Linus Karlsson has been one of the bright spots for the Vancouver Canucks throughout 2025-26.
If you ask members of the Vancouver Canucks what has made Linus Karlsson’s play so special this year, you’re bound to get the same answer from many — hard work. It’s a big piece in why the Canucks signed him to a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension yesterday.
“Just the short time of knowing him, he works hard. You respect a guy like that,” Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk said of Karlsson after last night’s 4–3 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken. “Obviously, everyone works hard, but he’s really good in front of the net — he doesn't know how good he is in front of there. He’s better than me, actually, but he’s got such a good stick.”
“He works hard. He’s coachable. He does all the little things, as far as holding onto pucks in hard areas on the wall,” Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote added.
The signing seemed to pay off almost immediately. Last night, it was none-other than Karlsson who scored the game-tying goal for the Canucks, sending the two teams to overtime and helping Vancouver earn a point in the valiant effort. This goal marked Karlsson’s 10th of the season and fifth in the past six games.
“It’s fun. I love to play here,” Karlsson said of signing his new contract on Friday. “I’m really excited for two more years in the organization, and I really appreciate everyone here, and it’s a lot of fun to play here, so I’m really excited for the future.”
Karlsson has made a name for himself within the Canucks organization throughout the past year, going from scoring his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025, to setting goal-scoring records with the Abbotsford Canucks. While Karlsson had played well in his first part-time season with the Canucks in 2024–25, after winning the Calder Cup and starting in Vancouver, things hit a different gear.
“Honestly, in the summer, I wasn’t sure if his foot speed would be there in September,” Foote admitted regarding Karlsson’s play this season. “He’s worked on it. We practice more on full-length of the ice for a lot of rush drills and playing a faster pace, and I think he’s done well picking up. He’s a young guy. He’s doing a lot of great things, and he’s got some skill, and he’ll keep getting better at his decisions with the puck, and he’s doing a good job.”
Nov 5, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Linus Karlsson (94) rests during warm up prior to a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images“I try to be the same player as I’ve always been, bring the game I had in Abbotsford to here,” Karlsson explained regarding what has changed for him throughout the past year. “I felt like even at the end of last year, I felt like I got it a little bit, and I got a lot of confidence from the playoffs in Abbotsford, and then brought it to this season and [I’m] playing with a lot of good players too. I mean, me and [Max Sasson] have played almost every game together, and I felt really good with Petey and DeBrusk today too. It helped me a lot.”
Karlsson also noted that his previous history with players like Sasson and Arshdeep Bains have helped the transition to becoming a full-time NHLer.
“It helps, for sure, but then we have a lot of good guys in this group anyway. But of course it helps. Me and Sass and even Bainsy, we’ve been really tight, and we played in the playoffs last year too. So I think we played good in the beginning of the year, and that gave us some confidence too, building.”
Early on in the season, it was that Calder Cup line that sparked hope in a team that soon found itself in a rut with the injury bug. In a similar vein, it’s been the play of those young, budding players like Karlsson that have given fans something to cheer about.
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