Browsing: Canucks

In a matchup that saw the Vancouver Canucks suffer a last-minute injury issue with the departure of center Elias Pettersson, it was Tom Willander who brought some positivity to the game against the Minnesota Wild by scoring his first career NHL goal. The defenceman now has a goal and seven assists in 19 games played at the NHL level.

Willander, the 11th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks back in May. He began the season in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks and made his NHL debut on October 28 against the New York Rangers.

Advertisement

Despite only being 20, the defenceman has played excellently throughout his first few NHL games, resulting in him skating in games during which defenceman Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph were healthy-scratched in his stead.

Willander’s goal tonight breaks a streak for Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who had previously posted shoutouts against all Canadian teams he had faced so far this season. He is not the only Canucks defenceman to score tonight, however, as Pettersson also found the back of the net. Willander also tallied an assist on Pettersson’s goal.

The Canucks currently have a 3-1 lead against the Wild after two periods.

Nov 11, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) handles the puck against the Winnipeg Jets in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THNâ€s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks Elias Pettersson Leaves Warmups Ahead Of Game Against The Minnesota Wild Due To Injury

Advertisement

Report: Canucks And Devils Have Had Talks About Quinn Hughes

Lineup Notes: Pettersson Hits 500, Kane Returns As Canucks Battle The Wild

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News

Source link

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have entered the despairing part of their slump, which feels like it is heading into its 15th month but certainly covers the 2025-26 National Hockey League season so far.

Having found their way to the bottom of the standings by all the conventional means — injuries, slack defending, inferior special teams, not enough saves and a forwards group assembled like a donut (no centres) — the Canucks are now losing games while outplaying opponents.

This is a new phenomenon, but possibly the most discouraging path to defeat because there really isnâ€t much to fix. Except maybe some luck, and nobody has a foolproof formula for that.

The Canucks outplayed the Utah Mammoth on Friday and lost 4-1. Just like they outplayed the San Jose Sharks one week earlier and lost 3-2. The night after that, they were as good as the Los Angeles Kings but lost 2-1 in overtime.

Obviously, theyâ€re still doing enough to lose. But theyâ€ve lately been doing enough to win, and itâ€s just not happening.

Of course, itâ€s not.

The Canucks outshot the Mammoth 32-18 and were outscored in each period. High-danger scoring chances were 23-12 for Vancouver in all situations, and Natural Stat Trickâ€s election desk called it a 4-2 expected win for the Canucks.

Vancouver has lost seven of eight games (1-6-1) while playing well enough to be over .500.

Thatâ€s harder than just playing poorly and earning your losses.

“I think itâ€s harder,†winger Jake DeBrusk said. “I think I’ve had chances in all those games to score, Grade-As (chances) that didn’t go in, and we lose by one. We lose, you know, close ones. So you take that on personally. Iâ€m not the only one, obviously, but yeah, I think it’s harder.â€

“Well, you’d rather play well than play bad,†Conor Garland said. “But at the end of the day, you drive home, and it’s either a win or loss, so youâ€ve got to find a way to bury some chances, get some luck, whatever it is. We have our looks, and they’re just not going in. It hurts because, you know, it felt like we dominated them when we were down 1-0; we have three or four looks (and donâ€t score), and then they come down and tip one in. It’s tough to win when you don’t score.â€

Coming into the game, Utah was 5-10-3 since Oct. 26, one loss worse than even Vancouver over that period.

On the Mammothâ€s first-period goal, Mikhail Sergachevâ€s pedestrian point shot hit Canuck Elias Petterssonâ€s stick and Marcus Petterssonâ€s skate before trundling into the net at a mockingly modest pace as goalie Kevin Lankinen slid the wrong way. Had Elias Pettersson Junior been on the ice for Vancouver, the puck would have flipped him the bird, too. Sergachev looked embarrassed.

At least their second-period goal was an actual Utah deflection as Nick Schmaltz tipped in another Sergachev shot when the Mammoth made it into the Canucks end with the puck for about the first time in five minutes.

The Canucks, meanwhile, sharply deflected pucks into Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka (Brock Boeser) or off the crossbar (Kiefer Sherwood), missed a semi-open net (Boeser) and were, generally, just stuffed by Vejmelka on several excellent scoring chances.

Arshdeep Bains finally tipped one that missed the goalie, getting the Canucks on the board at 4:17 of the third period.

But among Utahâ€s two shots on Lankinen in the final frame, Kevin Stenlund stickhandled the puck around the Vancouver goalie during an outnumbered rush to restore the two-goal lead with 2:08 remaining, before John Marino fired into an empty net during what had been an inert six-on-four power play for the Canucks.

“We have to score some more goals, right?†Canucks coach Adam Foote summarized. “You guys can see the numbers yourself; you guys watch the game. We didnâ€t give them a lot, but weâ€ve got to make sure around the net that weâ€re getting our goals. Itâ€s disappointing we didnâ€t come up with that one. Weâ€ve got to find a way to get that game.

“Iâ€m not frustrated because … I just watched all the chances for and against. We should have had that game 4-1 or 5-1. Itâ€s that simple. I canâ€t get upset for what weâ€re doing. Hopefully, the goals start going in.â€

The Canucks have scored just once in each of their last three games, and more than twice only once in their last seven.

The Mammoth went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Canucks finished 0-for-3. So itâ€s not like Vancouver really doesnâ€t have anything to fix. Their static power play, stuck at the top of the zone, is on a 0-for-15 hibernation the last four games after going on a 10-for-30 heater.

Still, Fridayâ€s game was one where the Canucks were good enough at five-on-five that they could have won despite a one-goal deficit on special teams.

