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The Stanchies: The Canucks technically played a game of hockey in 2-1 loss to Golden Knights

The Stanchion — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:36:46 GMT

If you thought a game which featured only 11 shots total from the Vancouver Canucks was a bit on the tedious side, well, do I have news for you: you’re absolutely correct, good call.

It wasn’t a night to remember for the Canucks, as they fell 2-1 to the visiting Vegas Golden Knights, failing to even play the role of playoff spoiler. While the game was a low-scoring affair, there was never a moment when you felt that Vancouver might pull this one off. Of course, winning means nothing at this point, but there is still something enjoyable about seeing a non-playoff team make the elite teams sweat. Never underestimate the joy a home crowd can have at another team’s lack of success.

Alas, the Canucks went gently into that night, neither raging nor apparently fussed about any sort of dying of light. Sure, they showed up and had a good cardio session, but aside from the newly minted Teddy Blueger and Max Sasson dynamic duo storyline that has appeared as of late, this game felt remarkably like the players are hoping this season ends as quickly as the fans do.

Unfortunately, the fans are the ones in the position of having paid to watch this, while the players are in the enviable position of generating an incredible amount of money to manage eleven whole shots in an NHL game.

Don’t hate the player, hate the game and all that, but watching the Canucks, hat in hand, tell season-ticket holders that prices need to go up (for the exciting future ahead, I assume), has never felt more tone deaf. If ever there was a “the beatings will continue until the morale increases” moment from the owner, it would be right now.

Think about it, the Canucks have one last home game remaining, which means at best, AT BEST, they can finish the season with nine wins on home ice. Yet somehow ticket prices have gone up. Is there a losing tax? Is this a thing now? Has Crazy P demanded new money for a golden drum so he can scream at you even louder while the team is getting dummied 6-0?

Again, if anyone ever says the fans or media are too harsh on this ownership/management, I would point to this season as proof that people aren’t nearly hard enough.

Nothing will change, mind you. That would require self-reflection from ownership, a moment to pause and consider their role in everything surrounding the team, something that doesn’t appear to be a strength of theirs.

No, no, as Principal Skinner said, it is the ~~children~~ fans who are wrong, so we shall continue on this journey of tedious hockey and just sort of pray luck overrides mistakes at one point so we can enjoy another second-round playoff exit that the team tries to squeeze the juice until the end of time.

I am being told I am being a bit pessimistic about all of this, so we shall instead ramp up the positivity for this game, describing in great detail how a team on pace for just four shots on the night managed to dig deep, summon their courage, and end the night with double digits.

Let’s do this.

Best did you say “shots” or “nots”?

A loud "Shoot The Puck" chant at Rogers Arena as the #Canucks have 0 shots through the first 14 minutes of tonight's game.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@Adamkblat) April 8, 2026

The first period from this game is not one I would recommend to be saved in a time capsule for future generations to know what hockey was like back in 2026. If that were to ever happen, I could only imagine the confused and frightened looks on their faces as old people tried to convince them that yes, people paid to watch this. It would most likely lead to a more general conversation about bored and ignored kinks that I just don’t think they would be ready for.

Regardless, we have a job to do here at CanucksArmy, so let’s do our best to discuss the opening frame in a positive light.

The first real action of the game occurred when Nikita Tolopilo attempted a tried and true road hockey method of simply dropping your goalie stick to try and make a save:

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You may wonder why you would drop a piece of your goalie gear to make a save, and it’s because then you get to dryly chuckle to yourself, “Heh, didn’t even need my stick for that one,” just loudly enough for Nic Dowd to hear. It’s important to make sure you deliver it dryly and almost as if you were truly just talking to yourself, because that will ensure it does the maximum damage to Dowd’s psyche.

You see, if you shouted at Dowd, “Dude, I didn’t even need my stick, you suuuuuck” before making a gratuitous gesture to your genitals, that allows Dowd to brush it off as mere playground trash talk. He would respond with something about “Check the standings, buds,” and then Nikita could respond with “Jim will always be known as the better Dowd,” and it would quickly end there.

By muttering to yourself, “wow, I didn’t even need my stick” with equal parts amazement and equal parts amusement, it doesn’t attack Nic directly. By hearing it in passing, it will be as if Nic Dowd stumbled upon a conversation he wasn’t meant to know about, meaning the authenticity of the statement will land harder.

Nic will wonder to himself, “yeah, why didn’t he need his stick to stop me?” before stewing about it on the bench all game long, wondering if maybe the game has passed him by.

With that being said, let’s check in on Brock Boeser randomly taking out former Canuck Ben Hutton:

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExM25vM2o2aTVpZDR3NG84Z2Q4bWhsbGQ2N3k5MHVyeHczMHBmbmh6MSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/pWojlDrAyKKBFrwdpD/giphy.mp4

I am truly enjoying Brock Boeser’s transformation into a grizzled vet, a man who has become a master of board play.

Amazing tip passes off of outlet passes around the boards? Brock is your guy.

Casually skating through the area and smashing Ben Hutton into the glass? Boeser is your guy.

Need help destroying a ring that rules them all? I assume Brock can get it done.

Now, the Canucks almost got their first shot on net when who else but Drew O’Connor attempted to generate an end-to-end rush:

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdXQ4dThqb3RtcWEzdGZhajJ4dGFwNWsweW1mZGF2aDZra2MyMm5jbyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/RXMBsf4qdwGfshMr9E/giphy.mp4

We’re friends, right? I think we can all agree this might not have been the greatest season of hockey you’ve watched in your life.

That being said, I will hand out kudos to the consistency of DOC to just bust his ass every single night, even when it’s clear Vancouver is not going to win.

Down 8-1, Drew is going to be the guy trying to skate the puck out of his own zone to try and beat five guys and get a shot on net. It’s just a nice reprieve from some of the veterans, where it felt like they would check out on the night if their lemon-scented warm towels weren’t to their liking at the pre-game dinner.

As for Vegas, they are no longer the fearsome foe they once were when an entire league showed their intelligence by gifting them an ungodly amount of good players at the expansion draft, but they can still defeat you by wearing you down. Mark Stone, in particular, is a player who can skate around three miles per hour if the wind is at his back, but is also someone who requires a team of Avengers to try and pry the puck off of him.

So it was no shock when Stone was out there in the crease, digging away for the puck until Fil Hronek politely asked him to leave:

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Rasmus Andersson then sent in a shot on net that Brandon Saad deflected just wide of Tolopilo:

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For as tedious as Vancouver played on this night, I will say Vegas wasn’t too far behind in terms of wondering why they hate fans who enjoy hockey. Maybe it’s the new coach, John Tortorella, putting his love of the grind into the team, or maybe it’s a team playing so cautiously, trying to pick up points to secure a playoff spot, that it created this offbeat affair.

Best breakthrough

#Canucks finally get a shot on net

— Adam (@HEELCanuck) April 8, 2026

Vittorio Mancini finally broke the (shot) shutout when he landed a wrist shot from the point on net, but only after first hitting the post:

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExc2RsM2NhbHZzbms4eTd1anJ0Z2duODM2cGNrdmFvNGZta3N1bmVnbCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/ZJJ2i5Csjuxbr6COsY/giphy.mp4

This was then quickly followed up by Linus Karlsson throwing a wrister on net a minute later, bringing the grand total to two shots through one period.

