Canucks Well-Represented in 2024 Playoffs with 13 Former Players

13 former Vancouver Canucks have made appearances in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

0–0–0, 1 GP

Hutton was drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He played a total of four regular seasons with Vancouver before signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings. During his time with the Canucks, Hutton amassed 70 points in 276 games.

Since the 2021-2022 season, Hutton has played on the Vegas Golden Knights, having recently won the Stanley Cup with them last year. He’s put up 31 points in his 130 games played with Vegas and has played a total of three postseason games for them. In Vegas’s seven-game series against the Dallas Stars this year, he only played in game 5. 

Record: 1–4, 5 games coached 

Members of that 2011 Vancouver Canucks team have been outspoken about the impact that Bowness had on their team. As a member of the Canucks for seven years, Bowness spent his first two seasons as an Assistant Coach and the last five as an Associate Coach to former Head Coach Alain Vigneault. This coaching group produced five postseason visits.

Bowness has had a storied history with the NHL, having coached for 38 seasons. He announced his retirement on May 6th, with this coming off the heels of an impressive 52–24–6 record with the Winnipeg Jets. While his team may have lost four straight games to the Colorado Avalanche, eliminating them from the 2024 postseason, it’s clear that Bowness has left a lasting impact on the game of hockey.

2–0–2, 5 GP 

While he only played 17 regular season and postseason games with the Canucks, not many can forget the fact that Tyler Toffoli played for the Vancouver Canucks. His six goals in 10 regular season games allowed fans to dream of all that the Canucks could accomplish with him on Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, or J.T. Miller’s wing. An injury kept him out of a good chunk of the 2020 Bubble Playoffs, though he made his return in game 2 of Vancouver’s second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Toffoli has bounced around a bit since departing from Vancouver, playing for the Montréal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, and New Jersey Devils before ending up with the Winnipeg Jets for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His two goals in the Jets’ first-round, five-game series against the Colorado Avalanche came during games 3 and 5.

1–0–1, 3 GP

Another former Canuck-turned-Jet, Nate Schmidt, played one season with Vancouver before being traded to Winnipeg. He landed in Vancouver during the 2020-2021 season after being traded to the Canucks for a third-round pick. Schmidt’s time in Vancouver was hampered by a season that saw no fans at games, though this didn’t stop the defender from trying to lighten the mood in the locker room. 

After being traded by the Canucks, Schmidt spent the next three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. His first season saw him post 32 points in 77 games. He played three games for the Jets in this season’s playoffs, in which he scored one goal.

0–1–1, 11 GP

Possibly the greatest casualty of the Canucks’ 2020 UFA class, Chris Tanev has continued the calm, cool, collected play that he engaged in with Vancouver. The only active member of the Canucks’ 2011 Stanley Cup run (unless Alex Edler decides to make a sudden comeback), Tanev has always been known for his calm presence on the blue line. When he signed with the Calgary Flames in 2020, Canucks fans were devastated.

There was a brief hope that Tanev would make his return to the Canucks around Trade Deadline Day as an accompaniment in the Elias Lindholm trade; however, the toothy defender ended up being sent to the Dallas Stars instead. His run with Dallas has been remarkable so far, as he is currently first in the league for the most shots blocked in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

0–0–0, 5 GP 

Ever since he was acquired by the Canucks in 2019, Schenn has been a fan-favourite for many Vancouver fans. He was first obtained in a trade that sent Michael Del Zotto to the Anaheim Ducks and would go on to be Quinn Hughes’ first defensive partner in the Hughes brother’s first NHL game. After the 2018-2019 season, Schenn signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning, winning two cups with them before making his return to Vancouver. In the one-and-a-half seasons he spent with the Canucks after winning with Tampa Bay, Schenn amassed 38 points in 121 games.

Schenn’s second stint with the Canucks ended when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a third-round pick. From there, he signed with the Nashville Predators, only to be greeted by Vancouver again — this time, as an opponent in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Schenn played in all five games against Vancouver.

1–1–2, 6 GP 

Another Canuck-turned-first-round-opponent, Anthony Beauvillier, also spent recent regular seasons with Vancouver before ending up in Nashville. Beavuillier was acquired by the Canucks as a part of the trade that sent former captain Bo Horvat (who will appear later in this list) to the New York Islanders. In his 55 games with Vancouver, he tallied 28 points, 11 of which were goals.

