Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Canucks’ New Guy Helps Surprise the Devils

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated Dec 15, 2025 12:02 PM ET

The Vancouver Canucks weren’t supposed to look like this in New Jersey. Not after the week they’d had. Not after trading away their captain. Not after arriving on the back end of a loud, emotional storyline that never actually made it to the ice. They beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on the road.

What a surprise. They were calm, organized, and oddly composed. I suppose, what did they really have to lose?

Zeev Buium Grabbed the Headlines Immediately

Zeev Buium scoring in his Canucks debut will grab the headline, and fair enough. First games can be tricky. New sweater, new system, new teammates, and a building that’s never been that welcoming. None of it seemed to rattle Buium much. He scored, grabbed an assist, and settled into the game like someone who understood the job wasn’t to replace anyone, just to be reliable and let the noise fade out over time.

So did Thatcher Demko. He stopped 25 of 26 shots, and even better, he settled the night. New Jersey pushed when they could, especially early, but Demko never let the game tilt. There was no scrambling, no sense that Vancouver was hanging on. Just steady goaltending doing exactly what steady goaltending is supposed to do—giving everyone else permission to breathe.

Jake DeBrusk’s goal 61 seconds in helped, too. Early goals do more than put a number on the board; they shift the feel of the game. Vancouver didn’t have to push for offence, and New Jersey, already off balance without Jack Hughes, never really found its footing. Markstrom settled in after his early wobble. However, by then the tone had already been set. The fact is, Vancouver didn’t need much after that.

The Canucks Didn’t Give Much Away in This Game

What stood out most, though, was how little Vancouver gave away. One shot in the third period isn’t usually a recipe for comfort. But they weren’t playing passive hockey. Young as they are, they managed hockey. The Canucks closed lanes, kept shifts short, and didn’t ask their new guys to do too much, too soon.

There’s something quite revealing about a win like this. No fireworks. No dominance. Just a team having some space to figure out who they might become after a major rupture.

The Quinn Hughes Story Isn’t Over, But a Surprise Win Brings Hope

The Hughes storyline will linger. It wasn’t about what Vancouver gained so much as what they didn’t lose. Their structure held. The composure didn’t wobble. They still looked like they knew who they were. Better yet, who they might become.

So far, so good.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: