February 8th, 2024
Alex Rickman
Calling the first half of the Canucks season a success would be quite an understatement. Even the most optimistic of fans would’ve had a hard time seeing the Canucks come out of the All-Star break leading the race for the President’s Trophy, but here we are. Much of the praise for the sudden turnaround has gone to Head Coach Rick Tocchet, as well as General Manager Patrik Allvin and President Jim Rutherford, but the players have also been receiving a lot of very well-deserved praise for their efforts this year. Let’s go through the Canucks roster and give each player a letter grade for their performance to see just how well the group has been doing, as well as where there may be room for some improvement.
(Please note that Elias Lindholm and Linus Karlsson will not be included on this list, as there is not enough of a sample size to go off of.)
Forwards
Nils Aman- B
Not bad for a player that cost the Canucks nothing to acquire, right? When Aman signed in Vancouver, not too much was expected of him, especially this early into his tenure in the organization. Flash forward to this season, and not only has Aman been one of the most consistent fourth-line centres the Canucks have had in years, but the Canucks, recognizing this, have already extended his contract until 2026. Aman may be somewhat lacking in terms of flash or glamour to his play, but his simple, hard-working style is all you need in a fourth-line centre and his penalty-killing talents have given the Canucks bottom six all that they could ask for from the former Avalanche prospect. If Aman had better offensive output, he could easily have bumped his grade up to a B+, or even an A- or A, but for now, a B grade is a welcome relief for a Canucks team that has seen a carousel of fourth liners come and go in recent years.
Teddy Blueger- A
While his time as a Canuck got off to something of a rocky start, Blueger quickly picked it up when placed with his current linemates Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, creating what has become arguably the best third-line in the NHL. As a whole, this line has been the Canucks most consistent, with every player providing the perfect energy level and a blend of skill sets to fit the style of hockey that Rick Tocchet has the Canucks playing. Blueger’s reliable defensive presence and aggressive forechecking have not only led to him having a career year in Vancouver but has Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua playing some of the best hockey they’ve played in Canucks jerseys. It’s unclear if the Canucks will be able to retain this line next season, with Blueger and Joshua both set to hit free agency, but fans will definitely be hoping to see more or both of them past this season.
Brock Boeser- A+
What a turnaround it has been for Brock Boeser this year. Following a few years of disappointing play, Boeser wasted no time getting into gear this year, scoring 4 goals in the Canucks season opener against Edmonton. That game seemed to set the tone for what would become a major redemption year for the Minnesotan winger, who has already broken his career high in goals he set during his rookie season. Boeser may have fallen out of the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy, but reaching the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career with improved defensive play to go with it makes it impossible to give Boeser anything less than the highest possible grade. Hopefully, the Brock Boeser we’ve gotten this season will be the Brock Boeser the Canucks have going forward, because players who can score like Brock can are not easy to come by.
Phil Di Guiseppe- B-
Set to return soon from the lower body injury that’s been keeping him out since early January, PDG has had an interesting season. Di Guiseppe started the season in the top six, playing on a line with Brock Boeser and JT Miller, and, for a time, looked quite comfortable in his role. Di Guiseppe’s relentless forechecking gave Miller and Boeser plenty of opportunities to capitalize on mistakes forced by PDG, and this line was proving to be one of the Canucks best, both offensively and defensively. However, over time, the magic wore off, and it became clear that Di Guiseppe was more suited for a role lower down the Canucks lineup. While Di Guiseppe has been better since moving to the bottom six, there have been some questionable moments from him, but that magic run in the top six won’t be forgotten for a long time. Hopefully, once he’s back in the lineup, Di Guiseppe will be able to give Rick Tocchet some extra options to shake things up with the lineup, and can be the solid depth forward we all know he can be.
Conor Garland- A
Another piece of the Canucks ever important third line, it could be argued that Garland is the most important piece of the line's success. With his seemingly endless gas tank, ability to get under the skin of opponents, and ability to find himself in the right place at all the right times, the fan-favourite winger has been enjoying his best season as a Canuck this year, and the results have shown for him and his linemates. Garland may only have 8 goals this season, but he has a knack for finding the back of the net when the Canucks need it the most and has set up Joshua and Blueger for plenty of chances of their own through his aggressive forechecking. It may have taken a few years, and several coaches, for the Canucks to find the right way to use Garland, but what a redemption year it has been for the former Coyote.