“Especially in the first and second, I think we were great,†winger Linus Karlsson, elevated to the Canucks†top line, said. “Even the third, I think we had a good push. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the puck in.

“I think playing this way, we’re going to get some wins. We need wins right now. I mean, I think tonight we deserved, for sure, much better. It’s hard to see the positive things, but weâ€ll come in here tomorrow and watch some positives (on video) and just try to keep building on this effort. Clean some stuff up, but I think we played great tonight.â€

They did. Thatâ€s the depressing part.

The Minnesota Wild visit the Canucks on Saturday night.

Source link

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks saw their losing streak extended to a season-high four games as the Utah Mammoth earned a 4-1 win on Friday.Â

Mikhail Sergachev, Nick Schmaltz and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth (14-12-3), while John Marino added a short-handed empty-net goal with 36 seconds remaining. Karel Vejmelka followed up his first shutout of the campaign Wednesday with a 31-save performance at Rogers Arena.

Arshdeep Bains spoiled Vejmelka’s bid for consecutive clean sheets early in the third period, tipping an Aatu Raty shot high over his shoulder for the forward’s first of 2025-26.

Kevin Lankinen made 14 saves for the Canucks (10-15-3), who sit in last in the NHL’s overall standings.

The Mammoth went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Canucks were 0-for-3.

The officials waived off a third Utah goal with 6:16 to play in the third, ruling that Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther had made contact with Lankinen.Â

Canucks: The loss drops their home record to 3-8-1, and marks their first four-game losing streak of the season (0-3-1).

Mammoth: The Mammoth scored with the man advantage for the second-straight game despite coming into Friday with the league’s 28th-ranked power play.

With the Canucks pressing for the equalizer in the third, Vejmelka made six saves, including two on Jake DeBrusk during a Vancouver power play, then back-to-back chances from Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser with just over five minutes remaining.

The Canucks are still looking for their first win over the Mammoth franchise after going 0-2-1 last season.

Canucks: Continue their four-game homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

Mammoth: Close out their six-game road trip against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

Source link

VANCOUVER — Itâ€s not in his nature to duck, but Quinn Hughes couldnâ€t hide even if he wanted to.

Not only is he one of the best hockey players in the world, he is the captain of the Vancouver Canucks. In Canada. Hughes†future beyond this season is also one of the most compelling and gossipy storylines in the National Hockey League.

And if that doesnâ€t saddle him with enough attention, Hughes plays more than anyone else in the league (27:25 average ice time) and usually has the puck more than anyone else, too.

So, no, he is not hiding.

Watch Hughes closely enough during games and you will see times when the defenceman is angry or frustrated or — as happened in Tuesdayâ€s 3-1 loss to the unstoppable Colorado Avalanche — 10 seconds near the end of a 95-second shift when he coasts on a backcheck and does a fly-by past his net after the Canucks turned the puck over in a neutral zone when Hughes was open on a dash up right wing.

Mostly, of course, you see the best player in Canucks history, one of the two best defencemen in hockey, carving circles around opponents and making plays with the puck that are simply beyond most humans.

Thatâ€s what people in Vancouver have been watching the last six years. Which makes it a little surprising how much attention Hughes†10 lazy (or exhausted) seconds in Denver received on social media. The clip went viral while hardly anyone remembered Hughes breaking Avalanche defenceman Sam Malinskiâ€s ankles with a cutback in the offensive zone.

Positive body language is important. Itâ€s as important for Hughes as it was for J.T. Miller a couple of years ago when the ex-Canuckâ€s every expletive and stick slam was being micro-analyzed in Canucks Nation.

Hughes is the captain, after all. He needs to set an example.

But no one should be surprised — or outraged — that the 26-year-old captain is showing glimpses of frustration amid a 10-14-3 start to a season that has been deeply disappointing to a Canucks organization that badly wanted to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, partly as an enticement for Hughes to stay.

“I mean, of course,†Hughes said Thursday when asked if he gets frustrated. “You know, I feel like I’ve seen pretty much everything under the sun here, good and bad. You want to win, and losing sucks. And I mean, I know everyone in here feels that way, including the coaching staff. No one’s probably more competitive than Adam Foote. Just got to … (be) something I continue to get better at.

“I mean, obviously, weâ€re not in the position we want to be in.â€

• 
• 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

  Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

  Latest episode

Hughes knew the spotlight would be unrelenting when he accepted the captaincy a little more than two years ago.

Henrik Sedin was criticized as soft. Markus Naslund wasnâ€t emotional enough. Trevor Linden frowned too much and sometimes displayed a whiny face. These “issues†were thoroughly and seriously discussed in the market. And the jerseys of all three of those former Canuck captains hang from the ceiling beams inside Rogers Arena.

And now Hughes is frustrated.

“Yeah, we talk about it,†Canucks coach Adam Foote told reporters. “Quinn’s strength … is he wants to win so bad, and he knows he can make every play. He’s still young and, you know, he’ll be the first to tell you that heâ€s learning that when he’s tired or had long shifts, maybe not to push. The beauty is he believes he can get it done. But yeah, he’s a guy that probably has shown frustration here and there. We’ve had discussions about it and, you know, he owns his own stuff. Thatâ€s him still growing and learning.

“He’s in a hard market, right? We’re in Canada. He’s aware of all that, and he takes that in stride. I don’t see him getting too rattled at that.â€

Foote said Hughes gets lots of leadership support from teammates.

“There are guys that are doing that and, you know, supporting him or supporting the team,†he said. “I’ll give the guys a lot of credit; there’s a lot of accountability in our room. I don’t want to name names, but the first guy that comes to my mind is a guy like Fil (Hronek). He’s that guy.