I refuse to show the highlight of the second shot because even I have my limits on how I make my GIF money.

Best second period blues

Mancini has looked better recently, especially on the offensive end of the ice but he still is too slow reacting to threats. Getting walked at your own blue line by Sissons being a prime example. Has the tools, will see if he was the smarts to go with it.#Canucks

— Mike in the Valley (@mikeinthevalley) April 8, 2026

The second period is when Vancouver usually logs out of chat without saying goodbye, and early on, it was following the same script.

As Mike points out, Vittorio Mancini has such a tantalizing tool set that you can see why NHL teams want to roll the dice on him. Good size and good speed can go a long way with goodwill in the NHL, but you do eventually have to put it together. And it’s not like Mancini is alone in that regard on Vancouver, as aside from Fil the Pill, nobody has looked good on the back end. Even Marcus Pettersson, a mainstay veteran defender in this league, has looked like the product of a movie company trying to cash in on the surprising success of Freakier Friday with how he’s played in his own end this season.

And early in the second, Mancini gets burned by a high spiral pass from Ivan Barbashev, playing high and tight before he realizes the threat. The end result? Colton Sissons skates right around him, forcing Tolopilo to have to make a clutch save:

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExM25haXo0cWp1ejM0cHRxc3V4dmU0N2ZzYjVnZ2NlZHdnYjQxbGxkeSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/VGZlnucRZ6VPDYoGb4/giphy.mp4

I will say that one of the best things Hronek does is soft interference, in which you just sort of, accidentally, on purpose, maybe you hold a guy up for a second or two. That’s the sort of play Mancini needs to make here, as it doesn’t tend to get called for interference. Will it on occasion? Sure, it happened at the end of the game to Rasmus Andersson. But soft picking is a way of life right now in the NHL, so you need to learn your subtle art of “hahah whoops, eat sh!t buddy, sorry about that” interference.

Vegas would continue to threaten the Canucks with scoring a goal, as next, Mark Stone would set up Mitch Marner for a shot between the two faceoff dots:

https://media4.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeHA0d2RkNzV1NzA4NDd5MXY5dHJscGVsNHFwNGh0Z2M1aW16cXpkNCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Fyy53T00lorneGqijL/giphy.mp4

Sissons would then show his face once more, this time pinging the post behind Tolopilo just seconds after leaving the penalty box:

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExaHphc2JhaXRsZmVmcjI4emk4emF0eGd5eHFrNHU5NmRyMTFqZGR1NyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/qcWZLMssg2XwX8h6Em/giphy.mp4

Despite the loss, this was one of the better outings from Tolopilo this year. On a night in which his team didn’t deserve to be in such a close contest, Nikita was the only reason why the Canucks had a chance at a win.

Best question

Is Pettersson even capable of taking a shot on goal???? #Canucks

— Rod Mickleburgh (@rodmickleburgh) April 8, 2026

We’re back at the “Why is he broken” stage of Elias Pettersson, as the lack of shots and goals begins to pile up. Now at 10 games without lighting the lamp, Elias remains the biggest question mark in terms of “is he going to be a part of the solution?” for this team.

And on this night, we just saw more of the same, where it just looks like a guy who can do everything on the ice aside from make aggressive moves towards the net. You want nice dangles? Heck yeah, he’s got you covered. You want him to then drive the puck hard to the net to follow that up? Computer says no:

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZGZtY2hsZHFrYTFzcGpzYnRnNjlpOHphazYydWFjMjNjNmE3a3ZtdCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/mHauWPOsoKbJ3x6PJJ/giphy.mp4

It’s not egregious stuff either, like you can kind of get behind him trying to find a dude trailing into the zone with speed there. But you also just want to see him take that puck and drive to the net, even if it just ends up with him flinging a backhand on net for a rebound. It’s like he’s forgotten how to shield the puck from people and is perpetually afraid that people will connect the dots and figure out he’s a crime fighter in his off time.

But again, the guy can make really good plays, that’s the maddening part. As long as it doesn’t involve the act of shooting and/or scoring, this guy can produce for you.

You want him to lunge and keep a clearing attempt from exiting the zone on the power play? No problem:

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExN282N3Y3ZGt4aGYybGZsNjk0OWpob2JrMzZ4MXMyeTRmaW16OXBnNSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/00cxJidvHU1KJNZo7W/giphy.mp4

But shooting, it just seems like a distant memory from when he entered the league, and laser-beamed Mike Smith to death.

We got to see a flash of that player when he one-timed a pass on the power play, but alas, it went wide:

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdmdrYWR4dTJpdmtld3N5dHEwdzJmMm10c2U0MmRoMXhxbnBlenF4MCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/T3b0Qm61YnTf4tgktc/giphy.mp4

It was yet another night of Bart getting the dud, sadly.

Best that’s my boy

Another Max Sasson goal on a @TheStanchion start

— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) April 8, 2026

One of the rare highlights of the season for me has been watching Max Sasson carve out an NHL job with the Canucks. Dennis Quaid has taught me the joys of watching an older rookie make it in the bigs, so I will not squander this.

Now, it’s just an NHL fact of life that the majority of these players will have a short career window, so you just sort of have to enjoy it while it lasts. And seeing Sasson use his speed and shot to earn a shot next year is an easy story to get behind. The fact that Teddy Blueger and Sasson have been, oddly, two of the best Canucks players down the stretch has just been an added bonus. If they don’t get their own TV show on Disney+ in the offseason, I will be severely disappointed.

And speaking of older rookies, Linus Karlsson made a terrific play on the puck near the boards to poke it free to Teddy Blueger, who would find Max Sasson on the wing:

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeXZyNXowYmx5aHdrYmV4ZXNtNzllZWtpNGtrYTE1ZTY4N2dhcHNldSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Me5qUh2i5s4mRTgO0D/giphy.mp4

That’s a shot that Hart should have stopped, but also extremely well placed by Sasson. Max just sort of goes full Fat Joe and leans back and then shoots back against the grain, and it worked.

Best and it’s gone

Tolopilo finally beaten by 20th shot as McNabb point shot finds short side with Hertl causing havoc at crease. 1-1. #Canucks

— Ben Kuzma 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@benkuzma) April 8, 2026

Vegas would tie the game up rather quickly, however, with Colton Sissons once again getting involved when he initiated a board battle that led to Vegas cycling the puck until Brayden McNabb snapped home a wrist shot just behind the faceoff circle:

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The play sort of breaks down when Curtis Douglas jumps up to double-team Sissons, which gives enough time and space for Saad to open himself up for the outlet pass, which just sort of leads to Vancouver chasing the puck around the zone.

Again, not an egregious error, as we have seen far worse breakdowns from the Canucks this season. At least they were reasonably in the general area of the puck on this goal, which feels like a nice improvement. And McNabb’s shot was something I am sure Tolopilo wants back as well, it’s not like the Canucks gave up a high danger scoring chance on the play, it was a pretty innocent looking play if we’re being honest.

But the Canucks chasing the play has been a constant theme this season, and if you end up doing it more often than not, you usually end up paying for it.

Best last second push

#Canucks have been outshot 20-7 at 5-on-5 by Vegas through 40 minutes. @NatStatTrick has the scoring chance margin at 23-11.

