Welcome to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks] 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. O’CONNOR’S 2024–25 SEASON O’Connor was part of the Canucks’ second trade on January 31, heading to Vancouver from the Pittsburgh Penguins alongside Marcus Pettersson. Because of this, he ended up accomplishing something never done in franchise history [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-drew-oconnor-set-to-make-franchise-history-monday-against-the-san-jose-sharks] — skating in more than 82 games in one season. The forward finished the 2024–25 season with 10 goals and 15 assists in 84 games, putting up four goals and five assists in his 31 games with the Canucks. A speedy, heavy-on-the-forecheck forward, O’Connor impressed Canucks fans in his Vancouver debut by consistently being one of the first players on the puck heading down the ice. He filled his role solidly in 2024–25, but will likely be expected to chip in more with Dakota Joshua’s departure. O’CONNOR’S 2024–25 LETTER GRADE The Hockey News - Canucks site gave O’Connor a C [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2024-25-report-card-drew-o-connor] for his efforts during the 2024–25 season. With both his time with the Penguins and Canucks combined, 2024–25 was his second-most offensively prolific season of his career with 25 points. As a checking winger, he isn’t expected to put up the same kind of offence as a player such as Elias Pettersson, but a 30-ish point season isn’t entirely out of the ordinary. O’CONNOR’S 2025–26 PREDICTIONS While O’Connor was solid in the role he played as a bottom-six winger in 2024–25, as mentioned, he’ll need to step up more to fill the gap created by the Joshua trade. O’Connor has found offensive success before, as he scored 16 goals and 17 assists in 79 games during the 2023–24 season. With a full season to adjust to his new team, O’Connor could repeat a similar offensively-dynamic performance while maintaining his heavy-forecheck playing style. It’s still unknown who will fill out the Canucks’ four lines come the start of the 2025–26 season, but if the pieces fall correctly into place, O’Connor and his linemates could produce a similar effort to that of Joshua, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland’s line from 2023–24. 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Feb 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor (18) skates with the puck during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d6814d96-a308-48f8-a189-4a26b109e071.jpeg] Feb 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks left wing Drew O'Connor (18) skates with the puck during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images Player Preview Articles Max Sasson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-max-sasson] Jonathan Lekkerimäki [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-jonathan-lekkerimaki] Derek Forbort [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-derek-forbort] Tom Willander [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-tom-willander] Arshdeep Bains [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-arshdeep-bains] Pierre-Olivier Joseph [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-pierre-olivier-joseph] Evander Kane [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-evander-kane] Kiefer Sherwood [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-kiefer-sherwood] Kevin Lankinen [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-kevin-lankinen] Elias Pettersson (D) [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-elias-pettersson-d] Tyler Myers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-tyler-myers] Filip Hronek [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/98s9IlAHJtE27lMl2pDp] Nils Höglander [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/2UkaAZ0jJ1EwQMfJOWXm] Thatcher Demko [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/DReyacELTbGqdZQoqDlE] Marcus Pettersson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-marcus-pettersson] Linus Karlsson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-linus-karlsson] Aatu Räty [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-aatu-raty] Conor Garland [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-conor-garland] Jake DeBrusk [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-jake-debrusk] Brock Boeser [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-brock-boeser] Elias Pettersson (F) [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-center-elias-pettersson] Quinn Hughes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/vancouver-canucks-2025-26-player-preview-quinn-hughes] Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure 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 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/30e7db52-642e-4433-b22a-08f8ea871af5.jpeg] The Hockey News