“Fil has been there, solid as a leader for not just Quinn, but the team. And you know, a guy like Marcus (Pettersson) and Mysie (Tyler Myers) … and there’s other guys. Boes (Brock Boeser) has been really good. He’s staying so positive. Because there’s good things happening … (but) we still have to win those games, right? But Boes has been great and holding guys accountable his way. There’s lots of support.â€

Myers, who joined the Canucks in 2019 at the start of Hughes†rookie season, said there was always going to be more extra attention on the captain this season.

“I think he’s handling it very well,†the 1,100-game NHL veteran said. “I talk to Huggy all the time; he doesn’t need to worry about anything. He can just go out on the ice and do his thing. Honestly, I don’t even know how much talk (there is), but if there’s a lot of talk about it, it’s way too early for it. But overall, I think he’s handling it well. I know it can be tough sometimes, but he’s working.

“Boes and I were just talking about this the other day. Guys do a pretty good job of staying positive. You know, we’ve gone through quite a bit of adversity here the first 25 games. But all you can do is look at the next day, starting with practice days. Find a way to get better today (and) get better as an individual and as a team. Yeah, there’s going to be times where some negativity slips through with any player or any team. But, you know, you squash it pretty quick, and you get back out there, and you keep trying to get better every day.â€

Hughes†shift on Tuesday that set off some in the media and many in the fan base was part of a third period that saw the Canucks†best player log 11:02 of time on ice. He finished with 29:33, which was only his fifth-most TOI this season.

“Yeah, I get tired, for sure,†Hughes said. “There’s definitely moments in games where, you know, I’m breaking out pucks, I’m transporting pucks to the neutral zone, I’m doing my thing in the O-zone … (and) trying to create scoring chances for our team. And that’s hard to do for half the game. I’m not perfect, not Superman. But I can always strive to be better.â€

ICE CHIPS – Key winger Conor Garland, who flew home Monday from the Canucks road trip with an undisclosed injury, practised Thursday in a non-contact jersey and could play Fridayâ€s home game against the Utah Mammoth. “Weâ€ll figure it out tomorrow morning, but he had a really good day,†Foote said. “Heâ€s tough, he wants to play.†… Thatcher Demko, out since injuring his groin on Nov. 11, was also on the ice with teammates, and Foote said the final game of the homestand, Dec. 11 versus the Buffalo Sabres, is a target for the goalieâ€s return.

HOW THE CANUCKS PRACTISED

DeBrusk-Pettersson-Karlsson

Oâ€Connor-Kampf-Sherwood

Extras: Reichel, Hoglander

Source link

DENVER — Like careful alpinists everywhere, the Vancouver Canucks had a plan to survive the avalanche. But there is only so much you can against a force of nature.

The Canucks played the mighty Colorado Avalanche even Tuesday until a couple of mistakes cost them late in the second period as the Stanley Cup favourites beat Vancouver 3-1.

Of course, the smartest way to avoid avalanches is to stay out of the mountains when they are likely, but there is no safe way around Denver for National Hockey League teams as the Avalanche extended their points streak to 14-0-3. Coloradoâ€s only regulation loss in 26 games this season came on Oct. 25.

The Canucks have only three regulation wins since then, and they finished their difficult road trip at 1-2-1 — and with three straight losses.

It was the Canucks†season in four games.

The team worked relentlessly in all four contests, and played well enough to win any or all of the three games in California. But they left the Golden State with just three of six points and, after playing the Avalanche even for 33 minutes, eventually were overmatched by Nathan MacKinnonâ€s team, which scored in the final minute of the first two periods and managed their two-goal lead in the third as the Canucks pushed at the beginning and the end.

As the Canucks†five-on-five play tightened up during their seven-day tour, their special teams failed them at key times. They lost another key player to injury when offence-generating winger Conor Garland went home from Los Angeles, and goalie Kevin Lankinen returned from a personal leave just as minor-league callup Nikita Tolopilo required one for the birth of his child.

At the start of the road trip, the Canucks were seven points out of a playoff spot and tied for the fourth-worst winning percentage in the NHL. By the end, they were five points out with the third-worst win rate.

But now they have 55 games remaining instead of 59.

Before Tuesdayâ€s loss, MoneyPuck.com gave the Canucks an 8.4 per cent chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs. About one-in-12.

“I thought we easily could have won San Jose, and could have won in L.A.,†Canucks centre Max Sasson said of Fridayâ€s 3-2 defeat and Saturdayâ€s 2-1 loss in overtime. “Tonight, I mean, they’re a really good team. Those top guys, they capitalize. It sucks because it really feels like we actually played pretty decent hockey over the last three games.â€

If the Canucks began the season with this road trip, their “process†would have been encouraging despite a squandered point or two. But as November turned to December, with desperation in Vancouver increasing by the week, this trip just felt like lost opportunities.

“That’s what it feels like, honestly,†winger Jake DeBrusk said. “I thought there were some good moments but, you know, it’s tough when you have a record like (we have). Weâ€ve just got to keep moving, try to find the next one.

“I had a couple chances tonight. We had good looks with breakaways and things, the power play, at the end of the game as well. We could have had a couple more (goals). But that’s the difference in this league sometimes when itâ€s just going against you.â€

Linus Karlsson opened scoring for Vancouver at 2:55 with a calm, deft finish after nice passing by Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Raty. But MacKinnon, easily the best player in hockey right now (although itâ€s been a while since he was out of the top five) tied it at 19:23 when he had space in front of defenceman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to convert a rebound that bounced straight to him after Canuck goalie Kevin Lankinen had stopped Devon Toews†deflection.

