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The Stanchies: Losing streak hits nine as Canucks get swept on road trip with loss to Blue Jackets
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Photo credit: © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Lachlan Irvine
Jan 16, 2026, 03:12 EST
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We already knew the 25-26 Vancouver Canucks were bad. But the likelihood of them actually being a last-place hockey team has never felt more real.
There’s always been a level of skepticism about how real that possibility was. We’re used to being misled in Vancouver about the direction of the franchise, or being tricked into thinking the club would finally bottom out before going on a tear at the worst possible time. This feels… different.
Vancouver’s 4-1 loss to the middling Columbus Blue Jackets — their ninth straight loss — seemed to cement the freefall the team is facing. Yes, the shots totalled close, but did you ever truly feel like they were going to win? Even when Brock Boeser broke his 22-game goalless slump, and the lead was cut to 3-1, you knew deep down there was no miracle brewing.
The Canucks haven’t won a single game since the calendar turned to 2026. They finished their six-game Eastern road trip without a single point, and the on-ice product only seems to be getting worse.
The road was supposed to be where the Canucks could escape the noise. Now they’re coming back to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday with a franchise record losing streak on the line. And after Jim Rutherford’s bombshell interview with The Province’s Patrick Johnston on Wednesday, it’s safe to say the team is finally steering into the skid.
There will be no late-season surge, no last-minute rescue from the goaltending or newly acquired players. They’re playing for the future now, and the journey is going to be a grind.
Time to look over the death certificate.
Best asking the real questions

Look I'm all on board for Team Tank, but can we at least have the occasional lucky win? As a little treat?#Canucks

— Simon Little 🍁 (@simonplittle.ca) 2026-01-16T00:46:17.434Z

Best Öhlternate Universe
Things might’ve been different tonight had some early chances gone the Canucks way.
Liam Öhgren had himself a pair of good scoring opportunities early on, showing off his wheels and willingness to call his own number. David Kämpf and Conor Garland set up a nice give-and-go at the blue line for Öhgren, who just couldn’t get the puck under Elvis Merzlikins fast enough.
There was also this one, where Öhgren’s zone entry and shot were broken up by a well-timed stick from Dante Fabbro.
At least there’s one forward on this team to be excited about right now.
Best Clockwork

#Canucks down by one.

— CrankyCanucksFan 🇨🇦🏒 (@crankycanucksfan.bsky.social) 2026-01-16T00:46:51.919Z

Forgive me, Charlie Coyle, but I always forget you exist.
After Max Sasson was called for caring too much, the Jackets’ power play caught the Canucks’ penalty kill napping at the right time. Coyle was left wide open near the post by Tyler Myers and Marcus Pettersson, and Kirill Marchenko easily found him with a pass.
Coyle then proceeded to deke out Lankinen in the space of a phone booth. (For any Gen Alpha people reading, a phone booth was a little room with a telephone where you could pay to make a phone call. They’re still used today as teleporters in the UK.) It was a very impressive goal, even if it was caused by the Canucks creating an easily exploitable situation.
It wouldn’t be a 2026 Canucks game without a very blatant defensive breakdown.
Best Tank Commander
Hindsight is 20/20, but man, the decision to trade the Rangers’ first-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins is looking especially bad right now.
The first 40 minutes of this game might’ve been among Marcus Pettersson’s worst; between the first defensive breakdown, a penalty for tripping Kent Johnson later, and almost pulling a Tonya Harding on Hronek. Could it get much worse?
Apparently, it could, because right off a faceoff, he lost a battle to Kirill Marchenko like Loki being thrown by the Hulk, and Marchenko wired the puck past Lankinen’s glove hand to double the Jackets’ lead.
Out of all the goals Canucks’ opponents have scored this season, that might’ve been one of the easiest they’ve allowed. Rookie settings on Chel, easy.
Best Make It Stop
The Canucks could’ve given up the 3-0 goal a few seconds earlier than they did. With MPetey in the box, the Canucks’ PK left Marchenko wide open on the far side.
But the Blue Jackets didn’t want to embarrass the Canucks completely, and instead set up a play that a minor hockey coach does when the score’s already reached double digits, and there’s a running clock. “Make at least one nice pass before someone shoots the puck!”
Kent Johnson drew Conor Garland in at the blue line long enough to get Zach Werenski the time and space for a back pass and a beautiful shot through traffic. 3-1 CBJ.
Once again, the Canucks aren’t watching the game plan set forward in the Stanchies Pregame videos. If anyone’s looking for a new coach, I am available for hire.
Best Slump Buster
Something good did happen in this game! Brock Boeser — FINALLY — scored a goal.
And it was a well-earned goal too. With Marchenko in the sin bin, Zeev Buium faked out Coyle and former Canuck Brendan Gaunce (remember him??) by looking at Boeser before whipping a pass around to an open EP40.
Petey quickly fired a pass through the Jackets’ coverage to Brock, who took a shot shortside that Elvis Merzlikins couldn’t squeeze.
Look at that man’s face. That’s the relief of a man who hadn’t scored in 22 games.
Best signs of… something
Adam Foote hasn’t shown a whole lot of character growth as a coach this season. Everything about the Canucks’ game plan has felt quite stagnant, and the same mistakes keep popping up.
But tonight he did do one thing right: he put Liam Öhgren and Brock Boeser on a line with EP40 in the third period.
One of the Canucks’ best opportunities came early in the third when Boeser and Öhgren forced a turnover behind the Jackets’ net. After a pinch by Tom Willander, Petey throws a puck behind the net, and Öhgren sets up Victor Mancini for a shot.
There’s something brewing here. Only the universe knows how much time they’ll get to see what it becomes.
Best call from inside the house
There’s something poetic about a local kid being the one to cement the Canucks’ place in the basement.
Port Moody’s own Kent Johnson has really struggled this season. The 23-year-old has just 14 points in 46 games and had been in the dog house with former head coach Dean Evason before he was replaced this week by Rick Bowness. Now he’s playing 17 minutes a night and getting the room to spread his wings more.
Tonight it paid off in the third period. The play began in the Blue Jackets’ end on Ivan Provorov’s stick, and ended with Boone Jenner setting up Johnson fast enough that Giphy’s 10-second limit still caught it all.
Once again, the Canucks are being nothing but great sports to their opponents. Boosting the confidence of other teams and players should earn the whole team votes for the Masterton Trophy.
Best History in the Making
If you look up the 1997-98 Canucks on YouTube, nearly all the clips are of fights, line brawls or Pavel Bure’s last 51 goals in Vancouver. That tells you a lot.
In 1998, the Canucks understood that it was time to empty out the roster, say goodbye to their veterans and start anew with the likes of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Mattias Ohlund.
There’s frankly a lot of parallels between that roster and this one. Both undoubtedly had big names and good pieces, but as a unit, they’re undeniably flawed and in desperate need of a new direction.
The only real difference is that one team had a Stanley Cup window to look back on fondly. The other had exactly two playoff series wins.
The current Canucks are figuring that out themselves in real time. And they’ll be a lot better off for it.
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