The game is level 1-1 though, with Nikita Tolopilo the only reason it's close going into the third period.

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 8, 2026

Believe it or not, the Canucks were almost heading into the third period with only five shots, were it not for an act of heroism from Elias Pettersson and Drew O’Connor that resulted in not only two shots on net, but also a “how in the **** did that not go in??” moment for EP40:

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNjlhdWoxdzdnYWhjd3AwajZ3ZjF5amZ5MGozeXZmbjB3aTE0NzBmayZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/W0z4XEYfkFYnAaDzcJ/giphy.mp4

As with most things in life, this play started with Drew O’Connor rushing the puck into the offensive zone, but don’t sleep on that cruise missile pass from Fil Hronek to set this in motion.

And as with most things in life, Drew didn’t score on his shot, but god damn it, you appreciate his moxie on the play regardless.

And as with most things in life, Elias Pettersson didn’t score, and you’re not sure why this happened or how we got here.

I also feel like if you don’t score on that chance, you’re not winning the game. Clearly, the Hockey Gods have different plans for you at this point.

Best losing his grip

Does Foote know that you can’t finish lower than 32? Why is he still tanking? #canucks

— Robby (@Dosange) April 8, 2026

Pavel Dorofeyev tested Tolopilo with a shot right in the crease near the start of the third period after Ivan Barbashev found him all alone with the Canucks goalie and nary an escort in sight:

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExM283anFsaG1ucWloMWVhYnA2ZmRscTB4ejdmcWUzMnk3dWhuYXM1eSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Ot2tr1PCQDI4Zf2EG6/giphy.mp4

Could this game have been 6-1 without Tolopilo in net? Sources say yes. I’d give that a solid (E4) on the rumour rankings.

Best did Ser Douglas the Tall score?

A goal for Big Dougie would be enough to make this game fun, just saying. #canucks

— Dragon Was Slayed (@522IntoOvertime) April 8, 2026

Just keep our big boy in the lineup to see if he can score his first NHL career goal, that’s all I ask. We have nothing left to ~~live~~ watch for:

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Not his greatest chance, but damn it, in a game with only 11 shots, this counts as a top-three play of the night.

Best Cole train

This might be unethical tanking #Canucks

— caleb (@Arpy6409) April 8, 2026

Cole Smith would score the final goal of the night with under eight minutes left in the third, after Liam Öhgren was stripped of the puck trying to leave his zone:

https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdDQwbjY0b3VycXRjYXVtbnB4YWRmYXdhOTA0bjVwdjYyN3YwOTU4diZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/IfaGwxDwoRkuv2kDqr/giphy.mp4

There is something so callously cruel about the way Cole robbed Liam just mere feet from his zone. Cruel Cole didn’t have a care in the world; however, when he played a little game of give-and-go with Nic Dowd before firing the puck through Tolopilo.

It was the second goal of the night where you found yourself thinking Nikita probably should have had that, but in an evening in which he played lights out aside from that, it’s hard to get too riled up over it.

Besides, what does it matter when people like Cruel Cole are allowed to steal pucks from innocent men just trying to go about their business?

Best question of the day

#canucks have only managed 8 shots to this point? How?

— Judge Dredge 🇨🇦 (@RealJudgeDredge) April 8, 2026

Well, before we begin, here was the first shot of the third period, with exactly six minutes left in the game, in the form of a one-timer from Aatu Raty:

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExN3ZkYjNzNDRxcndlaDV1cHpmbXR0NnF1a3o1MXR1ODNubXkzZXVqdSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Y3mf4SD7vyh4g4fBDT/giphy.mp4

A fine offering if ever there was one, and I can confirm that is indeed a shot on net.

The Canucks tried to generate more, of course, but you either had EP40 being shut down after dangling his way into the offensive zone:

https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExaXpyMnJxeWticzAzeW5iOHB3dWhuNnE3Zm9vMjI5MHcyaWY2YWN0ayZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/KysaEGuGAFOYqlanIh/giphy.mp4

Or you had Fil Hronek coming in with speed only to go full Mason Raymond and miss high and wide:

https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExaHIyenloNXBsemY5ZGY1ZzdtejQ1NHUxZXYyY3p1ODZyc29zOGhrbSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/WLMsIp7gWGcADel84w/giphy.mp4

Were it not for a late penalty from the Knights, I do truly believe this game would have ended at nine shots on the night for Vancouver.

Best finish it off

#Canucks Kierszenstat of the Game:
With tonight's loss, the most home wins Vancouver can finish with this season is 9. It is the first time in franchise history they will not record at least 10 home wins in a season.

— Adam Kierszenblat (@Adamkblat) April 8, 2026

Staring single digits in the face, the Canucks didn’t blink, however, as that late power play led to a Hronek power play shot.

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExb3JiZ3J0dzRiNTNnYXVuMmJoandsdDhlZGtjaWV4Z3Z6Nmltb2poeiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Iry3kxww9EgeHuKauD/giphy.mp4

And then Jake DeBrusk smashing a rebound on net off of another Hronek shot attempt:

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The Jake chance was what I assume the long high danger chance of the period for Vancouver, as they finished with just four on the night. Vegas had 14 high-danger chances when all was said and done, which seems to go hand in hand with, you know, generating a lot more shots on net.

And thus ended what was one of the most tedious games of the season. Congratulations, you did it. You’re almost at the finish line.

Yay.

Best jersey Botch

First Canucks game in months and I enter behind this beauty pic.twitter.com/sKMDruRVDT

— sedinitronic (@sedinitronic) April 8, 2026

Fun fact: Tom Sestito scored 42 goals to lead his team in the OHL in 2006-07. Just 30 goals behind league leader John Tavares, but tied with Steven Stamkos.

Sponsored by bet365

Instant Reaction: Tolopilo makes 26 saves with no help in front of him in Canucks’ 2-1 loss to Golden Knights

Tyson Cole — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:42:29 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!

Starting lineup

Warmup #Canucks lines vs. @GoldenKnights

O’Connor. EP40. DeBrusk.
Öhgren. Rossi. Boeser.
Sasson. Blueger. Karlsson.
Douglas. Räty. Höglander.

Buium. Hronek.
MP29. Mancini.
EP25. Willander.

🥅Tolopilo🥅

7pm on @Sportsnet650 https://t.co/J6DNM1E8Qt pic.twitter.com/C7scHU19k4

— Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) April 8, 2026

Lineup changes for tonight: Up front, Nils Höglander draws back into the lineup for Ty Mueller. On the backend, Elias Pettersson (D) replaces PO Joseph. Nikita Tolopilo gets the nod for the second straight game, with Kevin Lankinen out with an injury.

First period

Hey! It’s the first TV timeout at 6:04 into the game. And you’re probably wondering why we haven’t written anything yet. Well, that’s because nothing has really happened to this point. The Golden Knights have a pair of shots and eight attempts compared to the Canucks’ lone shot attempt. It’s clear that one team is playoff-bound and the other has its sights set on its beach vacation in a few weeks.

After the TV timeout, Vegas just dominated play in Vancouver’s end. All the Canucks could do when they got the puck was ice it to give them a quick break from the relentless Golden Knights pressure. A few minutes later, big man Curtis Douglas took a cross-checking penalty in front of the Canucks bench, sending the already rolling Golden Knights offence to the man advantage.