The game turned late in the second period when Sassonâ€s poor backcheck, combined with Quinn Hughes†suspect read on an outnumbered rush, left Brock Nelson alone in front of Lankinen to convert Gabe Landeskogâ€s pass and make it 2-1 at 13:52.

“It can’t happen,†Sasson said of the backcheck in which he coasted briefly in the neutral zone. “Me and Quinn talked about it, and I take full responsibility for (Nelson) getting by me. I thought Quinn was going to back up to the middle but things happen quick and, honestly, if I don’t stop skating, I like my speed to get back on him.â€

Hughes, who drifted wide where Landeskog was being chased by DeBrusk, said: “He made a nice play (but) I think I should, you know, hold the middle there because. . . the dangerous guy was there.â€

With 34 seconds remaining in the middle period, MacKinnon found space in the high slot to rip Landeskogâ€s feed past Lankinenâ€s shoulder to double the Avalanche lead. In 26 games, MacKinnon has 22 goals, 46 points and is plus-32.

The Canucks†scoring chances included a breakaway for Kiefer Sherwood, a partial breakaway for DeBrusk, three chances from the slot for Elias Pettersson, and some point-blank shots near the end by Brock Boeser and Karlsson.

“Playing against a good team, weâ€ve got to make sure we get ours when we can because they capitalize on the few mistakes,†Canucks coach Adam Foote told reporters. “I think we had more (Grade)-A looks than they did. We were right there. We were happy with a lot of looks we had; it would be nice on one of them to bear down and get one of those in.â€

The Canucks were likely to at least beat the snow out of Denver as they flew home post-game to open a four-game homestand Friday against the Utah Mammoth.

“We’re right there in a lot of these games,†Sherwood said. “It’s a game of inches, obviously. Guys are fighting through it all. . . stuff we’re trying to build on.â€

ICE CHIPS — It looked like the Canucks might have yet another serious injury when winger Evander Kane left the game late in the third period clutching his forearm after a pileup by the curved glass at the Avalanche bench. Foote said Kane was cut by a skate, but the laceration did not appear to be deep and that the winger should be OK. . . Sherwood led the Canucks with six shots and four hits. . . minor-league callup Jonathan Lekkerimaki skated on the first line with Kane and Elias Pettersson and handled himself well in difficult minutes. Lekkerimaki did not register a shot but led the Canucks with a 57-per-cent Corsi at five-on-five.

Source link

Faced with one of their toughest tasks of the season, the Vancouver Canucks put up a decent effort but fell short in a 3–1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Linus Karlsson scored the lone goal of the game, while Kevin Lankinen stopped 28 of 32 shots faced.

Lankinen was the key to a good start tonight, as throughout the first half of the first period, it was all Avalanche. Colorado lobbed anything and everything at Lankinen and continued their siege even after coming off a two-minute power play. They reached the 12-shot mark by the halfway point of the period, though were unable to get the puck past Lankinen until the final minute of the frame.

Advertisement

With Conor Garland still unavailable for Vancouver, Jonathan Lekkerimäki received a promotion, filling in the empty spot on Elias Petterssonâ€s line alongside Evander Kane. The trio performed excellently defensively, holding the Avalanche to only one 5-on-5 scoring chance. Even so, the Canucks†lines ended up being shaken up during the third period, with Lekkerimäki ending up alongside Brock Boeser and David Kämpf and Karlsson taking his place.

Todayâ€s game solidified another point — if you put any iteration of last yearâ€s Abbotsford Canucks together on one line, chances are, theyâ€re going to find the back of the net. Most often, itâ€s been the trio of Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, and Karlsson who end up scoring. Today, it was Karlsson who deked Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood out and opened the scoring for Vancouver, doing-so while on a line with Bains and Aatu Räty.

Beating an Avalanche team that sits comfortably at the top of the NHL was a tall task, so itâ€s not a surprise that the Canucks were unable to close this one out. With that being said, Vancouver did a surprisingly decent job of matching the pace of play that Colorado generates, specifically during the first period. While it was clear that the Avalanche were the better team tonight, Vancouver put up a solid effort during certain occasions. In particular, their attempts to generate offence stood out much more in the third period after the pace of the game started to slow down a bit more.

One recurring theme from tonightâ€s game was the Canucks allowing goals within the final minute of each of the first two periods from Nathan MacKinnon. The first came after a shot from Devon Toews rebounded over to MacKinnon, whoâ€d been left relatively open after some messiness in Vancouverâ€s zone. In his second last-minute tally of the night, the Avalanche forward was left open yet again and only needed to fire it past Lankinen to find the back of the net. In both instances, Vancouver was unable to properly stay in position, allowing Colorado to capitalize and set the Canucks back when exiting the period.

Advertisement

As of the end of the third period, the Canucks are still awaiting a verdict on Kane, who left the game while clutching his wrist with around four minutes left in the third period. The forward immediately went down the tunnel and did not rejoin his team.

Dec 2, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) and Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) battle for the puck in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Stats and Facts:

• Linus Karlsson scores the game-opening goal for the second time during the Canucks†current road trip

• Vancouver surrenders 30+ shots for the 14th time this season

• Canucks score only one goal for the second consecutive game

• Kiefer Sherwood finishes the game with six shots on goal

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

2:55 – VAN: Linus Karlsson (5) from Arshdeep Bains and Aatu Räty

19:23 – COL: Nathan MacKinnon (21) from Devon Toews and Sam Malinski

2nd Period:

13:52 – COL: Brock Nelson (9) from Gabriel Landeskog and Ross Colton

19:26 – VAN: Nathan MacKinnon (22) from Gabriel Landeskog and Josh Manson

3rd Period:

No scoring.