Nils Höglander- A
At one point, it seemed like Höglander may have been failed by the Canucks organization, and was set to fall victim to being rushed to the NHL like many other prospects of the Benning era. Oh, how he has proven us wrong this year. Höglander has massively improved his defensive play this year, channelling his high-energy play into a strong forechecking game and an ability to force mistakes from opposition players. As for his offensive play, Höglander has broken his career high in goals already while spending most of his season as a fourth-liner, providing a spark to an already energetic bottom line. The future is looking good for the young Swede, and hopefully, in time, he can maximize his potential and find his way into the top six in Vancouver.
Dakota Joshua- A
The third and final member of the Canucks third line to be talked about, to be giving Joshua an A at this point in the season would’ve seemed like quite the surprise during the preseason. Some questionable performances in preseason games, as well as a scuffle with Conor Garland during training camp, had questions being asked about whether or not Joshua would be playing in the NHL at all. Now, the question is not should Joshua be an NHL player, but will the Canucks be able to afford his next contract this summer. Joshua’s unique blend of size and speed has been essential to the play of the Canucks sparkplug third unit. Additionally, there seems to be no sign of any bad blood between Joshua and Garland after their fight, as their on-ice chemistry has to be among the best of any pair of players on the Canucks roster. Joshua has proven himself to be one of the best finds the Canucks front office have made, and hopefully, they will be able to find a way to keep him in town after this year.
Sam Lafferty- B+
Acquired just before the start of the regular season in a trade with the Leafs, Lafferty has been everything the Canucks have hoped and more. Lafferty has not only provided solid defence and secondary scoring to the Canucks bottom six but has even had a cup of coffee in the top six, playing with Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev during one of Andrei Kuzmenko’s periods spent in the doghouse. While this experiment did not last especially long, the mere fact that a player acquired for a 5th-round pick was considered for potential top-six minutes speaks volumes about the value he has provided since arriving in Vancouver. What makes the acquisition of Lafferty even sweeter is the fact that Toronto gave up a 2nd-round pick to acquire him last trade deadline, and was willing to part with him for a 5th to make room for Ryan Reaves, who has been nothing if not a flop for the Leafs. Adding a strong player to the roster is always great, but it’s always that little bit sweeter when it’s done at the expense of a rival.
Ilya Mikheyev- B-
Mikheyev has had an up-and-down sophomore campaign in Vancouver, but he has been more of a positive presence on the Canucks roster than a negative one. After impressing before injury cut his campaign short last season, Mikheyev has been unable to find consistent offensive form and has had a few moments where his questionable finishing has led to missed opportunities for the Canucks. However, his defensive effort cannot be faulted, and with it appearing that new acquisition Elias Lindholm will be starting his Canucks career on a line with Mikheyev and Pettersson, now could be the time for Mikheyev to break out. If Mikheyev can help a few more pucks end up in the net, this rating could certainly improve when the end of the year rolls around. However, Mikheyev could find himself with a lowered mark should nothing change from his current play.
JT Miller- A+
In the first year of his new, 7-year contract, Miller has been proving why the Canucks front office chose to keep him around rather than cash out. Miller’s offence has never been in question, and his excellent production has continued into this season, but what has really impressed about him this season has been the drastic improvement in his defensive effort. Miller’s lackadaisical forechecking was a sore spot for a lot of Canucks fans the past few seasons, with some fans going as far as saying that Miller should’ve been traded at the deadline last season in a cap dump, purely to get rid of the contract. Since Rick Tocchet arrived, however, things have been different, and Miller has managed to be a force for good for the Canucks both with and without the puck. It’s safe to say that without Miller in their ranks this season, a lot of what the Canucks have achieved simply would not have been possible.