I will give the Canucks credit; they did a good job of swarming the Golden Knights’ top unit and limiting their offensive zone time. It took the Canucks nearly 10 minutes until they managed to put together an offensive zone shift. The Max Sasson-Teddy Blueger-Linus Karlsson had possession of the puck in the offensive zone. But nothing threatening came of it.

Brock Boeser had a rush down the wing, which was kind of exciting until he had his shot attempt blocked. It’s now been 14 minutes, and the Canucks still have not registered a shot on goal. But then, the fourth line found its way into the offensive zone. Victor Mancini rang a shot from distance off the post for the first real Canucks chance of the game.

The first chance of the game for the Canucks goes off the post.

🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/VWMa2NwnJF

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 8, 2026

Seconds later, he had his redemption when he officially logged the first Canucks shot 14:31 minutes into the game. Yay!

The Ivan Barbashev-Mitch Marner-Mark Stone line had a few solid chances, but the teams would walk into the first intermission at a scoreless tie. Vegas outshot Vancouver 10-2 through the first 20.

Second period

This period, again, started slowly. This time for both sides. It took a few minutes before there was a real chance, when Stone set up Marner in the slot, but Tolopilo made a great save, kicking out the right pad.

Something that has often been talked about with this Canucks team and their struggles in second periods is that they get hemmed in their own end, and the forwards don’t get the puck deep enough to allow the defencemen to change. And that’s what happened here in the first five minutes in the second, when Zeev Buium and Filip Hronek were stuck on the ice for over two minutes.

However, Buium did a great job of getting them off the ice when he maybe slightly oversold a high-sticking penalty, sending the Canucks’ red-hot power play to the man-advantage. They had their looks: Boeser had his shot blocked, Pettersson wide, and Carter Hart made a nice glove save on Rossi. But the Canucks could not convert.

And just as we all expected after the constant Golden Knights pressure, the Canucks opened the scoring.

Coming down off the rush, Sasson takes the pass from Blueger as he enters the zone and fires a simple wrister that handcuffs Hart and lights the lamp on the far side on only their fifth shot of the game, 32:50 minutes into it.

🚨Canucks goal🚨

Max Sasson opens the scoring in the 2nd period!

🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/EvSzn7YCvb

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 8, 2026

1-0 Canucks.

Just a few short minutes later, the Golden Knights found their equalizer.

As the Golden Knights move the puck around the perimeter, Brayden McNabb takes the puck from the point, down the left wall and fires a wrist shot through traffic that beats Tolopilo clean to tie the game.

And Vegas ties it at one

🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/DqSbQjGyuA

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 8, 2026

1-1 tie.

The Canucks had the final chance of the period when they caught the Golden Knights on a bad change and were in on a three-on-one. With a clear shooting lane, O’Connor has the opportunity to pick his spot. However, he chooses to throw a pass off the pads to a streaking Elias Pettersson, who has a sitter in the crease. But he can’t finish it as the puck goes knicks off Hart’s pad and trickles wide of the net.

How did Pettersson not score this?

🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/yomYCYGu9j

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 8, 2026

After Pettersson broke his 20-goal drought with a two-goal performance against the Florida Panthers, Pettersson finds himself in another goalless slump of nine games.

But hey, the Canucks managed to get a whole five shots that period! More than doubling their first period total of two! Per the Sportsnet Broadcast, the Canucks tied their season low of shots on goal through 40 minutes: seven against the Tampa Bay Lightning. They went on to score five goals in the third period and walk away with a 6-2 victory. Let’s hope for more action in the third period!

Third period

I can’t talk too poorly of the Canucks in this third period because it’s not like the Golden Knights were much better. It took them nearly five minutes to get their first shot on goal as well. Their next shot was a solid chance when the Canucks left Pavel Dorofeyev all alone at the net front, but Tolopilo made the blocker save in tight.

Curtis Douglas had the Canucks’ best chance of the period just over seven minutes in when the puck landed on his stick at the net front. But he had a weak backhand attempt at it and sent the puck wide of the net.

With the game tied halfway through the third period, it didn’t seem like either team wanted this game. There wasn’t much offence from either side with the game within reach. That was until Cole Smith hounded Liam Öhgren in the neutral zone, causing the turnover, and sent a wrist shot five-hole on Tolopilo to give the Golden Knights their first lead of the game.

Cole Smith gives Vegas a 2-1 lead.

🎥 Sportsnet | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/DrpOYP4FXb

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) April 8, 2026

2-1 Golden Knights.

It took the Canucks 14 minutes into the period to get their first shot of the frame off the stick of Aatu Räty. But aside from that, the Canucks did not look like they had much fight in them to claw their way back in this one. They weren’t connecting on their passes in the defensive zone, which kept them pinned in their end.

But they were given a glimmer of hope when Rossi drew an interference penalty on Rasmus Andersson, who was not too pleased with the call, voicing what I assume were pleasantries in the Canuck forward’s face.

Despite Räty’s best efforts in the faceoff dot of continuously giving his team possession in the offensive zone, the Canucks weren’t able to tie the game.

Tolopilo deserved a better result in this one. He stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced, while the guys in front of him were only able to muster up 10 shots through 60 minutes.

Takeaway from the game:

– Truthfully, there really wasn’t much to take away from this game. The Canucks were bad. The Golden Knights weren’t all that much better, considering they are pushing for playoff positioning. Marner and Tolopilo were the only guys I consistently noticed throughout the game.

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

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Jannik Hansen thinks the Canucks should part ways with head coach Adam Foote

Tyson Cole — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:05:05 GMT

With six games remaining on the Vancouver Canucks’ schedule, questions about the future of head coach Adam Foote have resurfaced.

Around the National Hockey League, teams are starting to get ahead of making their changes.

It all started just over a week ago when the Toronto Maple Leafs fired their General Manager, Brad Treliving. That sparked other teams to look in the mirror and make their changes. The Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy and named John Tortorella their new bench boss. The New York Islanders relieved Patrick Roy of his duties and signed Pete DeBoer to a multi-year contract. And just yesterday, the New Jersey Devils announced that Tom Fitzgerald will depart the organization.

Former Canucks forward Jannik Hansen joined Canucks Talk on Sportsnet 650 for his regular hit and discussed his stance on whether the team should make a change at the head coaching position:

“It’s a performance-based industry. You can’t come back after that. That would be my opinion. Now, I did not want a change. I was looking for these things too. Can he develop the defence? Can he get a structure in there? Can he fix the PK? And yeah, player personnel was not there and all those things, but you need somebody new coming in there. A new person coming in with a fresh set of eyes. You’re going to get probably half a new roster this offseason as well. Maybe not half, but I can easily see six or seven new players coming in, starting up next year.

“Put a new guy in charge. Somebody who can hopefully grow with the young core here. Not somebody you’re looking to turn over the next year, so to speak. This year, because of the way the season started and the expectations, which were a playoff spot, didn’t happen, heads will have to roll. And oftentimes, the first one is the coach. So that’s probably a good place to start. And then get somebody else in there who can kind of take the reins from a rebuilding perspective and not a ‘Hey, we’ve gotta make the playoffs. Okay, we weren’t good enough, now we’re going to rebuild with the same guy, but things didn’t work.’

“I’m all for that now.”