Advertisement

Up Next:

The Canucks will now return to Vancouver for a four-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres. The first of these two matches will occur as part of a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday, with the Mammoth being Vancouverâ€s first opponent. Puck drop for Fridayâ€s game is slated for 6:00 pm PT.

Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THNâ€s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Evander Kane Injured In Canucks Loss To The Avalanche

Advertisement

New Interview Gives Reminder That Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes Could Have Played For Team Canada

Keeping Up With The Abbotsford Canucks: November 2025

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News

Source link

The 2025–26 season has not been kind to the Vancouver Canucks, but itâ€s been even less-so to their AHL-affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Abbotsford went through some pretty sizable changes to their roster during this off-season, moving on from Calder Cup Champions ArtÅ«rs Å ilovs, Sammy Blais, Phil Di Giuseppe, Tristen Nielsen, Nate Smith, Christian Wolanin, Akito Hirose, Cole McWard, and more via trade and free agency. Fan-favourites Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, Linus Karlsson, Aatu Räty, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and more have earned themselves positions with the NHL club, while Guillaume Brisebois and Jett Woo have yet to return to their lineup due to injury.

With all of this and more in mind, itâ€s not entirely shocking that Abbotsford currently sits at the bottom of the Pacific Division and near the bottom of the AHL entirely with a record of 4–13–3. The AHL Canucks have had to deal with injuries to not only their own lineup, but Vancouverâ€s as well (as the Canucks have also played a role in the depletion of Abbotsfordâ€s roster). Hereâ€s a bleak — but optimistic — recap of Abbotsfordâ€s November.

Advertisement

Stat Leaders

Team Stats:

Record: 4–13–3 (T-30th)

Points%: 0.275% (31st)

Goals-for: 38 (30th)

Goals-against: 83 (32nd)

PP%: 27.9% (4th)

PK%: 67.7% (32nd)

Points:

Ben Berard: 5–7–12

Joseph LaBate: 6–4–10

Sawyer Mynio: 2–7–9

Nils Åman: 1–8–9

Ty Mueller: 3–5–8

Goaltenders:

JiÅí Patera: 2–2–1

Aku Koskenvuo: 1–2–0

Nikita Tolopilo: 1–3–1

C.J. Kier (EBUG): 0–0–0

Jonathan Lemieux: 0–0–1

Ty Young: 0–6–0

Photo: Kaja Antic-THN

Storylines

The Goaltending Conundrum

Just as Vancouver had a goaltending conundrum at the start of November, so did Abbotsford. With Thatcher Demko unavailable for the Canucks†back-to-back at the start of the month, Vancouver ended up recalling Patera under emergency conditions, leaving the AHL Canucks with only Young for their game against the Colorado Eagles on November 7th. As luck would have it, Young sustained an injury that night, resulting in Abbotsford being forced to dress Coloradoâ€s emergency backup goaltender C.J. Kier.

Advertisement

With Young out, Tolopilo still dealing with an injury, and Patera up with the Canucks, Abbotsford brought both Koskenvuo and Lemieux up from the ECHLâ€s Kalamazoo Wings. Interestingly enough, it was Koskenvuo who snapped Abbotsfordâ€s 11-game losing streak in his AHL debut, stopping 33 of 36 shots put on him by the San Jose Barracuda.

Home-Ice Woes

Abbotsford has had the most difficult time winning on home-ice since the season started (wins have been hard to come by in general, but at home, theyâ€ve been even more difficult to grab). In eight home games throughout the start to now, the AHL Canucks have only managed one win. They have yet to win at home in regulation.

While at the newly-named Rogers Forum, Abbotsford has only managed to score 13 goals, averaging out to 1.625 goals scored per home game. Theyâ€ve been shut out twice when on home-ice and have scored two goals or less in one game six different times. When it comes to goals-against on home-ice, Abbotsford is tied with the Texas Stars for the fourth-most allowed (38).

Advertisement

Despite the bleak stats, Abbotsford has one thing going for them while on home-ice — their power play. The AHL Canucks currently lead the AHL in power play percentage while at home with a whopping 42.1%, nearly 10% higher than the next team in this category. With that being said, Abbotsford has also been given the least power play opportunities in the AHL when on home-ice, as they have only received 19 but scored on eight of them.

Sawyer Mynio Has Had A Solid Start

In times when the AHL Canucks were suffering from roster depletion, it was Mynio who stepped up and provided solid play. With Victor Mancini, Kirill Kudryavtsev, and Tom Willander all on Vancouverâ€s roster at one point this season, Mynio became the AHL Canucks†most heavily relied-upon defenceman in both offensive and defensive scenarios (alongside Jimmy Schuldt).

During this span of time, Mynio was tasked with quarterbacking Abbotsfordâ€s power play while also playing on their penalty kill. All this has occurred while Mynio adjusts to playing on the right-side — a position at which Abbotsfordâ€s depth was paper-thin. For a 20-year-old AHL rookie, Mynioâ€s accomplishments so far have been impressive, especially considering the circumstances surrounding his team.

Advertisement

Whatâ€s Up With Danila Klimovich?

Having won the Calder Cup back in June, expectations were mixed for an Abbotsford team that was expected to lose many of their top players to NHL call-ups. Thatâ€s one thing that has happened.

Even so, thereâ€s still one AHL Canuck whose fate remains a bit of a mystery. The 2025–26 season is Klimovichâ€s fifth in the AHL, as he made the jump to North American pro-hockey immediately after being drafted by Vancouver in 2021. Since then, Klimovich has yet to make his NHL debut, with his entry-level contract being prolonged with every year he spends without making it.

