Canucks News & Rumours: Boeser, Buium, Mancini & Lekkerimaki

At the time, there was no update on Boeser’s condition, and that uncertainty hung over everything. They are not a team built to absorb more pain. Vancouver’s margin for error is already past paper-thin, and the loss of a top-six winger — even for a short stretch — hits harder than it might in calmer seasons.

Zoom out a bit, and the bigger issue is the homestand itself. These games were supposed to be a reset. A chance to bank points, restore confidence, and quiet some of the background noise. Instead, they’ve exposed just how fragile the team is right now. One bad period seems to undo two good ones. Every loss feels heavier than the last, because there’s less room to explain it away.

Given where the Canucks sit in the standings, there are no true must-win games left on the calendar. The season has moved past that point. What they’re playing for now is something harder to measure — pride, response, and a sense of direction. If Vancouver can’t push back against a young Sharks team playing loose, confident hockey, the questions about where this season is headed are only going to get louder.

Item Two: Injury Woes Deepen as Boeser and Buium Placed on IR

Those questions sharpened yesterday when the Canucks placed both Boeser and Zeev Buium on injured reserve. It was confirmation of what many already feared — that Sunday’s hit would cost Boeser real time. He’ll miss at least the next three games, starting with tonight’s contest, and there’s still no firm timeline for his return.

Boeser’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but they matter. Twelve goals, 25 points, plenty of shot volume, and a reliable presence in the lineup. More importantly, he’s one of the few forwards who can create offence without everything being perfectly set up for him. Losing that, even temporarily, leaves the Canucks thinner than they can comfortably afford.

On the blue line, Buium’s injury is quieter but still significant. The 20-year-old has appeared in 20 games since arriving in the Quinn Hughes deal and has been easing his way into NHL life. His minutes have fluctuated, but he’s been part of the club’s effort to stabilize a blueline group that’s been in near-constant flux. With Buium sidelined for at least three games — and possibly longer — that instability creeps back in.

Item Three: Canucks Call-Ups Signal Survival Mode

In response, Vancouver recalled Victor Mancini and Jonathan Lekkerimaki from their American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford. These aren’t splashy moves. They’re practical ones. Mancini steps back into a familiar depth role on defence. He’s played nine NHL games this season, hasn’t scored, but blocks shots, finishes checks, and doesn’t try to do too much. In a compressed schedule, you don’t need him to change games. You need him not to lose them.

Lekkerimaki fills a different need. With Boeser out, the Canucks need legs, energy, and someone who can keep pace, even if the minutes are limited. Lekkerimaki hasn’t been up since early December, but in his eight games earlier this season, he showed a willingness to engage physically and keep things moving. Whether that translates into offence is secondary right now. This is about staying afloat.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

The uncomfortable truth is that the standings aren’t waiting. Vancouver has just one win through the first five games of this eight-game homestand and sits at 1-11-2 over its last 14 games. Sunday’s 3–2 loss to the Penguins was competitive, but moral victories don’t move you up the ladder.

None of it changed the broader picture. The Canucks are searching for traction — any traction — and every injury, every missed chance, makes that search harder. Tonight’s contest isn’t about style points or statements. It’s about finding something steady in a season that keeps sliding downhill. Right now, the Canucks aren’t just fighting opponents — they’re fighting time, health, and a standings table that’s growing increasingly unforgiving.