Elias Pettersson- A+
Players in a contract year will almost always find a way to step their game up, and with Pettersson, this definitely seems to be the case. Well on his way to his second consecutive 100-point season, and is proving himself to be well worth the payday he's set to receive as an RFA this summer. Despite playing with wingers who have, at times, had their fair share of struggles, Pettersson has found a way to be productive no matter who he plays with, proving himself to be the superstar centre the Canucks are relying on him to be. Pettersson is yet to play in an NHL playoff game with fans present, but knowing what he’s done this season and how he performed when the Canucks needed him to step up in the bubble, Canucks fans should be excited for what’s to come with Pettersson in the postseason.
Pius Suter- A-
Acquired well after most free agents were off the board, Suter has proven to be an excellent find for the Canucks brass. Despite missing several weeks due to injury, Suter is only 3 goals off of tying his career high in less than half the games it took him to reach 15 goals during the 2021-22 season. Initially playing with Garland and Joshua on the third line, Suter has primarily been used as a winger since returning, spending a lot of time lined up alongside JT Miller and Brock Boeser. Suter’s hat trick on January 24th against the St Louis Blues single-handedly stole the Canucks a point after a less-than-spectacular game from the rest of the team, and while he may not be having performances of this level every single night, he has proven himself to be a very cost-effective piece in the Canucks lineup and a welcome addition to the forward core.
Defence
Ian Cole- A-
The Canucks defence has been a very pleasant surprise this season, thanks mainly to the many new additions. While Filip Hronek may be getting the most attention of any of the defencemen the Canucks have added in the past year, Cole’s contributions cannot be overlooked. While certainly not the world's most dynamic offensive player, Cole has one of the best shutdown defencemen we’ve seen on the Canucks roster in some time. Providing a physical spark on a team that’s lacked pushback for several years, Cole has also found a way to be successful no matter who he’s been paired with, or which side he’s been asked to play on. Cole may take a few too many penalties for some people's liking, but his contributions can’t be denied.
Mark Friedman- C+
After a hot start to his time in Vancouver, partnered with Ian Cole on a shutdown pair, the magic of Mark Friedman has seemed to wear off. Friedman has not seen NHL action in several months, only being rostered at the moment as a failsafe in case of injury, and it’s not hard to see why he hasn’t had his name called in a while. In addition to Noah Juulsen’s recent play and Carson Soucy’s brief return from injury, Friedman had a few questionable moments where you have to wonder what a more capable defenceman would’ve been able to do in the same situation. As an organizational depth piece, Friedman is great to have, and can comfortably step in if it’s needed, but the majority of his time should certainly be spent in the press box or the AHL.
Filip Hronek- A
No player has made me eat my own words quite the same way that Filip Hronek has. Initially, I was quite critical of the trade that brought him to Vancouver. However, after seeing what he’s done this season, I can comfortably say that I was wrong and that Hronek was the defenceman the Canucks needed to get over the hump. Hronek’s mobility and good defensive instincts have given Quinn Hughes possibly the best partner he’s had in his entire tenure as a Canuck, and his one-timer has seen him take some minutes with the top power-play unit, a rarity for defencemen in the modern NHL. Hronek is due for a big payday this summer as a restricted free agent, but it’s hard to see a world in which the Canucks front office will not do everything in their power to make sure Hronek remains in Vancouver long term.
Quinn Hughes- A+
Ladies and gentlemen, your future Norris Trophy winner. Calling this season anything short of the best season a Canucks defenceman has ever had would be selling the new Canucks captain incredibly short. Offensively, Hughes is in the midst of a historic season, currently on pace to eclipse 100 points, which would be the first time a Canucks defenceman has ever hit such a number. Hughes has also massively stepped up his defensive game over the past couple of seasons, aided in part by finally having good partners in Luke Schenn and Filip Hronek, and is currently +34. No Canucks defenceman has ever been finished higher than 6th in Norris voting, and it seems that not only is Hughes set to beat this number, but is set to become the first Canuck to ever be named the NHL’s best defenceman.
