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Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen stops a shot by Seattle Kraken forward Eeli Tolvanen during a shootout (Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images)

Canucks News & Rumours: Lankinen, Ohgren, Blueger & Eroding Confidence

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Feb 3, 2026 2:00 PM ET

It was another long night for the Vancouver Canucks, and by now the pattern is familiar. The Utah Mammoth came in looking like a team tired of hearing about its two-game skid, and it played with the kind of purpose Vancouver hasn’t been able to match lately. Nick Schmaltz picked up his second hat trick of the season and finished with five points in a game that never really felt in doubt for the Mammoth.

Utah built a 2–1 lead in the first, carried the momentum into the second, and by the end of the period, they were cruising at 5–1. The Canucks spent most of the night chasing, reacting, and trying to settle things down, but Utah simply kept pushing.

Liam Ohgren and Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver, and both played hard in a game where their team never found any rhythm. Kevin Lankinen only faced 20 shots, which on most nights should mean your team is keeping things manageable. Instead, almost every one of Utah’s looks came from prime scoring areas. It was that kind of night again.

Item One: Vancouver’s Slide Is Eroding Confidence

When this skid started, the talk was about structure: missed coverages, sloppy neutral-zone touches, slow support. Coaches can correct those things. Systems can be tightened. But after 18 games with only two wins, something bigger is settling in. You can see it shift from X’s and O’s into body language and hesitation. The Canucks aren’t playing like a team that expects good things to happen. They’re playing like a team waiting for the next mistake.

And that’s the tricky part. In the NHL, the gap between being sharp and being unsure is pretty thin. When you feel good, you trust your reads, your stride has some bite, and the puck works for you. When you don’t, every decision comes half a second late. That’s what Vancouver looks like right now. Zone exits have become slower. Close plays around the net aren’t followed up with second efforts. Breakouts collapse because players are waiting instead of moving.

This doesn’t look like a group that’s quit, but rather one that’s just stuck. Sometimes being stuck is worse because you can see the effort, but not the confidence. The Olympic break might arrive at the perfect time. The coaches can reset the deck, the players can breathe a little, and maybe the noise around the team quiets long enough for them to remember that they have the talent to win games. Belief, though, that’s the part that has to come back first.

Item Two: Ohgren Has Become a Small Bright Spot

Liam Ohgren hasn’t had the smoothest start to his NHL journey, but he’s beginning to show enough flashes that we can understand why the Canucks were eager to bring him in. His goal against Utah wasn’t highlight-reel stuff, but it was exactly the kind of assertive, middle-driving play Vancouver wants from him. When the team is struggling this badly, it’s easy to worry that young players might shrink a bit. Ohgren has gone the other way. He’s embraced the opportunity.

Liam Ohgren, Vancouver Canucks (John Jones-Imagn Images)

The coaching staff has had to walk a fine line with him: give him enough minutes to develop, but not so much that he’s overwhelmed. And this stretch hasn’t been the ideal context for a young winger trying to find his footing. Still, his habits look strong. He’s battling on pucks, he’s tracking well, and he’s working to make plays even when everything around him is stuck in first gear.

As the season moves forward, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the coaches trust him more. Adversity can reveal who’s steady, who’s rattled, and who keeps pushing. Ohgren looks like he’s built to handle the rough patches.

Item Three: Blueger Has Become a Second Bright Spot

In a game with very few positives, Teddy Blueger made sure his name didn’t get missed. He had a goal, an assist, four hits, and basically drove whatever offence Vancouver managed to create. He was noticeable, showing a ton of urgency.

Teddy Blueger, Vancouver Canucks (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Since returning from a 43-game absence, he’s put up five points, and for a bottom-six centre, that’s a solid stretch. The bigger thing is the jump in his pace and confidence. He’s reading plays, pushing the puck, and winning battles. When a team is stuck like Vancouver is right now, small sparks matter more than usual.

He’s making a case for some extra responsibility. With the Canucks leaking chances defensively and searching for players they can lean on, Blueger’s consistency has become one of the few reliable things in the lineup right now.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

The Canucks’ big concern now is direction. Two wins in 18 games will force management to ask big questions. That brief homestand offered a flicker of life, but the road has dragged the group right back into the same questions. They face the Vegas Golden Knights for their final game before the Olympic break on Wednesday, and it feels like more than just another date on the calendar.

A clean, competitive game would help reset the temperature and give them something to build on after the break. Another lopsided loss, though, and the break becomes less about rest and more about figuring out what’s gone off the rails. This market reacts fast, and the players and coaches know it.