

If making a second one, even it that wasn’t asked for (lol), the Canucks will sign two upper-tier undrafted college players as Vancouver will become a trendy “go to” destination — oddly specific, I see one or both of Jan Korec and/or Carter Rapalje joining Abby down the stretch and adding some nice depth to the team.

ParodyGuy:

I’m also doing two:

#1 – Comment section darlings Victor Mancini and Aatu Räty both do not finish the season in the organization.

#2 – Whispers begin to happen that the Aquilini’s are open for business and looking selling the team for the right price.

Alex G:
The Canucks finally win the draft lottery, despite having the sixth best odds to do so. The team plays better than the experts predicted.

Dale:

Demko will come back, play lights out.

And will get traded at the trade deadline to one of Edmonton, New Jersey, or Carolina for a first round pick and win the Stanley Cup with that team that he is traded to, which will get the Canucks a second conditional draft pick from that team for winning the Cup, as Demko stays healthy for the playoffs.

james:

By midseason center Elias Pettersson and defenseman Elias Pettersson will switch jerseys, positions, and pregame routines…

EP40 will finish the season having broken the league record for blocked shots, meanwhile, EP25 will lead the league in Gordie Howe Hat-tricks…

bill nazzy:

I think they will be a “lottery” team, but nowhere near the bottom three (not that it matters). I think Petey, Lekki, and Boeser will surprise us in a good way, while DeBrusk is moved, along with Demko.

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Checking in on 16 former Canucks one week into 2026-27 season

Tyson Cole — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:04:56 GMT

With a new regime at the helm of the Vancouver Canucks, the organization had a new vision for its direction. And with that comes a lot of roster turnover, which we saw new general manager Ryan Johnson and Co. exercise.

There are 16 former Canucks who have departed the team at some point over the last calendar year, with most finding new situations for 2026-27. Now, not all of those departures are from this new regime; however, we should still check in on all of those players, where they are, and how they’re doing in the first week of the new season.

Let’s check in on where these 16 former Canucks landed and how they’re doing through the first week of the season in their new situations:

Players must have played at least one NHL game for the Canucks, and are sorted by games played with the franchise last season

Marcus Pettersson – New York Rangers

The latest of the four trades in the Johnson and Sedin era saw Pettersson shipped to the New York Rangers for a conditional 2030 first-round pick. Through his first five games as a Ranger, Pettersson has played on the second pairing with fellow new-comer Sean Durzi, while earning first-unit penalty kill time. The 30-year-old defensive defenceman is still searching for his first point in New York, but is a plus-two rating in 20:25 minutes of average ice time.

Evander Kane – Unrestricted Free Agent

Kane is one of two former Canucks from last season that did not find a home for the 2026-27 season. The Vancouver native was not even brought in on a professional tryout contract following his 13-goal, 31-point campaign with the Canucks last season.

Tyler Myers – Dallas Stars

Traded at least years NHL Trade Deadline, Myers remains with the Stars, forming a giant bottom pairing with Lian Bichsel. Myers stands at 6’8″ while Bichsel is listed at 6’7″. Myers has seen his ice time dip to just 15 minutes per night in Dallas, but is an important piece to the Stars penalty kill, occupying the backend of second unit with Esa Lindell. Myers does not have a point in his three games this season.

Conor Garland – Columbus Blue Jackets

Garland’s deployment with the Blue Jackets is an unfortunate one for Canucks fans to see. The one-time fan favourite in Vancouver has sunk all the way to the fourth line, playing behind an unproven Dmitri Voronkov and tough-guy Mathieu Olivier. On the bright side, Garland is earning second unit power play time, but his deployment is still disappointing, only averaging 12:26 minutes per night. The 5’10” winger is still searching for his first point in 2026-27.

Kiefer Sherwood – San Jose Sharks

To absolutely no surprise, Sherwood is up to his usual antics, leading the NHL with 20 hits so far this season. His physical impact has never varied, and has some offence to go along with it, scoring in the Sharks’ second game of the season against the Los Angeles Kings. Sherwood started the season on the fourth line with Barclay Goodrow and Zack Ostapchuk, but was elevated to the third line with Alex Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli last game.

David Kämpf – Litvinov HC

After not being able to find an NHL contract, Kämpf went over seas back to his home country, where he’s playing for Litvinov HC of the Czech league. Kämpf is off to an impressive start, scoring three goals and six points through eight games. For a defensive-minded forward in North America, Kämpf is flexing his offensive muscle in the Czech league.