It will certainly be a difficult decision for the Canucks to make after the season. If they move on from Foote, they are still on the hook for another two years of his contract. However, if they keep him around, they could potentially lose their aspiring coach down in Abbotsford, Manny Malhotra, as he is drawing interest from around the league.

Could the Canucks once again lose Manny Malhotra to the Toronto Maple Leafs?

David Quadrelli — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:30:50 GMT

If you run a Google search for “NHL news” right now, chances are, you’ll see some sort of coaching-related headline.

Patrick Roy out in Long Island in favour of Pete DeBoer, along with the Vegas Golden Knights replacing Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella, are obviously the two big ones from this past week.

But you might also see some speculation about the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ head coaching job, currently held by Craig Berube. The Leafs parted ways with General Manager Brad Treliving after a disastrous 2025-26 season, and many anticipate that Berube could be next.

And while much of the discussion around the Leafs has been centred around who could fill their vacant roles in management — my colleague Arun Srinivasan wrote an exceptional piece about Sunny Mehta being the next GM in Toronto — there’s also beginning to be some chatter around the Leafs’ next head coach.

One name drawing some attention: Current Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra.

On Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the following:

“ I don’t think Toronto was gonna go after DeBoer. I think if they wanted to hire him, they could have done it earlier in the year. My theory on Toronto is if they do make a coaching change, maybe like a Manny Malhotra is the kind of guy that they look at.”

After that, theleafsnation.com published a piece titled “The case for Manny Malhotra to be next head coach of the Leafs.”

With Mike Gillis rumoured to be in the running to land the Leafs GM job, Malhotra would certainly be a name to watch, given the two’s history in Vancouver. But even if Gillis isn’t the next man up in Toronto, Malhotra is certainly going to garner attention — whether that be in Toronto or elsewhere.

Malhotra’s name popped up plenty last offseason, though most vacant NHL coaching jobs were filled by the time Malhotra’s Abbotsford Canucks became AHL champions and won the Calder Cup. The Canucks and Malhotra at least discussed the possibility of him taking over the Vancouver bench after Rick Tocchet announced he was leaving, but the team ultimately hired Adam Foote for that job.

Given his success in getting the most out of multiple players currently on the Canucks’ NHL roster — Linus Karlsson, Max Sasson, Elias Junior Pettersson, Aatu Räty, and Jonathan Lekkerimäki all come to mind — along with his reputation among players both past and present, many fans seem to want to see Malhotra promoted to run the Vancouver bench.

And while those arguments might carry some weight, there’s been no indication that the Canucks plan to make a coaching change this offseason.

Malhotra is signed through next season to coach the Abbotsford Canucks, but NHL organizations don’t typically block their AHL coaches from pursuing NHL opportunities, so if the right one comes up, Malhotra could be headed out the door.

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Malhotra earned a better opportunity outside of Vancouver, and it wouldn’t even be the first time that Malhotra left the Canucks to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

From 2017-18 to 2019-20, Malhotra served as an assistant to Travis Green’s staff. At practice, he was often out working with players on the details of their games, and yes, faceoffs too. During games, Malhotra typically observed from the press box rather than behind the bench. He would provide real-time feedback to players during intermissions based on his high-vantage observations.

Beginning in 2020-21, Malhotra was on the Leafs’ bench under Sheldon Keefe for four years. While he initially joined the team to manage the power play, Malhotra transitioned from the power play to coaching the forwards in their defensive game following the hire of Spencer Carbery in 2021. And yes, Malhotra was also tasked with providing guidance on faceoffs in that role as well.

Following the 2023-24 season, however, Malhotra returned to the Canucks to accept his first pro head coaching role, leading Abbotsford to a championship in his first season behind the bench.

And now, it only appears like a matter of time before he gets an opportunity to run an NHL bench. Will that be in Vancouver? Toronto? Someplace else? That remains to be seen.

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Scenes from morning skate: Tolopilo makes third straight start for Canucks vs. Golden Knights

Jeff Paterson — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:48:18 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks (22-46-8) host the Vegas Golden Knights (35-26-16) at Rogers Arena. The game is set for a 7 pm PT puck drop.

Tonight will be the 20th and final time this season the Canucks wear their alternate black skate jersey. The team is 4-13-2 in those uniforms, while the club is remarkably similar, 4-13-3 in its primary blue uniforms.

What we saw

#Canucks today
O’Connor-EP40-DeBrusk
Öhgren-Rossi-Boeser
Sasson-Blueger-Karlsson
Douglas-Räty-Höglander
Mueller

Buium-Hronek
MP29-Willander
EP25-Mancini
Joseph

Tolopilo/Patera

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) April 7, 2026

With Kevin Lankinen nursing an upper-body injury and out for a second straight game, Nikita Tolopilo will make a third consecutive start for the first time in his NHL career. He allowed six goals on 23 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Saturday. Tolopilo has dropped his past four decisions. Former Golden Knight Jiri Patera will back up once again.

Evander Kane will sit out for the third time in the past four outings. And Abbotsford call-up Ty Mueller will be a healthy scratch after appearing in the past two games. That means Curtis Douglas returns to the lineup after being scratched on Saturday.

Filip Hronek, who took a maintenance day and was excused from practice on Monday, will play tonight. P-O Joseph will come out of the lineup to make room for Elias Pettersson on defence.

Jake DeBrusk is red-hot with goals in three straight games, four in his last five and five in seven – all on the power play. With Saturday’s goal early in the third period, the veteran winger has scored 16 of his 19 goals on the season with the man-advantage. Only two players in the league have more.

As a team, the Canucks are 11 for their last 27 (40.7%) over the past 10 games. That is second in the NHL behind only Carolina (41.9%) since March 16th.

The Canucks have dropped five straight in regulation on home ice for the first time all season. Overall, the team has lost eight of its last nine games.

The Opponent

The Golden Knights improved to 3-0 under interim head coach John Tortorella with a 5-1 win in Edmonton on Saturday night. Brett Howden, Colton Sissons, Jeremy Lauzon, Mark Stone and Rasmus Andersson scored the Vegas goals while Carter Hart stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced. Hart is now 2-0 and has allowed four goals after missing three months and 33 games with a lower-body injury.

Lauzon’s goal midway through the second period snapped the veteran defenceman’s 112-game scoring drought dating back to February of 2024.

Jack Eichel set up three goals on Saturday to boost his team-leading point total to 82 on the season. That matches the second-best total of his career behind only the 94 points he registered last season. Eichel is one of six Knights skaters with 20 goals and 50 points this season. Pavel Dorofeyev leads the team with 35 goals, matching his career high established last season.

Vegas has points in five straight games (3-0-2) and just one outright loss in its last seven contests (4-1-2). The Knights sit third in the Pacific Division, but just a single point behind both Anaheim and Edmonton. All three teams have five games remaining.

The Golden Knights are 26-0-5 this season when scoring four or more goals.

Defencemen are heating up for Vegas, contributing seven goals and 19 points in the past seven games. Rasmus Andersson has four goals and six points, while Shea Theodore has one goal and four helpers. Both players scored against the Canucks last week at T-Mobile Arena.

News and notes

Tonight is the Golden Knights’ lone visit to Vancouver. They have defeated the Canucks twice on home ice this season: 5-2 on February 4th and 4-2 last Monday night in John Tortorella’s coaching debut. Vegas is 10-1-2 all-time in Vancouver.

