2023-24 Vancouver Canucks Player Review: Nils Höglander
A deep dive into the 2023-24 season of Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Höglander.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks Player Review: Nils HöglanderWelcome to the 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks player review series. Over the summer, we will be taking a look at Canucks players performances from the 2023-24 season. Today's player is Nils Höglander, who had 24 goals and 36 points in 80 games.
Höglander bounced back massively during the 2023-24 season. After spending the majority of the season in the AHL during the 2022-23 campaign, Höglander set new career highs in both goals and points last season. Playing the majority of the year beside Elias Pettersson, Höglander proved he could contribute as a member of the top six while becoming one of the league's best five-on-five goal scorers.
Saying Höglander was one of the league's best five-on-five goal scorers is not an exaggeration. All 24 of his goals came at five-one-five, which ranked tied for tenth in the NHL with Mikko Rantanen. Höglander also ranked third amongst players who played at least 12 games in goals per 60 at 1.58 despite averaging only 11:23 of five-on-five ice time per game. Ultimately, Höglander proved to be a valuable part of the lineup, and picked his scoring spots well as he finished third for third on Vancouver with five game-winning goals.
In addition to a strong offensive campaign, Höglander was impressive in his own zone. He finished sixth on the team in takeaways with 29 and, according to the NHL EDGE, spent only 38.7% of his even-strength time in the defensive zone. Whether it was during the regular season or the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Höglander's defensive analytics were strong, showing that he can be productive at both ends of the ice.
One underrated part of Höglander's game from the past season was his physicality. Despite being listed at 5'9", 185 pounds, Höglander recorded his first 100-hit season and was a pain in the side of the opposition. He also made an impact in front of the net, as, according to NHL EDGE, 59 of his 120 shots, or 49%, came from high-danger areas in and around the crease. Whether it was along the board or in front of the opposition's goaltender, Höglander continually was able to win battles, which often led to scoring chances.
While Höglander had a solid regular season, the playoffs were a different story. He wasn't able to replicate the same scoring touch, finishing with one goal in 11 games while seeing his ice time drop to just 10:00. That being said, he generated seven five-on-five individual high-danger chances, which, despite his limited minutes, ranked tied for sixth on the team. The hope moving forward is that Höglander can use this playoff run as a learning lesson and hopefully carry the momentum of a strong 2024-25 season into the postseason.
With the Canucks adding significant pieces to the forward group this offseason, the pressure will be on Höglander to show that this year wasn't a fluke. If he can take another step forward and replicate the success he had beside Pettersson, it will go a long way in showing that he can be a consistent contributor in the top six. Overall, Höglander is a very talented player and has the potential to be a significant asset to the lineup in 2024-25.
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