February 1st, 2025
Alex Rickman
Friday was one of the biggest days in recent memory for the Canucks. With the departure of JT Miller and the acquisition of Marcus Pettersson, the Canucks roster suddenly looks very different than it did only a day ago. What kind of a lineup could we see take the ice for the Canucks going forward?
Forwards
First Line
Now that JT Miller is a New York Ranger, Elias Pettersson is unquestionably the Canucks number one centre. I would imagine that EP40 will be given between now and deadline day, or perhaps the offseason, to prove that he’s the guy long-term for Vancouver down the middle. Otherwise, he too could find himself on the way out of town. Maybe the Rangers could target another centre in a trade? I’m sure he and Miller miss each other already.
As much as it pains me to admit, the Swedish House Mafia line is absolutely not an acceptable first line for a team with playoff aspirations. On the right flank, Brock Boeser feels like the most natural choice, but Conor Garland could also be worth consideration. Garland’s tenacity on the forecheck could take some burden off of Petey, freeing him up to focus more on the offensive side of his game that has been missing this year. However, Boeser’s goalscoring touch may be what Pettersson needs to get going again, so reuniting the remaining two-thirds of the Lotto Line ultimately feels like the way to go.
Jake Debrusk currently leads the Canucks in goals. Surely he’s the obvious choice to play here? In all likelihood, Debrusk, who has also shown some chemistry playing alongside Petey, will take this spot. However, maybe giving Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who is comfortable playing on either wing, a shot on this line could bring out the best in himself and Elias Pettersson. Giving Petey a pair of shooters like Lekki and Boeser might be just what he needs to refind his offensive spark. However, this might just be wishful thinking on my part, and Debrusk does still look to be the wisest choice to complete the Canucks top line.
FIRST LINE: Jake Debrusk-Elias Pettersson-Brock Boeser
Second Line
Down the middle, the Canucks should give Filip Chytil a chance to prove himself as a second-line centre. Chytil has been a solid third-line player as a Ranger, and at 25 years old, could still make the jump to the top six. While he’s never gonna be JT, Chytil could in time prove himself to be a solid second option behind Pettersson. Pius Suter could also step into this role, but I have other plans for him.
On left wing, I would really love to advocate for Jonathan Lekkerimäki again, but at the end of the day, I think the Canucks should be keeping him in Abbotsford unless they make another significant deal or he proves to be too good for the AHL. This feels like a good spot for the Canucks to use Pius Suter, the Swiss Army Knife who can seemingly thrive in any role you put him in. Having another centre on this line could also allow Chytil to spend some time as a winger should he need a little bit of an easier load as he settles into a new team.
Right wing on this line feels like a great spot to fit Conor Garland. By partnering Chytil with two defensively sound wingers who will forecheck like there’s no tomorrow, some pressure should be taken off of the young centre. Once again, I will mention Lekkerimäki as a potential fit if they want to put a stronger shooter on Chytil’s wing, but as I said early, he should probably be spending the bulk of his time in Abbotsford right now.
Second Line: Pius Suter-Filip Chytil-Conor Garland
Third Line
Unless the Canucks are hellbent on using Pius Suter as a centre, in which case this would be the most natural spot for him, Teddy Blueger is the obvious choice to centre the third line. A defensive rock and functional offensively, Blueger is really everything you would look for in a bottom-six centre. Having Blueger any higher up the lineup with his offensive game might be a problem, but with Pettersson and either Suter or Chytil able to lead the top two lines, Blueger can comfortably hold the fort on the third.
Nils Höglander has looked like himself again lately. He’s scored a few, is playing with urgency while not taking too many dumb penalties, and set up Conor Garland beautifully in the game against Dallas. I think a shot to show what he can do on the third line, or maybe even the second, is in order. If the Nils Höglander we got last season can return, that would be a huge boost to a Vancouver forward core in need of all the help they can get right now.
Once he’s ready to return to the lineup, Kiefer Sherwood should take this spot. Dubbed “The Bull” by JC Clemas, Sherwood’s aggression and offensive talent could allow him to work just about anywhere in the lineup. By partnering him with Höglander and Blueger, the Canucks can hope to create a line reminiscent of last season’s third line that can give the team an energy boost whenever they take the ice. Get back soon, Chief Kief. We miss you.
