These six players have given Canucks fans something to cheer about through the first half of the 2025-26 season.
The 2025–26 season has been an incredibly disappointing one for Vancouver Canucks fans. From trading their captain and franchise star Quinn Hughes to sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings for a good chunk of the season, the Canucks have not performed anywhere near where many expected them to. With that being said, there have still been a few players who have provided Vancouver with some things to cheer about. Here’s a look at the players who have surpassed what was expected of them.
Linus Karlsson
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Linus Karlsson
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the Abbotsford Canucks’ leading scorer during the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Linus Karlsson.
One positive to come out of the 2025–26 season has been the growth of Linus Karlsson’s game at the NHL level. While Karlsson did spend some time with the Canucks last year, scoring three goals and three assists in 23 games, his game has grown massively since taing a full-time role with the team this year. The forward is currently tied for second on the Canucks in goals-scored with 10, most of which he has scored from his trademark position right by the opposition’s net. As well, he currently ranks first on the Canucks in 5-on-5 points with 15. While Karlsson does still have a bit of work to do in terms of rounding out his game, the forward has impressed throughout the first half of 2025–26 — so much so that he was signed to a two-year contract extension at the beginning of the calendar year.
Aatu Räty
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Aatu Räty
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. In this edition, we take a look at Aatu Räty, who is projected to make the jump to the NHL full-time next year.
Expectations surrounding Aatu Räty heading into this season were somewhat muddled, as nobody really knew how Vancouver’s center depth would look after injuries to both Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger only five games in. Still, Räty has been a good surprise for the Canucks on the defensive side of things. He has the highest-registered faceoff winning percentage of all Canucks throughout the season with 59.79% accumulated from 229 faceoffs won of 383 taken. Räty has also seen some time on the Canucks’ penalty kill, playing 26:16 minutes shorthanded. For a player who is taking part in his first full NHL season, like Karlsson, Räty has been a positive in Vancouver’s torrid 2025–26 season.
Filip Hronek
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Filip Hronek
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at defenceman Filip Hronek.
Hronek has often been considered as one of those players who can quietly put up his fair share of points from the blueline, with many getting a glimpse of his potential last season after injuries took Quinn Hughes out of the lineup. Right now, Hronek is tied with Elias Pettersson for the Canucks’ points lead with three goals and 22 assists. He’s been an important player both on and off the ice for Vancouver this season, as his 1012:09 total minutes played ranks first on the Canucks and 11th throughout the entire NHL. While many may view it otherwise from a public standpoint, Hronek has also emerged as a strong leader in the Canucks’ locker room especially with the departure of Hughes. Many have made it clear that Hronek will be integral in whatever step Vancouver takes for their future, whether that’s towards playoff contention or a rebuild.
Kiefer Sherwood
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Kiefer Sherwood
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be looking at what to expect from the 2024–25 hit king, Kiefer Sherwood.
Just like last season, Kiefer Sherwood continues to prove why the Canucks signed him during the 2024 off-season. The forward has been nothing but a treat to watch since arriving in Vancouver, combining skill with physicality to provide the Canucks with a spark of energy every shift. As Vancouver’s leader in goals scored with 17, Sherwood has made himself the prime trade target on the Canucks, as his current deal expires at the end of the 2025–26 season. If Sherwood does end up being moved, which looks like the most likely outcome at this point, Vancouver will undoubtedly look like a much different team.
Tom Willander
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Tom Willander
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. In this edition, we’ll cover Vancouver’s first-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, defenceman Tom Willander.
Expectations for Tom Willander were pretty simple heading into the 2025–26 season; watch him dominate the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, then potentially call him up towards the end of the season to let him get his chance at NHL play. Not only has Willander fast-tracked that by making his NHL debut on October 28, he’s also outplayed defencemen such as Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Since making his NHL debut, Willander has put up two goals and 10 assists and has yet to be taken out of Vancouver’s lineup. While there are still parts of his game to flesh out — as there always are for young players — Willander has been a breath of fresh air for the Canucks so far this season.
Drew O’Connor
Vancouver Canucks 2025–26 Player Preview: Drew O’Connor
Welcome to The Hockey News - <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> site’s player preview series for the 2025–26 season. In these articles, we’ll preview the players who are expected to play for the Canucks in the 2025–26 season. Today, we’ll be taking a look at one of four January 31 Canucks acquisitions, Drew O’Connor.
Seeing Drew O’Connor playing as a center was probably not on many — if any — peoples’ bingo cards for the Canucks’ 2025–26 season. Somehow, this did end up happening. While this situation raised glaring concerns about Vancouver’s center depth, it also reflects positively on O’Connor, who has been one of the Canucks’ most consistent players this season. Offensively, O’Connor has brought a little extra spunk to his game, scoring 10 goals and six assists in all of Vancouver’s 41 games. Defensively, he’s been relied on lots, playing the second-most shorthanded minutes by a Canucks forward with 74:43. The forward also has the highest faceoff winning rate of Canucks that aren’t natural centers, with his 53.75% coming in third on the team behind Räty and David Kämpf. Aside from stats, O’Connor, like Sherwood, has been one of few players who have been able to inject a positive energy into the lineup with good speed and heavy forechecking.
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