Nils Höglander – Nashville Predators

It’s only three games into the season, but this is already looking like a bad trade for the Canucks, even if it was clear the player needed a change of scenery. The first player trade of the Johnson-Sedin era saw them move the 25-year-old winger to the Nashville Predators for a 2029 third-round pick. With the Predators, Höglander has been given top-six deployment on a line with Filip Forsberg and Matthew Wood, and second-unit power play time. And he’s taken advantage of this increased usage, scoring three goals in his first three games as a Predator, which is already more than he had in 38 games for the Canucks last season (two).

Teddy Blueger – Toronto Maple Leafs

Blueger was a valued penalty killer and bottom-six centre depth option in Vancouver, and he’s filling that same role for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. Signing a two-year, $2.5 million AAV contract with the Maple Leafs this summer, Blueger is centring the fourth line between Brandon Duhaime and Bo Groulx, and a first-over-the-boards penalty killer. Known for his defensive prowess, Blueger is still without a point, a minus-one rating, winning just 45.5% of his faceoffs in just 10:39 minutes of ice time.

PO Joseph – Carolina Hurricanes

Joseph signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Hurricanes just before training camp began in September. The 27-year-old defenceman lost the sixth/seventh defenceman role to Juuso Valimaki and Mike Reilly and was placed and cleared waivers. Through two games with the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves, Joseph has one assist.

Quinn Hughes – Minnesota Wild

The trade that officially sent the Canucks into their rebuild last December saw Hughes dealt to the Minnesota Wild. Hughes was paired with Brock Faber on the blueline, a duo viewed as one of the best pairings across the entire NHL. Unfortunately, Faber fractured his skull in the preseason and is out indefinitely. However, that hasn’t slowed Hughes down, picking up points in all three of the Wild’s contests so far, totalling four points while averaging 26:28 minutes per night. Despite the loss of Faber and the depleted forward depth in Minnesota, all the talk around the Wild seems to be revolving around Hughes and whether he’s going to stay or go – something Canucks fans are all too familiar with.

Curtis Douglas – Seattle Kraken

Douglas signed a two-year, $1.25 million contract with the Kraken this offseason. The enforcer made the team out of training camp, but has not been an everyday regular. The 6’9″ winger has played in just two of the Kraken’s four games this season – both against the Calgary Flames, likely to keep Adam Klapka in check. He played just 5:58 and 7:46 minutes in each game, respectively, zero points and zero penalty minutes thus far.

Lukas Reichel – Providence Bruins

After getting traded to the Boston Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline last season, Reichel extended with the Bruins this offseason, signing a one-year, $950,000 one-way contract. He did not do enough in training camp to make the big club, and has been held without a point in two AHL games this season.

Derek Forbort – Calgary Wranglers

After missing all but two games in the 2025-26 regular season, Forbort signed an AHL professional tryout contract with the Calgary Wranglers on October 1. He did not suit up in either game against the Abbotsford Canucks over last weekend. We’ll see if he gets into game action on Friday night against the Bakersfield Condors.

Nils Aman – Djurgårdens IF

Like Kämpf, Aman was not able to earn himself another look in North America and decided to return to his home country of Sweden to play. Signing with Djurgårdens IF of the SHL, Aman has one goal and three points with a minus-nine rating in six games this season.

Jiri Patera – Providence Bruins

After being claimed by the Bruins back in 2024, they clearly still had interest in the netminder, offering him a one-year, two-way contract this offseason. He lost the competition for the backup job to another former Canucks goaltender Mikey DiPietro, and is playing with Reichel for the Providence Bruins. In his lone appearance this season, Patera finished with a 2.06 goals against average and a .917 save percentage.

Joseph LaBate – Unrestricted Free Agent

Like Kane, LaBate is also without a contract for the 2026-27 season. At 33 years old and just 20 NHL games under his belt, if he were to get signed, it’s likely on an American League deal.

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Blackfish: Malhotra’s NCAA debut, Cootes’ AHL debut, and more

Dave Hall — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 20:00:21 GMT

Welcome back to Blackfish: our weekly Vancouver Canucks prospect report.

As always, we begin by encouraging you to check out this week’s episode of the Blackfish Prospect Show, where Tyson Cole and I break down all the latest from around the Canucks prospect pool.