Third Line: Nils Höglander-Teddy Blueger-Kiefer Sherwood
Fourth Line
One of my favourite players to watch this season in his limited ice time has been Aatu Räty. The 22-year-old Finn plays hard and plays an impressively responsible two-way game for a player his age. His offensive game is still in need of some work, but right now, I’d like to see Aatu Räty take over as the Canucks fourth-line centre. His AHL numbers of late have been absolutely incredible, so maybe the one-time projected first-overall pick will be able to bring the offence he once looked set to bring to the NHL. Max Sasson has also impressed in his NHL games this season, though, so maybe Räty is best served spending some more time in the AHL to further work on his offensive game.
Next season, when Dakota Joshua has been able to get a full offseason in, I’d like to see the Joshua-Blueger-Garland line reunited. However, for circumstances out of Joshua or anyone’s control, he isn’t looking like the player he was last season. For now, let’s leave him on the fourth line as he continues to find his legs, and get excited for next season, when Dakota Joshua is going to come back better than ever looking like himself again.
The newly acquired Drew O’Connor feels like a player Rick Tocchet will quickly take to. A scrappy, hard-working depth forward, O’Connor feels like a strong fit to play on a checking line alongside Dakota Joshua and one of Sasson or Räty. Linus Karlsson, who has played a few solid games as part of the Swedish House Mafia line, could also get some consideration, but right now, O’Connor seems set to get a chance to prove what he can do in blue and green.
Fourth Line: Dakota Joshua-Max Sasson-Drew O’Connor
Defence
First Pair
Quinn Hughes. The left defenceman on the Canucks first pair will be Quinn Hughes.
But who should get the right to play alongside the best defenceman in the NHL? The obvious answer may seem to be Filip Hronek, but so far, Hronek hasn’t looked like himself this year. In a twist I myself would never have seen coming, I want to see Tyler Myers play alongside Hughes. Myers has been playing some incredible hockey since being partnered with Hughes. Let’s give the two former Calder Trophy winners a chance to lock it down on the top pair, and I think Myers can shock a lot of people with what he’s capable of when he’s not making decisions beyond human comprehension.
First Pair: Quinn Hughes-Tyler Myers
Second Pair
Marcus Pettersson, welcome to Vancouver. On most NHL teams, Pettersson, whose last name is bound to cause plenty of confusion for writers and readers alike in Vancouver, would play on the second pair. This team is absolutely no exception to that rule. Derek Forbort has performed admirably in this spot, and Carson Soucy has also performed in it, but the second pair left-handed defenceman spot now belongs to ThreePetey.
If Tyler Myers is playing on the top pair, it only makes sense to partner Filip Hronek with Marcus Pettersson on the next pair. Forbort and Hronek have looked solid together, proving that Hronek is capable of looking good with someone not named Quinn as his partner. In theory, Pettersson should be a strong upgrade over Forbort and provide the Canucks with not one but two pairs who can get the puck up the ice and relieve pressure from the Canucks goaltenders. What a novel concept.
Second Pair: Marcus Pettersson-Filip Hronek
Third Pair
This is where things get more interesting. Derek Forbort and Carson Soucy, who seem like the two most natural players to have on the bottom pair, are both left-handed shots. Both have spent some time playing on the right, but neither one looks as comfortable on this side as they do on their left. So who gets to play on their natural side? To keep things brief, Derek Forbort has looked like the better player all season, the Canucks should maximize their potential and let him play where he’s comfortable.
So, naturally, Soucy would play on the other side, right? Not so fast. Much to the chagrin of many Canucks fans, this coaching staff loves Noah Juulsen. So could he play over Soucy? I doubt it, as Soucy is another favourite of this staff and is a significantly higher-paid player than Juulsen, but we might not be out of the woods with Noah just yet. Newly acquired Victor Mancini or EP25 could also make a case to get some NHL action, as could Cole McWard or Guillaume Brisebois, but for now, they seem likely to require a trade or an injury to get a consistent spot in the show.
Third Pair: Derek Forbort-Carson Soucy
Goalies
This season, Thatcher Demko just doesn’t look like himself. Following an offseason spent rehabbing a strange knee injury rather than being able to prepare for the season and being thrown to the wolves in the middle of what has been a chaotic year in Vancouver, Demko simply doesn’t look like himself. For now, if this team is looking to push for the postseason, their best hope appears to be riding the hot hand of Kevin Lankinen and having Demko back up. Demko could well be back to his normal self by the time next season rolls around, but this season has to be considered a write-off for the Californian netminder.
Lineup
Debrusk-E. Pettersson-Boeser
Suter-Chytil-Garland
Höglander-Blueger-Sherwood
Joshua-Sasson-O’Connor
Hughes-Myers
M. Pettersson-Hronek
Forbort-Soucy
Lankinen
Demko