Last season, Klimovich had looked as though he could be turning a corner after scoring a career-high 25 goals and 13 assists in 65 AHL games played. It was a solid message to send after struggling with injuries the season prior. However, throughout the first two months of the 2025–26 season, Klimovich only has two goals and two assists in 18 games played.

Advertisement

Consistency has been one of, if not the biggest caveat in Klimovichâ€s game in the past. It appears this could be an issue this season as well. He went scoreless in the first 17 games of the year for Abbotsford, but then exploded for a two-goal performance in their 5–2 win against the Tucson Roadrunners on Saturday. While his lack of scoring consistency isnâ€t particularly for lack of effort, as he has the most shots on net of his team with 39, itâ€s something to keep an eye on from Klimovich as his fifth AHL season plays out.

Up Next

After a November that only saw them return to Abbotsford for two homestands, the AHL Canucks will begin December with a four-game home stretch beginning tomorrow, December 2nd, with back-to-back matches against the Calgary Wranglers. Theyâ€ll also host their ever-popular Teddy Bear Toss on December 6th and their 5th Anniversary Game on December 7th, both against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The AHL Canucks will return to Abbotsford for one more homestand in December when they take on the Tucson Roadrunners on December 19th and 20th.

Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THNâ€s Vancouver Canucks Site:

NHL Insider Throws Bizarre Shot At Canucks Center Elias Pettersson

Advertisement

Tolopilo Heads Home, Höglander Joins The Team As Canucks Practice In California

Why The Vancouver Canucks May Be Forced To Send Max Sasson Back To The AHL

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News

Source link

LOS ANGELES — Brock Boeser has seven primary assists this season, and the five centres he has played with on the Vancouver Canucks†second line have none.

Without a National Hockey League playmaker down the middle, winger Conor Garland had been creating scoring chances for Boeser from the opposite side of the line, but now Garland is hurt, too.

“That’s the definition of this year,†Boeser lamented after Mondayâ€s practice in El Segundo, Calif. “I mean, it’s hasnâ€t been the greatest of luck. And finally, when you start to get some confidence, something like this happens.â€

After missing Saturdayâ€s 2-1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed injury, Garland was scheduled to fly home to Vancouver Monday afternoon for further medical evaluation while the Canucks travelled to Denver to take on the force of nature that is the Colorado Avalanche.

At 10-13-3, the Canucks are not yet through the first third of their season, and Garland is already out of the lineup for the third time after missing only two games the last three years.

With Boeser now playing left wing for the first time in his career, Kiefer Sherwood is the new second-line right winger alongside centre David Kampf, who does not yet have a point in six games since joining the Canucks following his contract termination in Toronto.

An experienced, respected fourth-line NHL centre, Kampf has spent the last five games in the middle of the Canucks†second line.

Filip Chytil started the season as the second-line centre and scored three goals before suffering another serious concussion in Game 6. Bottom-six centre Teddy Blueger was injured the same game. Neither has played since.

Between Chytil and Kampf, inexpensive pickup Lukas Reichel had 12 games at second-line centre before playing himself right out of coach Adam Footeâ€s lineup. There was also one game for Aatu Raty and two for Max Sasson, both recent graduates of the American Hockey League.

As CanucksArmy.com reported, in 26 games, the Canucks†various second-line centres have contributed one secondary assist — a defensive-zone point for Reichel in a Nov. 8 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Say what you want about Canucks president Jim Rutherford, but the Hall-of-Fame manager was excruciatingly accurate when he said after last season that Vancouver needed to add a top-six centre and that it would be expensive, “but it’ll also be very expensive not to get one.â€

The team never acquired one, and here it is three points from the bottom of the NHL.

Itâ€s hard for the Canucks to feel positive these days, although the energy and enthusiasm of Nils Hoglander in his first practice since pre-season ankle surgery helped the mood on Monday.

“It is hard,†Boeser said. “Like, itâ€s hard. But we’re coming to the rink. . . I think weâ€ve played some good games. Guys show up and work hard, and we’re following our structure, and then we’ll lose a tight game. I feel like that’s happened a lot. And after it happens to you a few times, it gets frustrating.

“When I was playing with a guy like Gar, you know, he’s really good at creating space for himself and for others. Heâ€s such a good playmaker. That’s kind of where I think we’ve gotten a lot of those (scoring) chances, but obviously he’s hurt now.

“I do feel like I’ve been making a lot of plays — more so than in past years when I was playing with J.T. (Miller) all the time. That was a little different. I do feel like I’ve created a lot of stuff, but I don’t think I have a secondary assist yet. Theyâ€re all primary, which is crazy. But, I mean, it doesn’t really change anything. Like, Iâ€ve got to shoot the puck. I know I need to score goals for our team. . . and it doesn’t matter who’s in the middle. Iâ€ve got to show up and try to have a good game and try to produce and not get scored on.â€

Considering who has been available as Boeserâ€s centre, the longest-tenured Canuck is actually having a decent season with nine goals and seven assists in the 24 games he has played.

But the Canucks have just two wins in their last 10 games (2-5-3), and in the last eight, Boeser has one goal. The 28-year-old, however, has had a pile of scoring chances among his 21 shots on target during this time.

He looked dangerous in all three games in California, where the Canucks went 1-1-1.

“Iâ€ve been right there,†Boeser said. “When youâ€re getting chances, that means youâ€re close. When youâ€re not getting chances, thatâ€s when I know Iâ€ve got problems.â€

Minus a major move by Allvin for centre, Boeser making a U-turn in the hour before free agency opened on July 1 and re-signing in Vancouver for seven years and $50.75 million was the biggest hockey news of the summer on the West Coast.