After spending the opening weeks of the season focused primarily on the CHL, our prospect coverage got considerably busier this week as the NCAA schedule officially got underway.

That meant season debuts for several Canucks prospects, including 2026 third-overall pick Caleb Malhotra, while Vancouver’s junior prospects continued their seasons north of the border. And, of course, the Abbotsford Canucks officially kicked things off down in the American League.

So, with plenty to get into, let’s start with the newest group to hit the ice.

Malhotra scores first NCAA goal

All eyes were naturally on Caleb Malhotra as he made his collegiate debut with Boston University over the weekend. On paper, his deployment came on the third line. But in reality, that wasn’t the case.

Malhotra finished the weekend as the team’s second-most-used player, averaging roughly 19 minutes per game and getting opportunities in virtually every situation. Statistically, it was far from a standout weekend, finishing with one goal — an empty-netter — and wasn’t heavily involved in Boston University’s scoresheet.

But when the points aren’t necessarily there, it’s important to look elsewhere for positives. And for Malhotra, his usage was the big one. Whether it was at even strength, on the man advantage or protecting a lead during the closing minutes of games, the coaching staff continued throwing him over the boards. For a freshman playing his first NCAA games, that’s not nothing.

We’ve said it here plenty of times, and at the end of the day, the jump to NCAA hockey is no cakewalk. Throw in the unusual circumstances of playing games that began around 11 p.m. for their internal clocks, and we’re willing to give him more than one weekend before making any sweeping assessments.

That’s not to say we don’t need to see things from him. After all, he is a third overall prospect, while the two ahead of him are collecting points at the NHL level. Would we have liked to see him dominate the faceoff circle? Absolutely. He won just seven draws across the weekend. Would we have liked to see a little more dynamism offensively? Of course. He needs to be one of BU’s drivers this season.

For now, the fact that the coaching staff already appears comfortable using him heavily is encouraging enough. Hopefully, he can ease his way into a more inspiring offensive game when they take on Brown this weekend.

Malhotra wasn’t the only Canucks prospect making his debut for the Terriers. Niklas Aaram-Olsen also played his first two NCAA games after making the move from Sweden. The 6-foot winger didn’t register a point but collected three shots and finished the weekend with a plus-one rating. Much like Malhotra, his listed line didn’t necessarily reflect his actual deployment. Despite being shown on the team’s top forward line, Aaram-Olsen was among Boston University’s least-utilized forwards at even strength, with much of his ice time coming on the second power play unit.

Even more than Malhotra, we expect a considerable adjustment period here. NOA has spent his entire development path playing within the European system, so he’s not only making the jump to NCAA hockey but simultaneously adjusting to the smaller ice and more physical North American game.

As a smaller set-shooter with some Jonathan Lekkerimäki-like elements to his offensive game, this season should be viewed as a significant learning curve. For him, it’s about finding opportunities to get that shot off, gaining confidence, and learning how to navigate battles as his strength continues to develop.

Patience will be key.

You know who did see a TON of ice? Aiden Celebrini.

Now a senior and wearing an “A” for the Terriers, Celebrini was the team’s most-utilized player throughout the weekend, averaging just over 20 minutes per night. He picked up a secondary assist in Saturday’s 4-0 victory while putting together a strong all-around performance that included three shots and five blocked shots.

As usual, there wasn’t anything overly dynamic about his game. And realistically, we still aren’t convinced there is enough there to warrant an NHL contract following his NCAA career. But increased responsibility is increased responsibility. The fact that he can handle those minutes without standing out negatively is a positive in itself.

With his character through the roof and a reliable defensive game, we’d love to see him earn an AHL contract and continue his development in Abbotsford once his collegiate career concludes.

Boston University wasn’t the only place where Canucks prospects made some noise. Both Parker Alcos and Matthew Lansing opened their seasons with two-point weekends for Quinnipiac.

Starting with Lansing, he continued in a bottom-six role, deployed as the team’s third-line centre. And boy, did he make the most of it. Lansing won 64% of his 22 faceoff attempts and collected a slick goal in the home opener.

Matthew Lansing (2025, 7th RD) scored a beautiful goal in his season debut yesterday. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/gVLPVwvF3r

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) October 3, 2026

As a seventh-round pick, he continues to be one of those players who quietly catches our attention. Quinnipiac should once again be a high-flying offensive team this season, so it’ll be fascinating to see whether Lansing can begin forcing his way into a larger role as the year progresses. Heck, he’s already showing that he can provide value from the bottom six.

