It’s very curious that a team that lacks depth at center amidst a season of locker-room strife acquired an aging winger with a reputation for wearing out his welcome. Maybe the Canucks did try and get help, but their efforts bore no fruit in a crucial moment of the franchise’s trajectory.
Even if Elias Pettersson returns with a strong campaign, even if Thatcher Demko managed to stay healthy, the future of the Canucks lies in Quinn Hughes, who has one year left remaining on his six-year deal before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Hughes’ status will cast a cloud no matter how well the Canucks fare this season, though it goes without saying that a successful campaign – playoffs at the very least, and perhaps winning a round or two – will be the most convincing argument the Canucks can make for their captain to stay.
Without Hughes, the Canucks are done; no one else in their lineup can drive play like he can. Pettersson was shaping up to be an elite, two-way No. 1 center, but his 2024-25 season has raised so many question marks about his talent, ability and desire to do so. For what it’s worth, Pettersson has added muscle to his wiry frame and intends to prove people wrong.
THN Yearbook & Fantasy Guide is projecting Pettersson to do so with an 81-point campaign, 27 more points than the Canucks’ next highest forward. The range of outcomes for Pettersson is quite massive, which makes him one of the most intriguing fantasy assets going into this season. There is a significant degree of risk, but the upside is a 90-point player who can contribute in nearly all categories.
If Hughes and Pettersson have a strong season, then the rest of the team should follow. Brock Boeser has 35-goal potential, and Conor Garland, Evander Kane and Jake DeBrusk can be quality depth options in fantasy with 50-60-point potential. The pieces are there; it’s a matter of how much rookie NHL head coach Adam Foote can coax out of this offense. (For a team at serious crossroads, it’s also curious they went with a rookie coach, especially when the highly-regarded Manny Malhotra, coming off a Calder Cup win in the AHL, is already waiting in the wings).
One player who deserves special mention, of course, is Kiefer Sherwood, who ran amok and set a league record with 462 hits in a single season. Combined with his 19 goals and 40 points, he was an outstanding banger league asset. He was so far and away in hits that he had the ability to win fantasy matchups and categories alone, putting him in rarefied air as an elite specialist among specialists. Even with a regression in hits, which is expected, Sherwood should still rank among the league’s very best.
It's going to be especially hard, too, if Filip Chytil is not available. The injury-prone pivot posted really solid numbers in 15 games with the Canucks, but multiple concussions and a lengthy injury history does present significant concern. After Chytil, the Canucks would be forced to promote bottom-six checking center Teddy Blueger, who has very limited offensive upside, or count on young prospects such as Aatu Raty, Linus Karlsson or Max Sasson, all of whom have yet to establish themselves as full-time NHL players.
On defense, it’s a similar story. Hughes is the elite option buoyed by some capable veterans in Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers, but after that you’re hoping players such as Tom Willander or the other Elias Pettersson can make a significant impact. Hughes remains an elite fantasy option and ranks among the top-five among defensemen, while only Hronek’s worth considering in deeper leagues.
There has been a lot of debate in fantasy circles regarding the exact value of Thatcher Demko. Because Kevin Lankinen had such an outstanding season, the general consensus is that he will demand a lot of playing time, and Demko’s lengthy injury history dictates Lankinen will get his starts regardless.
But, I’m not so sure; Demko is a workhorse until he’s not, and everything points toward Lankinen falling back down to Earth. Following Lankinen’s record-setting 10 consecutive road wins, Lankinen went 13-12-8 with a .899 SP the rest of the way, including a 6-6-5 record on the road. Demko, meanwhile, was 10-8-3 with a .889 SP. I think Demko is a buy-low candidate and Lankinen may not be a 1B-type option, unlike the tandems in Toronto or Carolina or even Washington.
If I had to wager, a healthy Demko and a long summer should see him return to his Vezina-caliber form. The defense in front of him has been shored up, and should he stay healthy all season, don’t be surprised if he gets 50 starts. The Canucks think highly of him, and despite a five-year contract to retain Lankinen, also re-signed Demko to a lucrative three-year deal that will kick in next season.
The talent is there with an elite all-star defenseman in Hughes and a potential top-tier center in Pettersson. But there are just so many pitfalls for a team coming out of one of the most disappointing campaigns in recent memory, and without adding more top-tier talent, this team will likely hover around the playoff cut-off line all season.
Prediction:
While Hughes maintain his elite level of play and Pettersson somewhat returns to form – still falling short of expectations as an elite No. 1 center – the Canucks have too many holes to fill to make the playoffs. Demko also has a good bounce-back season and becomes of the best value picks of the season.
Unfortunately, Chytil can’t stay healthy for the entire season and none of the Canucks’ wingers exceed expectations to elevate the team’s success. Kane, Garland, Boeser and DeBrusk all finish with around 25 goals.
All stats courtesy of naturalstattrick.com, moneypuck.com, hockeyviz.com, allthreezones.com, hockey-reference.com, eliteprospects.com unless otherwise noted.