The referees for tonight’s game are Peter MacDougall and Corey Syvret.

What we heard

Adam Foote on what he wants to see from his team tonight: “Just continue to keep building and going and we’re playing faster. We’re going to be playing against a real hard forechecking team, a heavy team. So we’d like to get back fast and in numbers. We don’t want to play an east-west game, we want to go north. Especially against this group that likes to forecheck.”

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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NCAA FA profiles: TJ Hughes could fill a role as a bottom-six centre for the Canucks

Dave Hall — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:00:31 GMT

It’s no secret that the Vancouver Canucks will require significant help as they work their way back toward NHL relevance.

While the NCAA free agent market isn’t always the most direct path to immediate NHL impact, it remains a valuable avenue for adding depth and building out an organizational foundation.

At the top of this year’s remaining class sits University of Michigan forward T.J. Hughes, a name that has been on NHL radars for several seasons. Now a senior, multiple reports suggest that he’s garnered a check-in from nearly every team in the NHL. And according to Jeff Marek, that includes the Vancouver Canucks.

Hughes has established himself as a productive and reliable forward at the collegiate level, highlighted by a career year in his senior season. Whether that production translates immediately, or at all, to the professional level remains to be seen, but the appeal lies in the details of his game.

Now 24, Hughes has eclipsed the 50-point mark for the first time in his NCAA career, becoming one of just seven players in the nation to do so this season. With 56 points and counting, he is one of only two players to surpass the 55-point plateau. That brings his collegiate totals to an impressive 178 points (68 goals, 110 assists) in 155 games, all with the Michigan Wolverines.

Serving as captain, the Hamilton, Ontario native has been a driving force behind a Michigan team heading to the Frozen Four. While his production stands out, it’s his leadership and overall presence that consistently draw praise.

Simply put, Hughes plays a pro-style game. He thrives in all situations — power play, penalty kill, and even strength — and brings a well-rounded, detail-oriented approach. He plays a responsible two-way game and can be trusted in key moments, whether that means contributing offensively or closing out games defensively.

He doesn’t cheat for offence, but when opportunities present themselves, he capitalizes. Hughes generates offence in a variety of ways, whether that’s working off the half wall, operating in the bumper, or battling in tight around the net. Despite standing at 6-foot and 185 pounds, he consistently attacks the middle of the ice and competes in high-traffic areas.

His strength in the faceoff circle further boosts his projection, especially with the Canucks’ lack of depth up the middle. Hughes has posted win rates of 58.9%, 60.7%, 52.2%, and 57.8% throughout his NCAA career. This season, his 417 faceoff wins rank third among full-time Big Ten centres, while his win percentage sits third among faceoff regulars.

Hughes is not a high-end skater. His stride is functional, but not necessarily dynamic, and his first step lacks explosiveness. While that hasn’t limited him at the NCAA level, it will be an area to monitor as he transitions to the professional game.

That said, he compensates with a relentless motor, strong positioning, and a solid hockey IQ. He’s going to produce from the slot, chipping away at pucks and finding the open areas of the middle. Ultimately, Hughes projects as a smart, detail-driven centre who could carve out a role at the professional level relatively quickly. For a team like Vancouver, he profiles as a bottom-six option with sneaky secondary offensive upside and the type of low-risk addition that can provide value in multiple areas of the lineup.

Michigan is set to face Denver University on April 9 in the Frozen Four semifinal in Las Vegas. A win would send them to the national championship game on April 11 against the winner of the Wisconsin and North Dakota match.

Vitali Pinchuk looks like a no-risk, high-reward KHL free agent for the Canucks (and every other NHL team)

Stephan Roget — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:10 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks are at a point in their development cycle where they should largely be avoiding risks. They’ve committed to a rebuild, and that calls for slow, safe plays, at least for the time being. The time for risks will come later, if and when the rebuild has had some success.

But avoiding risks is not the same as not taking big swings. And whenever the opportunity to take a big swing without much risk of consequence arises, a team in the Canucks’ position – talent-poor as they are – is almost obligated to do it.

Enter: Vitali Pinchuk.

If you haven’t heard this name yet, you will. Pinchuk is the European free agent who will garner the most interest during this upcoming free agency period, and with good reason. First, let’s look at why that is.

Pinchuk is a 24-year-old Belarusian centre currently completing his sixth pro season for Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. Not just completing, but dominating, one might say. Pinchuk finished the 2025-26 regular season with 66 points in 65 games (and has added three more in four playoff games as of this writing), good for sixth overall in league scoring.

Only one other player under the age of 28 featured in the KHL’s top-10 scorers, and that was Roman Kantserov, already considered a pretty good prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks.

But Pinchuk remains unsigned, at least for now. His KHL contract runs out in May, and the early word is that he’s looking to jump over to the NHL – and that several teams are interested in making that happen.

It’s not all about the points, though they are considerable. Pinchuk also has some size on his side at 6’3” and 205 pounds. He plays a high-skill, modern game in which he excels at creating chances in the transition, and seems to score and set up plays with equal aplomb. Like most free agents coming out of the KHL, there are some questions about his defence and physicality, but those are issues he’d hope to work on with NHL coaching staffs.

A key difference between Pinchuk and the typical European free agent is the nature of his previous time in North America. Usually, this is where we’d have to talk about why Pinchuk failed out the last time he was over here, and why this time might be different. But not so with Pinchuk. His rookie OHL season with the Kingston Frontenacs at 17 was decent enough – 34 points in 54 games – but was interrupted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rest of the 2019-20 season cancelled, Pinchuk returned to Belarus, joined Dinamo Minsk the next year, and never looked back – until now.

That lack of a previous letdown allows for the possibility that Pinchuk’s game will somewhat naturally transfer over from the KHL to the NHL, which allows for the possibility of him having at least a little more success than other recent KHL free agents.

There is a risk, as there is with any such free agent, that Pinchuk doesn’t work out. We’ll note that he’s currently on a very high-scoring KHL team with some talented veterans, and that undoubtedly has something to do with his numbers. But it’s a very low-consequence risk, because by the nature of his age, Pinchuk is only eligible for a one-year entry-level contract right now. Any team that signs him is committed to just a single season at a low salary, and that’s almost no risk at all.

Fans of the Canucks understand this situation well because it’s the situation they had on their hands with Andrei Kuzmenko a few years ago. Really, that’s how the Pinchuk option should be seen – as a chance for a do-over, and a chance to do slightly better, with another Kuzmenko.

Imagine, for a moment, if Kuzmenko had continued some of the momentum he started with Vancouver. Or, even better, imagine if Vancouver had wisely sold Kuzmenko for a huge profit on his first Trade Deadline, when he was still signed to that ELC and on pace for 40 goals?

The Kuzmenko situation didn’t really work out for the Canucks, but in the end, it cost them very little, and that’s all the more reason to take a similar swing again.

There’s little doubt that the Canucks could use someone of Pinchuk’s ilk on their roster. On the whole, he’d slot in as either the second or third best forward prospect in the cupboard right away, competing with Jonathan Lekkerimäki for that distinction. Beyond that, the Canucks are very low on high-skill future forwards, and Pinchuk definitely helps with that deficiency.

