Add forward depth starting with DeBrusk after winning division but losing in 2nd round of playoffs
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By Kevin Woodley
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Vancouver Canucks.
The Vancouver Canucks took a big step last season by making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in four seasons and winning a round for just the second time in 11 years.
They are counting on improved depth on the wing to make further strides this season.
Vancouver lost two key players from the team that won its division last season for the first time since 2013, defeated the Nashville Predators in six games in the Western Conference First Round, and pushed the Edmonton Oilers to seven games in the second round. When center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov left to sign with the Boston Bruins as free agents July 1, the Canucks focused instead on adding speed and scoring to better complement top centers J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.
“Looking at last year, and the conversation I had with [coach] Rick Tocchet during the summer here and what we were looking for is some more speed and some more options,” general manager Patrik Allvin told NHL.com. “He felt we were a little bit thin on the wing last year in terms of moving players up and down in the lineup, and I felt that we were able to address our needs here in the summer and bring in some more speed, versatility and players that can play in our top-nine so the competition gets harder.”
Jake DeBrusk (seven-year contract, July 1) was the biggest name added to that mix. He is expected to start training camp playing on a line with Pettersson, whose offense dropped off after Feb. 1 and throughout the playoffs while he cycled through a variety of linemates.
"I like the way they play,” DeBrusk said. “Obviously they got lots of punch there and I just always found that they were a hard team to play against.”
Jake DeBrusk talks to NHL Tonight about joining Canucks
Danton Heinen (two years, July 1), Kiefer Sherwood (two years, July 1) and Daniel Sprong (one year, July 20) round out a list of free agent forward additions that combined for 64 goals last season. Vancouver was also able to re-sign forwards Teddy Blueger (two years, June 26) and Dakota Joshua (four years, June 27) before free agency began, but traded forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Laffertyto the Chicago Blackhawks for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
The Canucks hope the additional options help insulate them from a late-season scoring slide by generating more offense off the rush, making them less reliant on high shooting percentages. Vancouver finished sixth in the NHL at 3.40 goals per game and was tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first in shooting percentage (12.0 percent) but dropped to 2.82 goals per game (24th) and 9.9 percent (23rd) after Feb. 1. Scoring fell off further in the playoffs to 2.54 goals per game despite shooting 12.2 percent.
The turnaround under Tocchet has been rooted in improved defensive play, and that structure will remain a staple. But the Jack Adams Award-winning coach admitted after the season ended that defensive focus sometimes came at a cost offensively, and there may be some adjustments coming this season to try and create more rush chances.
“You’ve got to rob Peter to pay Paul sometimes,” Tocchet said. “But saying that, we do have to get better on the rush and more execution. The first half of the year, we got some good luck. We scored on a 3-on-2, our conversion rate was high. The second half, it wasn't, and we weren't getting a lot of 3-on-2s and 4-on-2s. It's another thing we’ve got to look at.”
Getting the puck out of their own end and into that transition attack -- without creating the turnovers that used to plague the Canucks with odd-man rushes the other way -- is easier when Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughesis on the ice. The question is whether they’ll be able to sustain it whenever Hughes is on the bench.
Vancouver signed Hughes' primary partner, Filip Hronek, to an eight-year, $58 million contract on June 18 rather than letting him become a restricted free agent on July 1, and Allvin talked about possibly splitting up the pair to better balance the defense. Carson Soucy and Tyler Myers, who also re-signed (three years, June 27) rather than becoming an unrestricted free agent July 1, formed a second pair last season.
Free agents Derek Forbort (one year, July 1) and Vincent Desharnais (two years, July 1) replace the outgoing Zadorov and Ian Coleas a third pair, and while there are questions about whether they will be able to transition the puck, they bring more of the size, reach and physical style Vancouver’s defense was known for last season, while also replacing their predecessor’s penalty killing abilities.
“We saw how hard it was to play against the Canucks [defense],” said Desharnais, who played for Edmonton the past two seasons. “I’m coming to Vancouver to win and with the coaching staff, the [defense] core, the forwards, the goalies, we are going to have a great recipe.”