Speaking of making an impression, how about a two-point NCAA debut for Parker Alcos? The right-shot defender opened his collegiate career with a goal and a primary assist, starting things off with a pretty dish before later finding the back of the net with a strong finish from the top of the circles.

Parker Alcos picks up a primary assist in his NCAA debut. pic.twitter.com/0KBGfCoKkW

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) October 2, 2026

Parker Alcos picked up two points in his NCAA debut, including his first goal. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/50D6VIgcCh

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) October 3, 2026

More importantly, the deployment was exactly where we expected it to be. Alcos saw top-four minutes and was one of Quinnipiac’s most heavily utilized penalty-killing defencemen throughout the weekend.

With good size, solid skating, and a calm demeanour, we’ve often maintained that there is an intriguing player here if he can continue adding some muscle to his 6-foot-4 frame. And that’s exactly what makes the NCAA route such an ideal landing spot for him.

For two prospects who aren’t going to command the same attention as Vancouver’s higher draft selections, two points apiece isn’t a bad way to introduce themselves to Blackfish readers this season.

Around the NCAA

Wilson Björck picked up an assist during Colorado College’s opening weekend against UMass.

Meanwhile, over in exhibition land, a pair of prospects made their presence felt. Anthony Romani posted two goals and an assist in his preseason debut. He was deployed on the team’s second line alongside 2025-26 linemate Eric Nilsson, with whom he developed strong chemistry last season. Joining them was 2026 Utah Mammoth draft pick Ethan Belchetz. If that trio sticks, it could become a very formidable unit.

Following a tremendous finish to his freshman season, Romani may be one of the most interesting prospects to follow this year — especially considering a potential jump to professional hockey could be waiting on the other side. He has the shot. He has the vision. Now it’s about building off a strong freshman campaign and adding a more dynamic, consistent element to his overall game.

Over in North Dakota, Connor Davis collected two assists while skating on the team’s third line.

Novotný keeps rolling

Vancouver’s hottest prospect had a relatively quiet weekend with just one game on the schedule. But don’t worry, Adam Novotný still found a way to take the hockey world by storm during the week.

And boy, was it pretty. Jockeying for possession along the wall, Novotný collected the puck, slipped it through his legs to evade the defender and immediately fired a patented shot toward the top corner.

Oh my, Adam Novotný pic.twitter.com/clXN06ia29

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) October 1, 2026

As you could imagine, the play was eventually selected as the OHL’s Play of the Night.

At this point, we’re starting to run out of new ways to praise his opening few months as a Vancouver Canucks prospect.

The other major story – the only other story, really – coming out of the CHL this week was Aleksei Medvedev and his long-awaited season debut for the London Knights.

After a tumultuous 2025-26 season that saw him lose his starting job, followed by a less-than-inspiring preseason, the Russian netminder came out firing. Medvedev turned aside 38 of 39 shots in a 4-1 victory over the North Bay Battalion. The lone goal to beat him came on a two-on-zero opportunity that left him with little chance.

Naturally, he earned First Star honours.

It was about as strong a season debut as the Canucks could have hoped for from the 6-foot-3 netminder. More importantly than the raw save total, he looked composed in the crease and confident in his game — two things we haven’t always been able to say over the last year.

Unfortunately, that momentum lasted exactly one game. Medvedev was pulled midway through the third period of his next appearance after surrendering five goals on 32 shots. So, yes, the consistency question remains. But after everything that went wrong last season, simply seeing him open the year with a 38-save performance was encouraging.

Now we need to see which version shows up more often.

Cootes wastes no time in Abbotsford

The baby Canucks opened their season in Calgary over the weekend, marking the much-anticipated full-time AHL debut of Braeden Cootes.

For our money, he was Abbotsford’s best player across the two games and was heavily utilized, buzzed around the ice, battled for 50/50 pucks and generally played standard Braeden Cootes hockey.

In other words, the moment didn’t look too big for him. Not that it should come as much of a surprise after he already got a taste of NHL action last season.

Cootes trailed only Ty Mueller among Abbotsford forwards in total usage and was deployed in virtually every situation. He even found himself on a shorthanded breakaway.

Of course, the moment that will get the most attention was his first AHL goal. It wasn’t necessarily the prettiest shot of his career, coming from a relatively routine attempt off the half-wall. But thanks to a strong screen from Ilya Safonov, the puck found eyes and worked its way into the back of the net.