Whether Pinchuk’s NHL future is at centre or on the wing, the Canucks should have room, especially depending on who they trade this summer.

Pinchuk succeeding at centre, where the Canucks still have an organizational need for depth, would allow for the Canucks to explore flipping someone like Marco Rossi sooner rather than later for some sort of pick profit. Even if Pinchuk succeeds on the wing, it would give them more of what they don’t have and open trade possibilities involving others or Pinchuk himself down the road.

And, again, him not succeeding is close to consequence-free.

One has to imagine that the Canucks would have to be able to offer Pinchuk a pretty clear path at a top-six job in order to land his services. That’s because nearly everything we just wrote about Pinchuk being a good fit for the Canucks also applies to the other 31 NHL teams. Hey, you know who’s interested in no-risk, high-reward opportunities? Everybody. Which is why several teams have reportedly already kicked the tires on Pinchuk, and why most of the rest will eventually follow suit.

The Canucks can’t offer the chance to skate with a superstar right away, like the Edmonton Oilers might be able to (one of the teams said to have had contact with Pinchuk’s camp already). But they can probably offer more ice-time than most, and that will have to be the main thrust of their pitch to Pinchuk. It’ll be some variation of “Look at all the open spots on the roster, and look at what a welcoming first NHL home we were for Kuzmenko. (Forget about all that Tocchet stuff).”

Something else the Canucks can offer, as long as they hang on to Nikita Tolopilo, is a Belarusian teammate. Currently, there are only seven Belarusians in the NHL, and one of them could be the Canucks’ starting goaltender for most of 2026-27.

It’s not the strongest pitch we’ve ever heard. But it’s a pitch the Canucks have no reason not to make all the same. Pinchuk may not be someone they outright need, but he’s someone the Canucks could use, both on the ice next year and in the form of another hockey asset. He is, most importantly, the prospect equivalent of found money, and the Canucks are in the part of their rebuild where they really need to be stuffing their pockets with futures.

There’s no real reason not to take a consequence-free shot at Pinchuk this offseason.

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DeBrusk and Foote talk what’s been making everything click for the Canucks’ recent red-hot power play

Tyson Cole — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:00:55 GMT

Don’t look now, but since the calendar flipped to March, the Vancouver Canucks are tied with the Utah Mammoth for the second-best power play in the league at 32.6%.

That’s right. They trail only the Carolina Hurricanes in that stat after converting on 14 of those 43 power play opportunities. But what’s even more impressive is that number gets even better over the last 10 games. In those games, the Canucks have scored on 11 of their 27 power play opportunities, converting at over 40%. That’s an impressive stretch for any team, let alone the 32nd-place team by a country mile.

Now, that successful power play has not led to the most positive results, as the Canucks are still only 2-8 over that span. However, it’s a positive sign to end what’s been an atrocious season in Vancouver.

In their latest game against the Mammoth, the Canucks had trouble getting set up on their first opportunity. In fact, two costly turnovers resulted in Mammoth breakaway chances that both hit the iron.

The next two were much better, however, as Jake DeBrusk converted just 20 seconds into the third period, and Marco Rossi added another just over four minutes later. A shorthanded penalty drawn by Elias Pettersson gave the Canucks another short opportunity late in the third, but they could not convert.

Vancouver would end the game 2-for-4 on the man advantage. But it’s not like it’s one player who has completely revamped the unit. They’re all playing well as a cohesive unit to get those results. Elias Pettersson leads the top unit with nine power play points, followed by Filip Hronek with seven, Brock Boeser with six, and Marco Rossi and Jake DeBrusk with five apiece over that 10-game stretch.

But this unit has been together for a while now and hasn’t seen as much success as they are now. So, what has changed?

“I think we’re getting pucks to the net,” DeBrusk told CanucksArmy. “I think our power play has a tale of two stories tonight. Obviously, the second one, [the Mammoth] had two breakaways on both of the units. So it’s clicking, but you don’t want the other team to be clicking. I mean, I was the one who passed it, so that’s on me on the first one. We gotta be better as a group of five on those, it just kills momentum in the game. That’s what power plays are for. If you’re not scoring, you’re generating, you’re shooting.

“Fil’s done a great job getting pucks in. Gives me a chance down there. Obviously, Marco setting up on his side, getting [the play] away from Petey has helped him as well, open him up, I guess. But no, I mean, hey, I think the special teams ways and flows in a year. We obviously would have liked that at a different point in the season. But I think it doesn’t necessarily matter for us. Obviously us five, I can speak for myself, we’re just making the right plays, not the forced ones, not the ones that were perfect. We’re making the right ones. Guys are interchangeable. Me and Brock have been moving around a lot. I think that’s what’s been the biggest thing is we’re buying into that part of it, and we’re getting results.”

Foote shared the same sentiment postgame when asked about what’s making that top unit click.

“I think the main thing that’s gone on is Hronek is more comfortable up there, one,” Foote said. “I think two is where Boes and DeBrusk are playing off each other in the right spot. Whether one is low, depending where the puck is. They’re a good tandem there, working well together for tips and rebounds. I think Marco is pretty patient on that half-wall. He doesn’t just throw pucks away. Usually, he’s pretty consistent at making the right play. We made a great adjustment tonight; they were forcing us high. We didn’t see it live, to get it low. But you saw in the third period; we adjusted well, we were able to get it low, and we were able to get those goals.”

Over the past year, there has been a lot of change in Vancouver. Two of the biggest changes came when both JT Miller and Quinn Hughes were traded. Those two were the staples as the main puck distributors on the Canucks’ power play for years. Now with both of them gone, that focal point, main puck carrier role was left vacant for a while.

And honestly, it kind of still is. Rossi has done a better job as a playmaker on the half-wall lately, but not having that for a while has forced the top unit to pass the puck around more and defer less to one player.

Obviously, Miller and Hughes make every power play unit better. That said, not having that safety net to defer to has allowed them all to move around more and find open space to exploit the holes in the opposition’s penalty killing structures.

“I learned it when I first came up in Boston,” DeBrusk remembered about deferring to one guy too often. “You want to give the puck to Patrice Bergeron every time you’re on the ice with them, no matter what the play is. Sometimes you gotta make the right play. I think with JT, he had such chemistry with Brock; there were lots of set plays. I remember when I was briefly with him, that’s what they’re looking for, over and over again, because it works. But, yeah, I mean, it obviously gives other guys opportunity, and Fil’s pretty good up there obviously, with that right-hand shot, it makes it easier for a net front guy. But Quinn also fed a lot of pucks in for me. So it’s starting to come around back to that, not that we’re top focus, but with the kills that we’ve seen lately, that’s what’s open. So we’re taking what’s there.”

It’s been a struggle for DeBrusk to produce at 5v5 this season. Of his 19 goals this season, just three of them have come at 5v5, with the other 16 all coming with the man-advantage. But all of that power play success sees him in the midst of a three-game goal streak, and a stretch of five goals in his last seven games. He isn’t complaining about how they’re coming by any means, and credits his teammates for making the great plays to allow him to score where he knows best: at the net front.

“If you look at the plays, it’s been great plays by the guys,” DeBrusk said. “Hronek gave me a tap-in, Petey gave me a tap-in, and the other one was kind of a tap-in around the net. And that’s what’s been missing from for me this year, is pucks aren’t arriving at the net when I’m there. They just aren’t. And that’s how I score: score off tips, rebounds, and rush chances. That’s how I bury. That’s how I have my whole career. And it just seems like it just happens in the power play, where pucks are coming to me, and I try to make the most of it.”

