As 16 teams begin their march toward the Stanley Cup this spring, the Vancouver Canucks start off into an offseason of uncertainty. After failing to qualify for the post-season for the eighth time in the past 10 seasons, it’s obvious the Canucks need upgrades in a number of areas.
In a salary cap world – even as the cap escalates – it may not be possible for the Canucks to accomplish everything on their wishlist over the next few months. But it’s clear this team needs to find ways to address elements of roster construction in an effort to return to the playoffs as early as next season. Of course, the end goal isn’t just making the playoffs, but building a team that can contend for the Cup. With that in mind, here are a number of areas that are either wants or needs with a ranking from one to 10 in order of importance:

Skill and scoring – absolute need (10/10)

There’s simply no question the Canucks need to upgrade the top of their lineup. With no forwards cresting 30 goals or 50 points this season, the team needs to figure out a way to bring in a couple of high-end forwards over the summer months. They won’t come cheap, but failure on management’s part to solve this equation is not an option – especially if the team loses two of its top three goal-scorers to free agency. The Canucks finished the season 23rd in the league in offence and that was with one of the best play drivers in the league in Quinn Hughes on the roster. Obviously, the Canucks need Elias Pettersson to return to form, but that alone won’t be enough. 

Speed – need (8/10)

Mid-season additions Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor brought an injection of speed to the lineup, but according to NHL Edge data the Canucks still finished the season in the bottom half of the league in a variety of measured bursts. The league average for bursts over 22 miles per hour was 80 and the Canucks finished with just 41. They also fell well off the pace for bursts between 20 and 22 miles per hour. Names like Nik Ehlers and Jack Roslovic make sense as free agent targets because both measure up as elite skaters with Ehlers in the 90th percentile for top speed while Roslovic ranked in the 80th percentile.

Physicality – want (6/10)

Let’s face it, the 2024-25 Vancouver Canucks were not a difficult team to play against. Sure, Kiefer Sherwood brought an element of grit every night leading the league in hits. But beyond that, few Canucks left a mark on opponents with any kind of regularity. Dakota Joshua has size, but needs to play with more snarl as he rounds out his game. Defenceman Elias Pettersson looks like he’ll bring edge as part of his repertoire as he becomes a mainstay on the blueline.
But if this team wants to develop into the type of group that can go deep into the playoffs, it has to assemble more players that initiate contact to wear down opponents. Nils Höglander and Conor Garland can both play the pest role, but there is still room on this roster for a few more players that are combative and hard to handle. The game has changed since Rick Tocchet struck fear into opponents, but it remains a contact sport. You have to believe the Canucks coach would like a few more players that were cut from the same cloth he was.

Veteran leadership – want (4/10)

This was a group incapable of policing itself this season and a simmering feud between star players boiled over into one of the biggest stories around the league. The Canucks never replaced quality veterans like Luke Schenn and Ian Cole who commanded respect inside that room. While there are more pressing priorities for management this summer (see above), don’t be surprised if the Canucks look to add a veteran that has been through the battles at the NHL level.
This isn’t a suggestion to go out and overpay to bring in Jay Beagle 2.0, but if the organization can identify a player with a sterling reputation that can add a layer of necessary leadership to that locker room, it may be a wise investment to help the Canucks chart a better course than the team took this past season.

Depth help – want (2/10)

With 16 different players appearing for both Vancouver and Abbotsford this season, the Canucks got a pretty good sense of what they’ve got on the farm. And it’s clear a number of players are in position to push for full time NHL employment as early as training camp. So it seems unlikely the organization will seek to add much around the fringes in free agency. However, the Canucks simply can not find themselves in the same bind they did on two occasions this season where they did not have a third string goalie they trusted to perform at the NHL level.
With Thatcher Demko’s spotty health history, the Canucks need a third goalie on the depth chart that can not only spell off Kevin Lankinen but can deliver victories. Perhaps it’s Arturs Silovs although his usage this season suggests a disconnect between coach and player. So maybe Nikita Tolopilo can be that guy next season.
Or maybe the Canucks have to look outside the organization for a player with NHL experience who fits the bill. It’s a crowded organizational depth chart at the goaltending position. But does quantity equate to quality? It didn’t this season and as a result the club leaned too heavily on Lankinen at times. In a world where every point matters, the Canucks can’t carry a third stringer that can only beat the lowly Blackhawks.
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