But things havenâ€t quite gone as Boeser and Canucks had hoped.

The critical mass of injuries, headlined by starting goalie Thatcher Demko and two of the teamâ€s three NHL-proven centres, contributed to inconsistency in systems play. And since general manager Patrik Allvin informed other teams that the Canucks are willing to move their UFA-eligible players, trade conjecture is becoming deafening. Sherwood, the teamâ€s leading goal-scorer with 12, has been at the epicentre of rumours whirlwind.

“To be honest, I haven’t really heard much because I’m not really on social media,†Boeser said. “Iâ€ve overheard some of it. I know it can be tough. I’ve gone through (trade rumours) and I’ve had a lot of noise around me, and it can be hard. As much as you don’t want to think about it, itâ€s definitely in the back of your head and might affect you a little bit. But at the end of the day, it’s part of the business, and youâ€ve got to push forward and push through.â€

Two months into his seven-year extension, is Boeser worried where the Canucks might be headed?

“If my brain tries to go there. . . I try not to go there just because we’ve been dealt with some tough luck,†he said. “You know, look at our centres. Weâ€ve had Heats and Teddy out pretty much the entire year. That hurts. Those guys are important pieces to our team, and I thought we were playing some good hockey when we did have those guys in the lineup. You know, I think everyone’s trying hard. Even last game, I thought we worked hard and we were right there. We just ended up on the wrong side of it.â€

• With minor-league callup Nikita Tolopilo summoned home for the birth of his child, the Canucks recalled goalie Jiri Patera to join them in Colorado and back up Kevin Lankinen.

• 
• 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

  Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

  Latest episode

HOW THE CANUCKS PRACTISED

Kane-Pettersson-Lekkerimaki
Boeser-Kampf-Sherwood
Oâ€Connor-Sasson-DeBrusk
Bains-Raty-Karlsson

Hughes-Hronek
M. Pettersson-Myers
Pettersson Jr.-Willander

Hoglander (non-contact)
Reichel
Joseph

Source link

LOS ANGELES — The challenge for Kevin Lankinen to jump back into a National Hockey League goal crease and start after four days without practising or playing was surely less than whatever the Vancouver Canuck has been dealing with at home this week.

With his desperate team facing the second half of back-to-back road games Saturday night against the Los Angeles Kings, Lankinen flew back from a personal leave for family reasons and stopped 21 of the first 22 shots he faced before a broken play in overtime gave him no chance against Adrian Kempe in the Canucks†2-1 loss.

After only a morning skate with a few teammates, Lankinen played after four days off — and after minor-league callup Nikita Tolopilo was in goal for the first two games of a road trip in which the Canucks are 1-1-1 heading to Tuesdayâ€s finale against the dominant Colorado Avalanche.

Coach Adam Foote announced Lankinenâ€s return earlier Saturday, and general manager Patrik Allvin said he believes the goalie will finish the trip with his teammates.

“All I want to say is I’m just really thankful to Adam and Patrik for offering me some time to stay with my family when they need me the most,†Lankinen said. “So I’m really thankful for that.

“I felt good out there. And that’s what hockey is about — youâ€ve got to be able to perform. And I was happy to help the team. Itâ€s too bad we couldn’t get the win.â€

After playing a low-event road game and allowing the Kings single-digit high-danger scoring chances, the Canucks surrendered a couple of two-on-ones in overtime. In the aftermath of the second rush, Quinton Byfield heeled his shot from the slot, but the puck went straight to Kempe, who was able to settle it and fire it into a semi-open net as Lankinen and teammates Elias Pettersson and Kiefer Sherwood tried frantically to get in front of the shot.

A game that began with three official reviews in the first five minutes also ended with one, as the NHL Situation Room in Toronto took a look at the winning goal before ruling that Byfield, who went to the edge of the crease after his miss, did not unfairly impede Lankinen.

“I tried to do my best there,†the goalie said. “I don’t really know. . . I’m not sure what happened there. I was just trying to throw something at (the shot). But I’m sure the league did their homework (on the review) and I trust their judgment.â€

Asked if it was difficult to focus on hockey after his personal leave, Lankinen said: “I trust my preparation. I trust the work that I’ve put in. I feel like I can perform, so I was just happy to help the team. Just too bad we couldn’t get the win.â€

“Kevin was great,†Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers said. “It was good to get him some extra time at home and, you know, for him to fly in and step in like he did tonight. . . he’s been doing it for us since he came to Vancouver. We always have a tonne of confidence in him.

“For sure, you want to play hard for him, anytime someone’s going through something. And you know, he was great tonight. I thought the guys battled really hard. We came up short on the second point, but a lot to look at in terms of what we want to bring into the next games.â€

Shots in regulation were just 22-19 for the Kings, and Natural Stat Trickâ€s website had high-danger scoring chances at just 8-6 for Los Angeles in all situations.

“I thought we did a lot of good tonight, especially the second and third periods,†Myers said. “It felt like one of our better neutral-zone games of the year, which I thought allowed us to not spend as much time in our own end. That’s how we have to play. It’s going to give us a better chance to win every night.

“You know, when we look to cheat or float and hope offence comes to us, that’s usually when we get in trouble defensively. So I thought our second and third was really good tonight. A lot to build off.â€

Starting 27 hours after losing 3-2 to the San Jose Sharks in one of the worst-officiated games of the season, the last thing the Canucks needed — or at least their fan base needed — was more controversy.

Naturally, there were three reviews in the first five minutes, which took a goal for each team off the board on successful coaches†challenges for offside. A league-initiated review also confirmed that Petterssonâ€s bold dash to the front of the Kings net did not end in a goal at 36 seconds, as fuzzy video from the overhead camera showed that a sliver of the puck was still overlapping the back edge of the goal line as Kings goalie Anton Forsberg kept his pad behind it.