Braeden Cootes scores his first AHL goal 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NVmBMTgfwP

— Dave Hall (@davehall1289) October 4, 2026

The first of what Vancouver hopes will be many.

Cootes finished the weekend 10-for-21 in the faceoff circle and led the team with 12 shot attempts, putting nine on target. He wanted the puck, got involved physically, and didn’t need to be sheltered.

On the backend, Sawyer Mynio was another player whose usage immediately jumped off the page. He averaged just under 25 minutes per game while serving as Abbotsford’s go-to power play quarterback, a penalty killer, and a heavily used even-strength defender.

Last season was about proving that Mynio could handle professional hockey, and if opening weekend is any indication, Year 2 may be about finding out just how much responsibility he can handle.

Hang on tight, the Blackfish tracker is about to get a whole lot busier, and we are here for every second of it.

With the season now officially underway across nearly every level, we’ll reintroduce our full prospect stat tracker next week, when the entire list should finally be back in action.

Welcome back to prospect season.

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Scenes from practice: Mancini appears set to make season debut as Canucks start road trip in Carolina

Jeff Paterson — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:30:11 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks appear ready to make a change on their blueline as they begin a six-game road trip in Carolina on Thursday.

For the second straight day, Victor Mancini has had a regular spot in the team’s top six defencemen.

What we saw

#Canucks lines and pairs at practice Wednesday in Raleigh, based on rushes:

DeBrusk-EP40-Lekkerimäki
Cotter-Rossi-Boeser
Öhgren-Sasson-Karlsson
Bains-DOC-Gallagher
Extra: Räty

Buium-Hronek
Oleksiak-Willander
DPetey-Mancini
Brisebois-Schenn pic.twitter.com/U7d0YjWd54

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) October 7, 2026

According to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, who is on the road covering the Canucks, Mancini skated alongside Elias Pettersson on the Canucks third defensive pair at practice as he did on Tuesday. Mancini has been a healthy scratch in each of the team’s first four games of the season after an indifferent training camp and spotty exhibition performances.

Luke Schenn, who has been a physical force early in the season, with a fight and nine hits, appears like he will sit out for the first time this season. Aside from heavyweight Nic Deslauries, who has dressed for just two of Carolina’s first four games, the Hurricanes are not an overly physical hockey club. They are, however, fast and highly skilled. Injecting Mancini into the lineup perhaps offers the Canucks more mobility on the back end.

Elsewhere, the forward lines were the same as Tuesday’s practice at Rogers Arena. Jake DeBrusk looks like he’ll return to the lineup after missing a pair of games over the weekend due to illness. It’s been a slow start for the veteran winger, who figured in just one of the 13 goals the Canucks scored in his first two games.

Based on Wednesday’s practice, it appears Aatu Raty will come out of the lineup to make room for DeBrusk. Raty scored an empty netter to seal a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night. He has also won 16 of his 26 faceoffs so far (61.5%).

Thursday’s game starts at 4 pm Pacific time. The Canes beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime in their game in Raleigh last season.

What a $127.5 million NHL salary cap could mean for the Canucks in 2028-29

David Quadrelli — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:30:19 GMT

Prior to the start of the current 2026-27 season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL salary cap will rise to $127.5 million starting in the 2028-29 season.

The NHL salary cap is already at record highs, as the league and the NHLPA are in year two of a three-season agreement that has seen the upper limit rise to $95.5 million in 2025-26, $104 million this season, $113.5 million next season, and, as Friedman wrote, if the 2028-29 guesstimate holds, it would also be the largest season-to-season jump of the NHL salary cap era, at $14 million.

Naturally, one of our first thoughts was what such a jump would represent for the Vancouver Canucks. Let’s dive in.

Canucks’ long-term commitments

First, a reminder of the Canucks’ contract commitments still on the books in 2028-29, courtesy of Puck Pedia.

