DeBrusk-EP40-Karlsson Boeser-Sasson-Garland Bains-Raty-Lekkerimaki O’Connor-Kampf-Sherwood Reichel Hughes-Hronek DPetey-Myers MPett-Willander *Kane/Joseph absent (flu)
Nation Sites
The Nation Network
CanucksArmy has no direct affiliation to the Vancouver Canucks, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Scenes from practice: Höglander a full participant, Karlsson stays on Canucks’ top line
Photo credit: © Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
Dec 4, 2025, 16:13 ESTUpdated: Dec 4, 2025, 16:18 EST
Following a four game road trip and a full team day off Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks returned to the ice at Rogers Arena on Thursday morning.
Nils Höglander, Conor Garland, and Thatcher Demko were all involved to various degrees.
What we saw
For the first time since ankle surgery in late September, Höglander shed his non-contact jersey and was a full participant in team drills. Although he does not look limited in any way, he will not play this weekend, but Adam Foote says there is a strong possibility the feisty winger will make his season debut before the end of this four game homestand.
Garland, who has not played since last Friday in San Jose and was sent home off the road trip with an undisclosed injury, started Thursday’s practice in a red non-contact jersey, but switched to a white practice sweater midway through the session. He skated on a line with Max Sasson and Brock Boeser and is listed as a possibility to play on Friday against Utah. Foote revealed that Garland had also skated with skills coach Jason Krog at UBC on Wednesday.
Demko, meanwhile, was out ahead of practice and stuck around for the first couple of drills. By design, he left the ice after about 15 minutes. This is the first time the veteran netminder has skated with the group since leaving a November 11th game against Winnipeg with a groin issue. Demko has missed three weeks and nine games. Foote says the team will proceed cautiously with Demko, but there is a chance he could return to the net for the team’s game next Thursday December 11th against Buffalo at the end of the homestand.
As for the way the Canucks skated at practice, Linus Karlsson picked up where he left off late in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss in Colorado skating on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. Sasson was promoted to second line centre dropping David Kampf to skate between Kiefer Sherwood and Drew O’Connor. Lukas Reichel, who has dressed for just one of the last six games (at SJ), remains the extra forward. He and Höglander rotated with others when the Canucks conducted line drills.
Evander Kane and P-O Joseph were both absent from practice due to a flu bug that has been making the rounds. Adam Foote said he was surprised a couple of players were able to grind through the game in Denver due to the illness. Foote also said the arm injury Kane suffered late in the game against the Avalanche provided the winger a scare, but is not an issue moving forward.
Defenceman Elias Pettersson and goalie Nikita Tolopilo both recalled from Abbotsford earlier in the day — after playing for the AHL Canucks on Wednesday night — were on the ice with the group. There was no sign of — and no update provided on — either of Teddy Blueger or Derek Forbort who both remain on the injured list and have not played since mid-October.
The Canucks host Utah at 6pm on Friday night and Minnesota is on Saturday. Detroit visits on Monday and Buffalo wraps up the homestand a week from now.
What we heard
Adam Foote on Nils Höglander on another practice day and when he might make his season debut: “It was good. He’s pumped up. Obviously he needs a few practices with us. I think probably, realistically it’s Buffalo, as long as nothing changes maybe Detroit, but it’s a big maybe.”
Foote on Demko’s timeline to return to game action: “Buffalo’s probably not out of reach, right? I’ll just say it. But if it changes, don’t be mad at me. But the way he was today, talking to our goalie coach, I don’t want to put a number on it because I don’t know whether he needs three, four, five more skates, but Buffalo is realistic.”
Linus Karlsson on getting top line opportunity at practice: “It’s fun. I just try to do my best every shift and it’s fun to get rewarded, too. It gives me even more confidence when they moved me up there last game. I just keep trying to build that confidence and building on my game.”
PRESENTED BY VIVID SEATS
Breaking News
- A quick look at the pieces coming back to the Canucks in the Hughes trade
- Rutherford: Canucks had indication Hughes wouldn’t re-sign prior to trade
- ‘Key part of our rebuild’: Canucks’ Rutherford and Allvin address the Quinn Hughes trade
- Canucks trade captain Quinn Hughes to Minnesota Wild; Marco Rossi and more headed to Vancouver
- Canucks played to smallest home crowd of season so far in Thursday’s loss to Sabres