Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that is intended to be read while listening to Earth, Wind & Fire.

Speaking of September, it’s finally here. Vancouver Canucks Training Camp 2027 is just days away; the preseason is not far behind it, and the regular season will ensue before the end of the month.

In his first summer as GM of the Canucks, Ryan Johnson seemed to save his biggest move for last, signing Zeev Buium to an eight-year, $9.38 million extension. This contract really puts a stamp on Johnson and the Sedin twins’ first offseason at the helm.

But that wasn’t all the new front office did. On the whole, it might not have been as busy a summer as some were expecting, but it was a summer full of change all the same. The hiring of a brand-new coaching staff, the selection of nine draft picks, the completion of four trades, the signing of a total of 13 NHL contracts or contract extensions, and the offering of at least one professional tryout. That’s the sum of new management’s work thus far, from May through to September.

Earlier in the summer, we asked you to give a grade for Johnson and the Sedins’ early work in free agency. This time around, we’re asking you to consider the entire offseason up to this point, and to respond not with a grade, but with a feeling.

In short, what do your guts say about the Johnson/Sedin Regime and their efforts thus far?

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

Chytil or Lekkerimäki are the obvious choices.

I’ll go with Nils Höglander to make a big improvement on his five points in 38 games, wait … D’OH!

I’m going with Zeev Buium. His contract years are massive motivation, and an increase in PP time will certainly help.

Any of the pending RFAs and FAs cause the one’s with contracts already got theirs. The real question will be: will the Canucks continue the foolishness of retaining any of them by giving them too much term or cap or both?

I have to say Chytil. I doubt he plays a full season but I think he can top his twelve GP and three points last season by a large margin.

This is a close one between EP and Rossi, but I’m going with Rossi.

From 35 to probably 75, health permitting as with all players.

The BRO line was working when he was healthy and the PP was at the top of the league. It’s not a coincidence the PP and Brock caught fire when Marco was healthy.

EP40 and Rossi are sound choices, and of those two, I will go with EP40 and it being a more than 30-point improvement. A dark horse is Cootes who could go from zero NHL points to 35 or more if given a full-time NHL job.

For me it is Rossi.

35-point improvement to lead the team in scoring.

Dark horse is Chytil if he plays 65+ games.

EP40 getting back to a point-per-game!!

Jake DeBrusk.

I feel like anyone I pick, it might jinx them. Sorry Aatu, but I’m picking you.

Räty was not a Foote player and didn’t get the opportunities. He was also coming off an injury in the 2025 offseason and couldn’t train properly. The previous season, he looked really good coming into the season with a full off season of training. Manny also has experience with him and had him as his 1C in Abbotsford.

I think he improves significantly from his 14 points from last year.

I absolutely have to go with Öhgren…

Really think this will be a great year for him…

I think the favorite has to be Kevin Lankinen. If he can just get two more assists next season then his scoring would double, and double’s gotta be tough to beat.

All of them…

Some great answers already, with Filip Chytil probably being the technically correct response, and with Marco Rossi and Liam Öhgren probably being the accurate answers that matter more.

But in the interest of putting down one more bold prediction before the season starts, let’s throw one more name into the discussion: Drew O’Connor. He’s a pending UFA in what they call a “contract year,” and that’s always a good time to bet on a career season. Moreover, he’s a pending UFA who the Canucks will likely look to sell toward the Trade Deadline, and that probably translates to them giving him additional opportunities in the top-six, so as to juice his stats.

O’Connor also took a clear step forward last year, and seemed to respond well to increased offensive responsibility. An increase of eight goals to 25, and an increase of 21 points to 50, would be a huge leap, but it still seems doable.