Forwards

Elias Pettersson: $11.6 million, 4 years remaining (including in 28-29)
Brock Boeser: $7.25 million, 4 years remaining
Jake DeBrusk: $5.50 million, 3 years remaining

Defencemen

Filip Hronek: $7.25 million, 4 years remaining
Zeev Buium: $9.38 million, 7 years remaining

Goaltenders

Kevin Lankinen: $4.5 million, 1 year remaining

Between now and the start of 2028-29, the Canucks will almost certainly sign restricted free agents Tom Willander and Elias Junior Pettersson. Up front, they’ve got Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Liam Öhgren, and Aatu Räty, all of whom will be RFAs at the end of this upcoming season. The Canucks will also have to decide on Marco Rossi, who will need a new contract for the 2028-29 season. But for today’s purposes, we’ll focus on the Canucks’ long-term commitments and how they fit into the NHL’s rising salary cap. In particular, what percentage of the cap these commitments will take up in 2028-29 at a $127.5 million upper limit.

Cap percentage of each of the Canucks’ commitments

Elias Pettersson

Percentage of salary cap in year one of contract (2024-25): 13.18%
Percentage of salary cap this season: 11.15%
Percentage of salary cap in 2028-29 (at $127.5 million): 9.09%

We begin with Elias Pettersson for a couple of reasons. The first is that Pettersson’s contract has been heavily discussed, particularly because his play has declined since the start of the contract. A $127.5 million salary cap means that Pettersson’s contract becomes much less of a talking point in the market, as taking up 9.09% of the total cap is about what you can expect a second-line centre to make. And if Pettersson can build off of what he’s shown through his first four games of the 2026-27 season? The contract will become even more desirable for the Canucks.

Which leads us to the second point: Pettersson’s contract, even if he hovers around a 60-70 point centre with solid two-way ability, could become one teams look to trade for as soon as this season. July 1st free agency is becoming more and more watered down, and buying teams have made it clear that they’ll pony up to get a player they feel can help their team win. If Pettersson’s contract stops being a hurdle (and even becomes a positive in the conversation around him), trade interest could easily renew and give the rebuilding Canucks something to think about in the coming seasons.

Brock Boeser

Percentage of salary cap in year one of contract (2025-26): 7.59%
Percentage of salary this season: 6.97%
Percentage of salary cap in 2028-29: 5.68%

It’s obviously a similar story for Boeser, but as a winger (who is also two years older than Pettersson), his trade value would be lower than Pettersson’s. The need to trade Pettersson (and Filip Hronek, who we’ll talk about later) really stems from two things. First, the Canucks getting an offer they can’t refuse, and second, them identifying that with Caleb Malhotra, Braeden Cootes, and other young players still not even drafted, forming their next nucleus, they must weigh the pros of keeping current players into their 30s vs. trading them for pieces that better fit their competitive timeline.

When the Canucks do that exercise with Boeser, it would be hard to imagine they’d get an offer they flat-out can’t refuse. So what his cap hit in a rising salary cap world really means for the Canucks is probably that they get to see Boeser finish his career as a Canuck with minimal impact on their broader picture during their contending years, when Boeser’s cap hit will take up the percentage that we’ll likely see middle-six wingers being paid anyway.

Jake DeBrusk

Percentage of salary cap in year one of contract (2024-25): 6.25%
Percentage of salary this season: 5.29%
Percentage of salary cap in 2028-29: 4.31%

The chances of Jake DeBrusk still being a Canuck by 2028-29 feel a bit slim at this current juncture, so we won’t spend too much time on him. His contract’s cap hit wasn’t much of a hindrance when it was originally signed, and will only look better as time goes on. Any acquiring team knows that, as do the Canucks.

Filip Hronek

Percentage of salary cap in year one of contract (2024-25): 8.24%
Percentage of salary this season: 6.97%
Percentage of salary cap in 2028-29: 5.68%

Now we get to the real doozy. What could a salary cap of $127.5 million mean for the Canucks? Well, it means that, in Filip Hronek, they might have one of the absolute best value contracts in the league by the time 2028-29 turns around.

I’ve made it clear in previous writings that while I can understand the Canucks’ thought process for wanting to keep Hronek around the young defencemen for this year and maybe even next, the club would likely be wise to deal Hronek before or during the 2028 offseason in a trade for assets that better fit their competitive timeline. Hronek will be heading into his age 31 season, and while there is little doubt that he’ll still be an effective defenceman at that time, the value of the pieces the Canucks manage to get in return for him outweighs the value he’d bring to the still-hopefully-rebuilding Canucks.

That is, of course, with the expectation that Hronek’s trade value would still be sky-high and that the Canucks find a trade they can view through the lens of “does this trade help us get closer to building a team that can consistently compete for Stanley Cups?” and find the answer to be a resounding yes. Finding such a trade should get a whole lot easier with Hronek taking up just 5.68% of the total salary cap in 2028-29.