Beauvillier was sent to the Chicago Blackhawks early in the 2023-2024 season in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick. Later, he was dealt to the Predators for the same price. He notched two points throughout the six playoff games that he played in for Nashville.

1–3–4, 9 GP

Oliver Ekman-Larsson spent two seasons with the Canucks, but even though he has moved on, his cap hit will be staying through 2031. Ekman-Larsson came to the Canucks after being traded from the Arizona Coyotes alongside Conor Garland. The fanbase’s first impressions of the defender were not the greatest, and his time with Vancouver was less than stellar. If his price tag had been shaved in half, fans likely would have appreciated his time here more. His 51 points in 133 games weren’t as abhorrent as people make them out to be.

With a rejuvenated mindset and at least two fewer minutes per game than what he’d seen in Vancouver, Ekman-Larsson has looked perfectly capable as part of the Florida Panthers’ D-core. He has put up four points in the Panthers’ run to the cup so far and hopes to extend that throughout the postseason.

1–0–1, 5 GP 

Beloved by fans during his time in Vancouver, Tyler Motte made his Canucks debut in the 2017-2018 season after being traded for Thomas Vanek. He went on to spend four seasons with Vancouver, throughout which he was hampered by injuries. This didn’t impact the fanbase’s opinion of him, however, as many have been outspoken about their fondness for the hard-working forward. His tenure with the Canucks included the 2020 Bubble Playoff run that saw him put up four goals in 17 games.

Motte has hopped back and forth between the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators since being traded by Vancouver. He signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2023 offseason and played 69 games for them this year. The five games that he played in the 2023-2024 playoffs saw him put up one goal in the third game of the Lightning’s series against Florida.

1–2–3, 9 GP 

Remember him? Yes, Jimmy Vesey played for the Canucks, although his time in Vancouver only lasted 20 games. He was claimed off waivers by the Canucks after being sent down by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Throughout the rest of the season with Vancouver, he put up three points.

Vesey has taken some steps since leaving Vancouver. He spent a season with the New Jersey Devils before making his way back to the New York Rangers. His team, which won the Presidents' Trophy for the 2023-2024 season, is currently preparing to face the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

0–0–0, 4 GP 

Nic Dowd played 40 games for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2017-2018 season. He was traded for former Canucks goaltending prospect Jordan Subban in the final month of 2017 and proceeded to spend the rest of the regular season putting up three goals for Vancouver. His departure was taken interestingly by Canucks fans, as management opted to sign Jay Beagle to take Dowd’s place, while Dowd signed with the Washington Capitals.

Dowd has been with the Washington Capitals since his time in Vancouver ended. In six seasons with the Capitals, he has produced 123 points. Of those six seasons, five of them have resulted in a postseason trip for Washington, the most recent of which saw the Caps being swept by the New York Rangers in the first round.

1–2–3, 5 GP 

Little needs to be explained about Bo Horvat’s time with the Canucks. The manner in which he was drafted had all the theatrics one could want from an NHL Entry Draft day. After Mike Gillis traded former Canucks goaltender Cory Schnieder to the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver used the pick that they received to select Horvat 9th overall. He was drafted in 2013 and stayed with the Canucks organization until early 2023, resulting in a near-decade tenure with Vancouver. In his time here, Horvat was heralded for his character and leadership.

Having just concluded his first full season with the Islanders, Horvat seems to be fitting in well. In 111 games, he’s put up 84 points and set a career-high in goals with 33 this season. His new team’s playoff push ended abruptly, however, after the Carolina Hurricanes beat them in five games (notably, the same team that beat them in the first round last year). He had three points in the five postseason games that he played in.

0–2–2, 10 GP 

Jalen Chatfield only played 18 games for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2020-2021 season, but he’d been in the Canucks’ system since 2017. He was let go of by Vancouver in this offseason and was later signed by the Carolina Hurricanes.

While Chatfield’s time in Vancouver didn’t exactly pan out, the defender has thrived as part of Carolina’s top-six D-core. He’s been a steady addition to their lineup, playing over 70 games in each of the two seasons that he’s been a part of the team. Despite the Hurricanes falling to the New York Rangers in game 6 of their second-round series, Chatfield put up two points in the team’s 11 games played.

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