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Which young Canucks should get more of an opportunity?: Canucks Conversation
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Photo credit: © William Liang-Imagn Images
Clarke Corsan
Dec 2, 2025, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 2, 2025, 10:38 EST
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On Monday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by Jeff Paterson to discuss which young players the Vancouver Canucks’ roster should be getting a bigger slice of opportunity – a question that has become increasingly relevant as the Canucks sink toward the bottom of the standings.
JPat began by clarifying what “young” really means in today’s NHL.
“We’d have to define ‘young,’ but in my mind, if you’re over 25, you’re no longer young in the NHL,” JPat said. “In a league that has an 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer doing incredible things, I cut it off around 25.”
JPat even joked that he’d love to see more of Nikita Tolopilo – “he’s over the benchmark,” he admitted – but when it comes to the true young players on the roster, the list of candidates isn’t long. And for the players who are young, JPat thinks the deployment has mostly been appropriate.
“Jonathan Lekkerimäki played 13 minutes the other night in Los Angeles,” he pointed out. “He started on PP2 and on a lower line, worked his way up as they were looking for offence. That to me is about right. I have no issue with that utilization.”
JPat felt similarly about Tom Willander.
“He’s been totally fine in the role they’ve got him in,” he said. “People are saying he’s doing incredible things and deserves more ice time, but they’ve sheltered him and essentially kept him on a pitch count. If you play him higher in the lineup, he’ll face stiffer competition, and maybe it doesn’t go as well. He’s 15 games into his NHL career. He’ll get there in time – I don’t need to see him playing a whole lot more.”
But there was one player JPat singled out as deserving at least a look.
“By default, the one guy they haven’t tried higher is Aatu Räty,” he said. “I’m not suggesting for a second he’s the answer at second-line centre, but it’s so clear they don’t have the answer that when you’ve tried a bunch of guys, and it hasn’t worked, what do you have to lose by giving Räty a couple games there? And I say that, and he couldn’t even get in the lineup on Friday in San Jose.”
Quads leaned toward the Canucks’ two highest-profile rookies.
“I land on Lekkerimäki and Willander,” he said. “Willander has been good and, like JPat said, it’s been pretty prescribed at times, but you’re in a transition phase where wins and losses don’t matter all that much. How are you going to maximize the next wave and make sure these guys develop the right way?”
Quads argued that for Willander in particular, this season presents a rare chance to prioritize experience over results.
“It comes down to reps,” he continued. “Get those reps against tough competition. Have that longer leash so when he makes a mistake, his minutes aren’t getting slashed or he’s getting scratched. This is a unique opportunity. They’re not trying to tank, but if you want these guys to grow, you let them make their mistakes and learn from them.”
JPat agreed that the team’s place in the standings lowers the stakes for experimentation.
“When you’re 30th in the NHL standings, you’re close to a point where results don’t matter,” he said. “They’re a third of the way through, and I don’t see this incredible comeback happening. They haven’t won back-to-back games since mid-October. They’d need an incredible run to get back in the playoff race.”
The conversation closed with Harm offering up a name that might not fit the classic “young player” definition, but still deserves more of a look.
“Technically, he might not be ‘young,’ but I think Linus Karlsson is the guy who deserves more ice time,” Harm said. “He’s averaged just 9:54 a game this season, but over his last 13 games he’s got four goals and six points. With very limited ice time, he’s producing.”
Karlsson’s efficiency has been one of the most surprising underlying storylines of the season.
“For the season as a whole, without any power play time and with all of his production coming at five-on-five, he’s scoring 2.1 points per 60,” Harm noted. “That leads all Canucks skaters. This isn’t flukey – he’s creating shots and high-danger chances. To me, he’s the clear answer ahead of any other player for who deserves more ice time.”
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