Zeev Buium

Percentage of salary cap in year one of contract (2027-28): 8.26%
Percentage of salary this season: Still on ELC
Percentage of salary cap in 2028-29: 7.35%

Lastly, we get to Zeev Buium, the Canucks’ most recent long-term contract commitment.

The Canucks, particularly general manager Ryan Johnson, were upfront about the club’s thought process when signing Buium, who turns 21 in December, to such a big contract.

“Yeah, it was something that we really batted around a lot and wondered, okay, what really is our threshold at the end of the day to make an investment like this in a player with 70-some games that is very early in his development?” Johnson said shortly after the deal was signed. “If you had asked me five years ago if I would ever have considered something like this, my answer would have been immediately no. But I didn’t want to get caught up in some archaic thinking of this, I wanted to get aggressive enough to know where the landscape is going. If we could sit and really have a conversation about Zeev the player, but also the person, and we could get to a number that maybe we felt that is maybe admittedly overpaying right now, but being a really good deal down the road, we were aggressive in exploring this as much as we could to see if we could get something done.”

The Canucks might have a steal on their hands with Buium by the 2028-29 season, and they might really come out ahead if the NHL salary cap continues to skyrocket. Of course, a lot of this depends on whether Buium hits as a true top pairing defenceman. We simply don’t know if that will be the case yet, and we also have no real idea when we will definitively know the answer.

Breaking down how the Canucks have had so much success on the counterattack

Edward Nicol-McCabe — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:00:34 GMT

Not many fan bases have enjoyed their first week of the NHL regular season more than the Vancouver Canucks. With the Canucks finally entering a rebuild, new yet familiar faces in management, and a sense of direction for the future, fans are no longer worried about winning today; they know effort and development now will lead to success tomorrow.

With 19 goals in just four games, much of the enjoyment in Vancouver has come from the team scoring at will. It’s rare for a team this early in a rebuild to have the skill to score 4.75 goals per game. Whether it’s a shooting bender or a fresh environment that has allowed players to play up to their potential is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: the Canucks have been an extremely exciting team on the counterattack so far.

In this article, we will break down the Canucks’ counterattack goals and explain what we believe head coach Manny Malhotra is trying to implement.

First, we’ll lay out the parameters used to break down the Canucks’ goals. A counterattack goal can start from the Offensive Zone, Neutral Zone, or Defensive Zone (Labelled as OZ, NZ, & DZ). A counterattack could result from a direct turnover (poor pass) or pressure off the forecheck. An OZ counter (forecheck) goal must be scored within six seconds, while an NZ or DZ counter must be scored within eight seconds of a change in possession. Additionally, any goal scored on a second or third shot in the sequence must be via rebound, as any goal on a pass following the first shot is considered part of the cycle.

Offensive Zone Counters

Arshdeep Bains with a buzzer beater! pic.twitter.com/1KxvQVTHE6

— Daily Faceoff Vancouver (@dfovancouver) October 2, 2026

In game two against the Edmonton Oilers, the Canucks scored all four of their current 5-on-5 forechecking goals. In Manny Malhotra’s system, the Canucks’ OZ counter typically starts with a recovery along the wall, followed by a low-to-high pass to the strong-side defenceman, then a pass to the player on the far flank. The idea is that stacking the forecheck to one side of the ice forces opponents to provide close support on the breakout. If the Canucks recover and quickly move the puck to the far side, the puck receiver should have plenty of space to shoot or put it in the low slot.

First Option: On Arshdeep Bains’ 6-2 goal, the Canucks make a D-to-D pass, and Filip Hronek’s mobility lets him walk into the high slot between the faceoff dots. When this happens, their priority shifts to finishing rather than extending the cycle. This lets the entire triangle shift across the middle, stacking the screen in front of Devon Levi while also providing a low-slot option. By outnumbering their opponents low on one side of the ice, they can also create a small pocket of space to deposit the rebound, as Bains separates himself from the net-front defenceman and gets lost behind the strong-side defenceman.

