Canucks continue to perform far below expectations this season

These were supposed to be the good times for the Vancouver Canucks. Back in 2020, a global pandemic couldn’t dampen the excitement Canucks fans had for their team. That year, Vancouver made the playoffs for the first time since 2015, led by a group of young, talented players that included goaltender Thatcher Demko, defenseman Quinn Hughes, and forwards Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat.

Fast forward to 2026, and the remains of that once-promising squad are barely there. Demko and Pettersson are still around, though only as injury-plagued, diminished versions of their former selves. Boeser’s around, too, but feels well past the heights of his 40-goal 2023-24 campaign. Horvat and Hughes are gone, playing high-end hockey for far more competitive teams. A look at the standings reifies the disappointment the Canucks have become. With 37 points through 43 games, they sit firmly in last place in the Pacific Division, and second to last place in the NHL.

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton handed out mid-season grades for the Pacific Division teams, and discussed the Canucks’ lackluster season so far.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Vancouver’s the one who we gave the worst grade to for the first half of year, because this was supposed to be, to an extent, the start of a new era. (J.T.) Miller’s gone, it’s Pettersson and Hughes’ team, all of that. What we’ve got is them sitting close to the bottom of the division, and Quinn Hughes isn’t even a Canuck anymore.

Carter Hutton: It’s crazy to see where they’re at, when you reflect on a few years ago and them sending half their team to the All-Star game, and how the future was so bright. The fact that Thatcher Demko just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s back now, and they’ve had a bit of a perk. This is a time where maybe a draft pick or something can kind of turn this organization around, because they need it. It’s a market that demands a winner, so I feel like there is a lot of pressure.

But the lack of success for them, I think offensively, even when you look at their depth, it’s kind of like a meaty middle where you have a few guys that can still play and still produce. I think at this point, start moving some people out. I think Kiefer Sherwood is number-one to go. Maybe Tyler Myers, there’s obviously an addition he could bring to someone as a fifth or sixth defenseman on a team that’s trying to contend.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Friday’s episode here…