There’s no question the Vancouver Canucks will be hard-pressed for significant offensive production after the departures of Dakota Joshua, Pius Suter this offseason. Not to mention the in-season trade of JT Miller, which helped the Canucks improve their defence corps, but leaves them with worse centre depth than they had at this time last year.

With these three players gone, the team will need to rely on breakout seasons from several players to make up for the offensive production they’ve lost.

Beyond star forward Elias Pettersson, who the team hopes is destined for a bounce-back season, there isn’t much in the way of star offensive power. Sure, Brock Boeser is a lethal shooter, and Jake DeBrusk put up solid numbers last season, but those players are inconsistent at times.

Luckily for the Canucks, there are a number of players who, with a bit of luck, are capable of taking on bigger offensive roles with the team.

Starting with the newest Canuck to last season’s AHL playoff MVP, it will be all hands on deck this season for Canucks forwards. Let’s dive in.

Evander Kane

The newest member of the Canucks, Evander Kane, will be eager to make a name for himself when he hits the ice for his hometown team this season.

The addition of Kane will significantly contribute to replacing the tenacity and physical play lost with Dakota Joshua’s departure, and there’s also the potential for Kane to bounce back offensively after missing the entire regular season last year due to injury.

The onus is on Kane to prove that he can still be a solid offensive producer in the NHL, especially in the last year of his contract

During the 2023-24 season with the Edmonton Oilers, Kane put up 24 goals and 44 points. If he can return to that form, it would be a huge boost for the Canucks. In addition to his goal-scoring ability, Kane’s physical style of play will benefit the team, especially if he plays alongside Elias Pettersson.

Nils Hoglander

Since being drafted by the Canucks in 2019, Nils Höglander has been plagued with inconsistencies.

In 2023, Höglander put up his best season with the Canucks, posting 24 goals. The following season, Hoglander regressed, scoring only eight goals.

Höglander’s name has come up in trade rumours in past, but management clearly believes in him, as they rewarded him with a three-year contract extension in the 2024 offseason. With the new contract set to kick in this season, the time is now for Höglander to prove himself as a full-time NHL player. For the contract to be viewed as a success, he likely needs to consistently provide 15-20 goals a season for the Canucks.

Despite being projected to play on the third line, Höglander will make up a feisty and skilled line alongside Kiefer Sherwood and Aatu Raty. This line will be playing against easier matchups, which should benefit Höglander’s offensive production.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki

Perhaps the player with the most offensive potential on this list, Lekkerimäki, should be looking to make a full-time jump to the NHL this season.

Since being drafted 15th overall by the Canucks in 2022, Lekkerimäki has bounced between the NHL and AHL. Last season, in his first season in the AHL, Lekkerimäki put up 19 goals in 36 games.

Lekkerimäki has shown his skill in the AHL, but it’s time to see that skill truly transfer to the NHL level. If Lekkerimäki has a solid showing in the preseason, he has a strong chance of cracking the NHL roster for opening night.

Even if the Swedish winger starts this season in the AHL, he likely won’t be there for long. In the event of an injury to a top-six player, you have to think Lekkerimäki’s offensive potential will catapult him to being one of the first options to fill that spot.

Aatu Räty

As a key asset included in the Bo Horvat trade, it’s clear Canucks management is very high on Aatu Räty. Since coming over to the Canucks, Räty has split time between the Abbotsford Canucks and the NHL squad. Last season, Räty put up 40 points in 43 games with Abbotsford.

Räty shines in due to his skill in the faceoff dot and his ability to fit in wherever he is asked to play in the lineup. With all the drama and uncertainty at the centre position this season, including Elias Pettersson’s performance and Filip Chytil’s health, Räty will have several chances to show his worth to Adam Foote and Co.

If all goes as planned for Räty, the 22-year-old centre is destined for a full-time NHL role, which should hopefully come with more responsibility.

Räty provides a lot to the Canucks, especially since the departure of Pius Suter. While he shouldn’t be expected to replicate Suter’s goalscoring from last season (at least not right away), Raty should be able to handle additional defensive responsibilities while also providing offensive production in the bottom six.

Currently projected to center a line of Kiefer Sherwood and Nils Höglander, we could see Räty make his way into the top six at some point this season.

Linus Karlsson

The top-scoring forward in last year’s AHL playoffs will be focused on bringing some of that scoring touch to the NHL this season in hopes of locking down a full-time NHL role.

Last season, Karlsson was a key member of the Abbotsford Canucks Calder Cup-winning season. In 24 playoff games, Karlsson recorded 14 goals and 26 points, which led Abbotsford and the entire AHL in playoff scoring.

While it’s unlikely Karlsson puts up game-breaking numbers in the NHL this season, his success and leadership in the AHL alone are deserving of an opportunity in the big league.

It won’t be easy to replicate the offensive production that the Canucks lost this offseason, especially that of JT Miller, but if these players can step up, it will go a long way.

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