Low-To-High OZ Counter, Between The Dots

Marco Rossi's shoulder makes it 8-5! pic.twitter.com/TgmRtSjIpW

— Daily Faceoff Vancouver (@dfovancouver) October 2, 2026

Second Option: Sometimes, however, the D-to-D pass might be used out of necessity to relieve pressure, putting the far-side defenceman in a tighter spot and unable to create. In that case, the focus shifts to getting the puck low, either to extend the cycle or to force the goalie to cover it. During these plays, the Canucks switch to a more traditional 2-1-2 OZ system, which focuses on retrievals and perimeter support. If a forward is near the net, they’ll make sure they’re the closest forward to any rebounds or pucks sent low along the perimeter. This switch gives the Canucks more time to reset and restart the cycle once the forwards overload to the strong side.

In Rossi’s case, it’s an example of what happens when the defenceman tries to put a shot on through the single screen. In this case, the puck bounces across and off of Rossi’s shoulder before going in the net, but traditionally the idea is for the puck to make its way low, and if sent towards the net, for the two men low to crash to the top of the crease with the third forward as a high option in case a puck squeaks loose. In these cases, however, teams will usually prioritize puck possession.

Canucks OZ Counter, Possession Based

The average time elapsed between a successful forecheck and a goal was 4.8 seconds for the Canucks.

Neutral & Defensive Zone Counters

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— Daily Faceoff Vancouver (@dfovancouver) October 4, 2026

On counterattacks from the NZ and DZ, the Canucks will react based on the manpower situation heading up ice. So far, the Canucks (outside of Linus Karlsson) have focused on shooting on 2-on-1s.

Over the past 10 years, as research into game theory has increased, it has become clear that while passing on a 2-on-1 is the higher-danger play, the majority of passes on a 2-on-1 actually occur before the faceoff circles, causing the defenceman to make an adjustment to their gap and also forcing the goalie to recentre themselves. Once a team gets past the circles on a 2-on-1, the higher-danger pass becomes harder to execute as they get closer to the net.

From a purely analytical point of view, if a player can assume a pass completion rate of 40% or higher, they should pass every time to maximize offensive output. The Canucks may have one player who could reach that mark (Elias Pettersson), but the rest of the team simply aren’t skilled enough to avoid shooting on a 2-on-1 once they get to the circles. The philosophy is simple: get between the dots and make your read early, and rip it where it’s open.

MAX SASSON SILENCES THE EDMONTON CROWD 🤫 pic.twitter.com/1TtqC20Zo5

— Daily Faceoff Vancouver (@dfovancouver) September 30, 2026

In a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3, the play is entirely read-based, except for a couple of non-negotiables: one player must take off up ice to spread the opponent’s defence, and two forwards must be on the strong side of the puck to provide close support through the neutral zone. The goal is to create gaps large enough to break through the neutral zone, while creating a 2-on-1 against one defenceman to enter the zone.

On Max Sasson’s goal against Edmonton, Karlsson does a great job turning the 3-on-3 into a 2-on-2 up ice. With Sasson and Drew O’Connor overloaded on the left, and Vasily Podkolzin in front of Sasson, he can make a quick pass to O’Connor before attacking the Oilers forward, get behind him just in time, take O’Connor’s return feed, and bury it. If the Canucks’ opponents press up at the blue line too much, or if they catch their opponent’s on a quick pass, they will try to put pucks behind the defence to advance the play and create either an odd-man rush or a scoring opportunity.

Boeser off the post to make it 6-2 Oilers. pic.twitter.com/jaOn4FEmmN

— Daily Faceoff Vancouver (@dfovancouver) October 2, 2026

But if the puck is put to the far side, like it was for Brock Boeser, the read is based on a variety of factors. In Boeser’s case, he uses the defenceman as a screen and his elite shot to put the puck past Levi. In other cases, the player may try to reload the puck up high if there’s a defenceman with him. They may try to attack the middle or go 1-on-1 with a defenceman.

The average time elapsed between an NZ or DZ counter attempt and a goal was 5.5 and 6.0 seconds, respectively.

Stats/Trends

Of the Canucks’ 19 goals, 14 were scored on the counterattack.

Five OZ counters
Two NZ counters
Six DZ counters
One quick strike/broken play

Typically, team goals are in the 45% rush, 55% cycle range. Elite offensive teams can score 50-55% of their goals off the rush. The Canucks currently have two 5v5 cycle goals and six off the rush, for a 5v5 rush-goal percentage of 75%. If the Canucks fail to generate offence from their cycle, they will suffer serious offensive regression. But for the meantime, the counterattack is giving Canucks fans an extremely fun brand of hockey to watch in 2026-27 thus far.

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