Apr 12, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Pius Suter (24) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate Debrusk’s goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/cb114d2e-2fa5-4a79-b938-00c05f283ae0.jpeg] Apr 12, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Pius Suter (24) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate Debrusk’s goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have started, this time without an appearance from the Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Despite the Canucks not making the postseason, there are still many teams and individual players that fans can cheer for. Here’s a list of who Canucks fans should cheer for during this season’s playoffs. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: Abbotsford Canucks Finish Historic 2024-25 Season As Second Seed In The Pacific Division [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/abbotsford-canucks-finish-historic-2024-25-season-as-second-seed-in-the-pacific-division] "I'm Excited To Be Going Into The Summer Healthy": Canucks Thatcher Demko Looking To Put Injury-Riddled 2024-25 Season Behind Him [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/im-excited-to-be-going-into-the-summer-healthy-canucks-thatcher-demko-looking-to-put-injury-riddled-2024-25-season-behind-him] "He's One Of The Major Reasons I Was Able To Make That Jump": Canucks Conor Garland Discusses The 2024-25 Season & His Relationship With Rick Tocchet [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/hes-one-of-the-major-reasons-i-was-able-to-make-that-jump-canucks-conor-garland-discusses-the-2024-25-season-his-relationship-with-rick-tocchet] NATE SCHMIDT AND JONAH GADJOVICH Two former Canucks now on the Florida Panthers, Nate Schmidt and Jonah Gadjovich are two players who Canucks fans could root for throughout the playoffs. Schmidt was traded to the Canucks during the 2020 off-season and played 54 games with Vancouver before requesting a trade elsewhere. He ended up with the Winnipeg Jets for three seasons before moving on to Florida. This season, he had five goals and 14 assists in 78 games played. Gadjovich was drafted by the Canucks in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft and remained with the organization until 2021. He played one game for Vancouver. Last season, he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Panthers organization. ANTHONY BEAUVILLIER Another former Canuck with a limited sample size in Vancouver, Anthony Beauvillier and the Washington Capitals are on a quest to win the franchise their second Stanley Cup. Beauvillier was acquired by the Canucks in the 2023 Bo Horvat trade. He played 55 games with the team before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in November of the same year. In his time with Vancouver, he scored 11 goals and 17 assists. JALEN CHATFIELD AND SPENCER MARTIN The Carolina Hurricanes will also be entering the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with two former Canucks. Jalen Chatfield, now a lineup regular with the Hurricanes, played 18 games with Vancouver and spent four seasons with the Canucks organization. In his time with Vancouver, he potted three assists. He had 18 points in 78 games played this season and averaged nearly 20 minutes a night with Carolina. Spencer Martin was a rock for the Canucks when they needed him to be. He faced 218 shots in his first six NHL games with the Canucks and didn’t let in more than two goals in each game. In his second NHL game, he faced 50 shots and carried his team to overtime. He left the Canucks organization after being claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023. Another interesting tidbit about him is that Martin and Gadjovich are in-laws. JACOB MARKSTRÖM Most Canucks fans know of Jacob Markström and his time with Vancouver. Acquired as part of the trade that sent Roberto Luongo back to the Panthers, Markström spent seven seasons as a member of the Canucks before he signed with the Calgary Flames in 2020. He made his mark on the Canucks organization in the 2019–20 season, backstopping his team to multiple wins despite facing 1420 shots in 43 games played. Markström is now entering his third career playoff run, this time with the New Jersey Devils. THE OTTAWA SENATORS Who doesn’t love a feel-good postseason story? The Ottawa Senators will play in their first playoff game since their Conference Finals loss in 2017. Not only do they sport a talented crop of young players, their roster also features some former Canucks. Senators Head Coach Travis Green spent almost five seasons with Vancouver, helping the team to their Bubble Playoff run in 2020. Also behind the Senators’ bench are former Canucks Assistant Coaches Nolan Baumgartner (2017–2021) and Mike Yeo (2022–2024). Also on the Senators are former Canucks Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Matthew Highmore, and Zack MacEwen. Gaudette was drafted by the Canucks in 2015 and spent three full seasons with Vancouver. Hamonic, a two-year member of the Canucks, spent a good chunk of his playing time with current Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes. Highmore was with the Canucks organization from the 2020–21 season to the 2021–22 season, putting up 17 points in 64 games. Ironically enough, he and Gaudette were traded for one-another in 2021. MacEwen, who played 55 games for Vancouver, is most remembered for standing up for Nils Höglander after he was tossed around by current Canuck Derek Forbort in 2021. CHRIS TANEV AND OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON This may be a polarizing take. An original member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-contending team, Chris Tanev should be an easy pick for who Canucks fans should cheer for in the playoffs. However, Tanev also plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that many fans are opposed to cheering for. The toothy veteran spent a decade with the Canucks before joining Markström and signing with the Flames in 2020. This is his first season with the Leafs, a team that he signed a six-year contract with in 2024. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the other former Canuck on the Leafs that Canucks fans could cheer for. He wasn’t the most popular player during his tenure on the team, as most people will remember him for his contract that is still impacting [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/why-the-oliver-ekman-larsson-buyout-will-impact-the-canucks-2025-off-season-plans] Vancouver to this day. However, he did experience a rebound with the Panthers last season and has been a steady defender for his current price. THE WINNIPEG JETS Another Canadian team with ties to Vancouver, the Winnipeg Jets are a team Canucks fans could root for while feeling relatively safe in their choice. While Winnipeg has a history of not performing in the playoffs, they have one of the NHL’s best goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck. They have been the strongest Canadian team during the regular season, finishing the season with 116 points and collecting the President’s Trophy (although, this in itself may be a bad omen). As well, the Jets recently acquired former Canuck fan-favourite Luke Schenn, who will be on the hunt for the third Stanley Cup of his career. Schenn joined the Canucks twice throughout his career — by trade in 2019 and by free-agency in 2021. THE MONTRÉAL CANADIENS The Montréal Canadiens are this season’s personification of an underdog team. Squeaking into the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens beat out a number of mid-tier teams to clinch their playoff spot. They are propelled by a youthful core that Canucks fans don’t see enough in one season to have a rivalry with. Another plus to cheering for them is that Canucks Ring of Honour member, Alex Burrows, is still part of their organization. A Canadiens Stanley Cup win would be Burrows’ first. TROY STETCHER Rooting for the man once known as Tony Stretcher is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the former four-year Canuck would win his first Stanley Cup — on the other hand, the Edmonton Oilers would also win. Given the fact that the Oilers knocked the Canucks out of the playoffs last season, it may not be as joyous to cheer for Stetcher as it would be for other teams. 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. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3f6abc2f-bfd8-4c4d-ba01-385b4868c415.jpeg] The Hockey News