At 17:19 of the first period, Los Angeles scored the first goal that counted when all five Canuck skaters surrounded Anze Kopitar on a rush but still allowed the retiring star to flick a quick shot from the middle of the ice that beat Lankinen on the glove side.

Evander Kane took a “good†penalty 43 seconds into the middle period, not because his hook broke up a scoring chance or set a physical tone, but because it allowed the most-penalized Canuck to pop out of the box behind the Kings and skate on to Drew Oâ€Connorâ€s breakaway pass.

Kane closed on Forsberg at high speed and snapped a forehand past the retreating goalie to tie it 1-1 at 2:52.

After scoring just three goals in his first 23 games as a Canuck, Kane has two goals and an assist in his last three contests.

Lankinen later stopped a partial breakaway by Trevor Moore, and Canuck Brock Boeser saved a goal on a third-period penalty kill when he lifted Kevin Fialaâ€s stick as a rebound off the post angled directly to the King.

Vancouver killed off all four Los Angeles power plays, but the Canuck power play followed its 0-for-8 performance in San Jose by going 0-for-3 against the Kings. Pettersson, who physically battled the Kings all game, missed the net on a couple of excellent chances.

ICE CHIPS — For the third time this season, first-line winger Conor Garland came out of the Canucks lineup due to injury. The play-driving dynamo missed three games at the start of November after head contact on a heavy hit, then sat out a game in Florida on Nov. 17 that coach Adam Foote said was not concussion-related. Garland is remaining on the trip but itâ€s questionable whether heâ€ll play Tuesday in Denver. . . Aatu Raty returned to the Vancouver lineup after a one-game reset and centred the third line between minor-league callup Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Drew Oâ€Connor. Max Sasson dropped down to the fourth line, reuniting with Linus Karlsson and Arshdeep Bains, while Lukas Reichel went back to the press box after a one-game reprieve. Defenceman Elias Pettersson (Junior) was scratched for the second time this season to allow Pierre-Olivier Joseph to make his first appearance since Nov. 14. . . With Garland unavailable, Jake DeBrusk started the game on the first line. Sherwood took Garlandâ€s spot on the top power play. . . The Canucks have Sunday off in Los Angeles before practising here Monday and then flying to Colorado.

Source link

The Vancouver Canucks picked up a point but fell 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in overtime. Evander Kane scored the only goals while Kevin Lankinen made 21 of the 23 shots he faced. Saturday was Lankinen’s first game since November 23, as he missed the first two games of the road trip for personal reasons.

Saturday’s game featured not one, not two, not three, but four video reviews. Two goals were called back due to offside, while the Canucks were denied a goal that the NHL deemed was not fully over the line. As for the final review, that was to determine whether Quinton Byfield high-sticked Marcus Pettersson, which, after looking at the play, the refs decided against calling a penalty.

Advertisement

Overall, Saturday’s game was very balanced. Both teams struggled to generate chances at even strength, with Vancouver and L.A. combining for 11 even-strength high-danger chances as per Natural Stat Trick. Even in what was a back-and-forth overtime, neither team was able to create high-danger scoring chances, with the winning goal coming off a fanned shot that happened to land right on Adrian Kempe’s stick.

“I thought we played well, honestly,” said Drew O’Connor post-game. “I thought our third period was really good. It was probably one of our best. Overtime, you never really know what is going to happen. I thought it was a good effort. Pretty complete game from us.”

Looking at the positives, the Canucks killed off all four of the Kings’ power plays. While L.A. did create seven shots, Vancouver was able to protect the crease and not allow back-door tap-ins. Ultimately, it was a step in the right direction as the Canucks went perfect on the kill for the first time on this road trip.

Lastly, Hughes’ ice time is another talking point that dominated social media post-game. After playing 28:19 on Friday afternoon, Vancouver’s captain logged 30:13 in this game. Considering the condensed schedule, Hughes’ injury history and the fact he is going to the Olympics in a few months, these high ice times may come back to bite the Canucks captain late in the season.

Advertisement

In the end, there were some positives that emerged from this game. Vancouver’s defensive game was structured while young players like Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Aatu Räty and Tom Willander had strong performances. Ultimately, though, the Canucks need to find a way to generate more offence as they have now scored two or fewer goals in four of their last five games.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) makes a save as Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (40) tries to push the puck into the net in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Stats and Facts:

– With his 302nd career assist, Tyler Myers ties Jared Spurgeon for the 138th most assists by a defenceman in NHL history

– Evander Kane extends his point streak to three games

– Quinn Hughes surpasses 30 minutes of ice time for the third time this season

Advertisement

– The Canucks have lost three straight games in overtime

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

17:19- LAK: Anže Kopitar (5) from Adrian Kempe and Brian Dumoulin

2nd Period:

2:52- VAN: Evander Kane (5) from Drew O’Connor and Tyler Myers

3rd Period:

No Scoring

Overtime:

3:58- Adrian Kempe (8) from Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala

Up Next:

Vancouver will wrap up their four-game road trip on Tuesday as they visit the Colorado Avalanche. These two teams have already met this season, with the Avalanche picking up a 5-4 win in overtime. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT.

Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THNâ€s Vancouver Canucks Site:

How The Vancouver Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL: 25 Games In

Advertisement

Canucks Recall Forward Jonathan Lekkerimäki From Abbotsford, Re-Assign JiÅí Patera To AHL

Canucks†Special Teams A Difference-Maker In 3–2 Loss To The San Jose Sharks

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Hockey News

Source link