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Introducing CanucksArmy’s new weekly prospect show with Dave Hall and Tyson Cole

Tyson Cole — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:55:16 GMT

There is officially a new show under the CanucksArmy umbrella.

We are excited to announce CanucksArmy’s newest show, Blackfish Prospects Show, hosted by prospect guru Dave Hall and associate editor Tyson Cole.

The show is a video version of the weekly column Blackfish on CanucksArmy, where Dave breaks down the latest on Vancouver Canucks prospects around the world. Blackfish will debut Wednesday, April 8, at 10:30 AM PST.

You can find this show on the CanucksArmy YouTube channel every Wednesday morning at 10:30 AM PST. Want to listen to the show in podcast form? It can be found under the Canucks Conversation podcast feed, wherever you get your podcasts.

With the Canucks’ dip to the bottom of the NHL standings this season, all of the focus for fans in the market is on the future. Whether that’s prospects currently in the organization or those not yet with the team, we will cover it all.

The CHL playoffs are underway as we speak. Canucks prospects Braeden Cootes, Aleksei Medvedev, Riley Patterson, Gabe Chiarot, Kieren Dervin and Parker Alcos all participated. Over in the NCAA, we are on the brink of the Frozen Four. However, none of the Canucks prospects are participating.

The big day everybody has circled on their calendar is Tuesday, May 5: the NHL Draft Lottery. That is when the lottery balls will be drawn, and Canucks fans will find out whether the Canucks are picking first for the first time in franchise history or will fall to second or third overall. Regardless of their draft position, the Canucks are sure to walk away from this draft with the best prospect in their pool.

Highlighted at the top of the draft are two wingers: Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. Following them are a group of four defencemen: Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, Alberts Smits and Carson Carels. Two centres could be of interest to the Canucks as well: Caleb Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence.

Before the show’s debut, Dave and Tyson are taking questions for the inaugural episode. Whether it’s about current Canucks prospects and their outlook for next season, or prospects in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, we want to hear from you, Canucks fans. So leave all your questions in the comments below, starting with BF:

CA Draft profiles: Could Ivar Stenberg push to the top of the 2026 draft?

Dave Hall — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:30:19 GMT

The Vancouver Canucks have officially clinched the 32nd spot in the NHL standings, securing the best odds (25.5%) at the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Assuming no major moves are made at the podium, the organization holds 10 draft picks and a crucial opportunity to restock a prospect pool that has begun to thin out. With that in mind, we begin our draft profile series.

While the primary focus will remain on players within Vancouver’s likely selection range, we’ll also highlight several notable names over the coming months to provide a full picture of this year’s class.

Today, we turn our attention to the forward who continues to challenge Gavin McKenna for the top spot: Ivar Stenberg. With a versatile, all-around game, many believe that Ivar Stenberg has the most projectable profile.

Ivar Stenberg

Few players have put together a more impressive draft-eligible season than Ivar Stenberg. And what makes his season even more notable is that he did so against men among Sweden’s top brass.

Producing at a near two-point-per-game pace at the U20 level as a 16-year-old, Stenberg earned a midseason promotion to the SHL in 2024–25. While the production was modest, the detail in his game — and his ability to compete at that level — was already evident.

Breaking in on a full-time basis this season, he came out of the gate flying to record 24 points in his first 25 games while earning steady minutes on one of the SHL’s top teams. Within just a few games, he established himself as a full-time SHL contributor and, at times, one of Frölunda’s most impactful forwards. He finished with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games, good for a 0.77 points-per-game rate and tops among U20 skaters in SHL scoring. Those numbers not only placed him ahead of players like Anton Frondell and draft-eligible Viggo Björck, but, historically, his production trails only Daniel Sedin among draft-eligible seasons in points per game.

Then came the World Juniors, where Stenberg showcased his talents on the world stage, playing a key role in Sweden’s gold medal run. He produced 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games and consistently drove play, controlled possession, and dictated shifts against his peers. Playing alongside Viggo Björck, it was one of the top performances in recent WJC memory. While some remained hesitant in the McKenna vs. Stenberg conversation, that showing was enough to push his draft stock firmly into the top-tier conversation.

Following the tournament, however, his role at home became less stable. His usage fluctuated, and at times, he was removed from the team’s top power play unit. As expected, his production, along with his draft reputation, cooled down the stretch as McKenna tore up the NCAA ranks in North America.

Even so, he closed the year with a strong foundation in place. While Frölunda exited early in the SHL playoffs, Stenberg led the team with four assists in their brief run. The club also captured the Champions League title earlier in the season, adding a layer of winning pedigree to his resume.

So what makes Ivar Stenberg such a compelling option at the top of the draft? And why might a team consider him over a high-end talent like Gavin McKenna? The answer lies in contrast. Where McKenna brings elite offensive upside but questionable off-puck habits, Stenberg offers a far more complete, detail-driven game as one of the most well-rounded players in the class. He blends high-level skill with a mature, structured game in all three zones and brings his lunch pail to every game, leaving everything he has on the ice shift-by-shift.

Although he doesn’t carry a huge frame, he is built solid and is strong along the boards, protects the puck well, and consistently works to the interior. He supports his linemates, applies pressure on the forecheck, and uses an active stick defensively. It’s these “B-game” qualities that make his profile much more intriguing to those in search of a safe, projectable player at the top end of the draft.

Stenberg is a cerebral skater. He won’t beat defenders with pure explosiveness, but he processes the game quickly and uses intelligent routes, positioning, and puck protection to create advantages. He’ll often cut back into the zone, regroup, and scan before building himself back up the ice with purpose. Once he builds speed, he’s difficult to contain, weaving through traffic before holding onto the puck to maintain possession while he assesses. He’s no burner, but he can generate decent straight-line speed, and couple that with strong edges to manipulate and freeze defenders.

Once in the zone, he leans more toward playmaking. Much like McKenna, Stenberg prefers to slow the game down, scan his options, and distribute. He makes plays in motion, constantly pushing the pace and protecting the puck. He’s often the driver on the power play, facilitating through the half wall and working the cycle game with patience and precision.

As a shooter, he’s more placement-focused than power-driven. His release is less about finding corners and more about creating opportunities deliberately. That’s not to say that he can’t rip the puck to the top corner, but he’s likely to project as more of a mid-to-short range shooter. While his release does carry some snap, there are times when he could benefit from getting shots off quicker, as he tends to use a drag-and-release that takes time to pull the trigger. Once in tight, he carries soft hands capable of tucking soft ones past netminders.

He’s one of the smartest forwards in this class, and it’s his naturally all-around ability that makes him one of the most intriguing options from this year’s class. While we aren’t convinced he has that true game-breaking potential, he looks every bit like a top-line forward who can contribute in all situations and drive winning hockey.

For teams drafting at the top, the decision may ultimately come down to philosophy: Do you swing on elite upside, or do you take a slight dip in upside and snag the player who checks every box? We remain steady on McKenna at first, but certainly see the intrigue behind a Stenberg selection.

Stay up to date on all of our draft profiles:

1. Gavin McKenna

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