Noah Juulsen- B-
Juulsen had a very poor start to the season, racking up mistake after mistake for the first few weeks of consistent play he got. However, Juulsen settled down after some time and has become a reliable physical presence and penalty killer while playing on the Canucks bottom pair. Juulsen may not be much more than a depth piece, he plays a simple game and gets the job done when the team need him to, and that’s all you need from a player in his role. Juulsen’s physicality has also been a big addition on the backend, often throwing a big hit when the Canucks need a spark. With rumours swirling that the Canucks may be looking to add a defenceman to their ranks before the trade deadline, Juulsen may soon find himself in the press box rather than on the ice, but the Canucks can be confident that they have a very strong 7th defenceman in their ranks with the British Columbian blueliner.
Tyler Myers- B
Much like Juulsen, Myers had a very rough start to his campaign. Despite making mistake after mistake early on, and some still popping up on occasion through to today, Myers in time managed to settle down, and has been having possibly his best season in Vancouver. Chaos Giraffe has been a far less chaotic player, although he is no less of a giraffe, and has shown a newfound willingness and ability to make the simple play to get the puck out of the zone. Myers has also been a more physical player than we’ve been used to seeing of late, most notably sending Calle Järnkrok flying into the Canucks bench in the 6-4 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in January. It seems unlikely that Myers will remain in Vancouver after this season, but it’s nice to see his overall tumultuous time as a Canucks appears to be ending on a high note.
Carson Soucy- B+
When he’s played, Carson Soucy has proven to be a very solid addition to the Canucks ranks. However, Soucy has struggled to stay healthy, which is why his grade isn’t as high as it maybe could be. Soucy’s physicality and good defensive instincts have been clear when he has played, and he’s even provided a little bit of offence, having scored twice in his 21 games in blue and green. If Soucy had been able to spend a bit more time on the ice, and gel with his new teammates more, it’s hard to imagine just how good the Canucks defence could’ve been this season, especially during the stretches in which Myers and Juulsen were struggling. As one of only a few Canucks defencemen under contract for next season, Soucy can hopefully get a fresh start next year and have a chance to get a better run of games.
Nikita Zadorov- B
Acquired in a trade with the Flames at the end of November, Zadorov has had a very interesting tenure as a Canuck. Not afraid to dish out a big hit, Zadorov has been a good presence on the Canucks now bruising backend. Often partnered with other big defencemen like Tyler Myers and Ian Cole, Zadorov has often been deployed in a shutdown role, weaponizing his big frame to make life hard for opposing forwards. However, things have not been absolutely perfect with Big Z, who has been somewhat mistake-prone of late. Zadorov will sometimes get distracted trying to make the big hit and will end up giving up a chance in the process, and does spend quite a bit of time in the penalty box. Despite this, though, the Zadorov experiment has largely been a successful one, with the hulking Russian now serving an important role on the Canucks big, new-look backend.
Goalies
Thatcher Demko- A+
After a rough go last season, Demko’s bounce back has been everything Canucks fans could have asked for and then some. One of the Canucks 6 All-Star representatives, Demko has established himself once again as one of the top goaltenders in the league and should be among the top candidates for the Vezina. Boasting a .920 save percentage (SV%), Thatcher Demko has been able to keep the Canucks in games where the team was having off nights, stealing plenty of points and wins along the way. Demko’s big saves have electrified Vancouverites in a way no goalie has since Roberto Luongo, and it’s hard to imagine that if Demko keeps this up, he won’t break Luongo’s franchise record for wins in the not-too-distant future.
Casey DeSmith- A-
The trade that saw DeSmith make his way to Vancouver came as something of a surprise, but it’s hard to imagine where the Canucks would be without his contributions as a backup. DeSmith has proven himself to be one of the league's best second options, giving the Canucks a better chance to win on Demko’s nights off than any backup goaltender Vancouver has had since Demko became the starter. DeSmith has also allowed the Canucks to give Arturs Silovs another year to develop in Abbotsford, avoiding rushing him and risking his long-term future. DeSmith is set to hit free agency this summer and may seek more playing time somewhere else, but his performances as a Canuck this season should give the front office reason to do what they can to keep him in Vancouver.