Canucks 2024-25 report cards: Grading every Vancouver forward’s performance

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On so many fronts this wasn’t the season that anybody with the Vancouver Canucks was hoping for.

As we settle in for a long offseason and seek to unpack what happened, and what the club should do next in the weeks and months to come, it’s important to look at the Canucks’ player personnel individually. Who drove the bus, and who struggled? Who overperformed what we can reasonably expect, and what can Vancouver count on next season from the various players currently on the roster?

Let’s get into it with our year-end report cards. This exercise will begin with a deep dive into forwards on Wednesday, followed by a look at defenders and goaltenders on Thursday.

Elias Pettersson: F
64 GP, 15-30-45

Pettersson had endured difficult stretches in his NHL career before this season — an injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign and the first half of the 2021-22 season when he scored just 17 points in his first 37 games stand out as low points — but his massive offensive struggles over the last 14 months, dating back to last year’s All-Star break, is equally alarming as it is perplexing.

The 26-year-old scored at a pedestrian 57 points per 82 games rate. Teddy Blueger scored more five-on-five points than Pettersson this season, and Aatu Räty, in 31 fewer games, matched the seven five-on-five goals that Vancouver’s No. 1 centre scored.

Pettersson’s skating was lethargic and his impact off the rush was severely diminished. He lacked the dynamic flair or elusiveness to consistently drive the puck to dangerous scoring areas on the inside, which caused his shot rate to plummet. And even when he got looks in prime scoring areas, he lacked the decisive, killer instinct and overpowering shot that had made him an elite scorer in years past.

He finally appeared to be turning a corner in March, scoring 10 points in his final eight games, before suffering a season-ending oblique injury against the Rangers. The only silver lining of Pettersson’s performance was that his defensive game remained sharp. He was a calm, stabilizing presence in his own zone, and it was striking how the club regularly blew leads in his absence down the stretch.

Brock Boeser: C+
75 GP, 25-25-50

Boeser compiled 50 points for the third consecutive season, scored some clutch goals and was trusted to play major minutes at the top of the lineup, but was generally quiet outside of the power play.

At five-on-five, Boeser’s performance over the course of a contract year lacked the bite that he’s brought in previous seasons. His two-way impact was middling and his five-on-five scoring rate was relatively pedestrian. Kiefer Sherwood, for example, produced seven more five-on-five points than Boeser did this season in just three additional games. Adjusted for usage, Boeser managed an identical five-on-five scoring rate to Danton Heinen.

Where Boeser’s value was still felt significantly was with the man advantage. Utilized on the flank, in the bumper spot and at the net-front throughout the season, Boeser’s versatile contributions at five-on-four were significant. Vancouver’s first power-play unit generated far more high quality looks with him on the ice than it did without him, and only Jake DeBrusk scored goals with the man advantage at a higher rate among the Canucks’ regular power-play personnel.

Overall, while Boeser didn’t repeat his incredible 40-goal showing from the 2023-24 campaign, he performed much the way you’d reasonably expect a quality top-six supporting winger to when the offensive environment surrounding falls off a cliff due to dysfunction, trades and injuries.

Jake DeBrusk: B
82 GP, 28-20-48

DeBrusk’s first year as a Canuck was fascinating to evaluate. He led the team with a career-high 28 goals, which is excellent, but it came with a couple of notable caveats.

Firstly, he was quite reliant on the power play for his scoring output, which, coupled with his streakiness, meant that he went through long stretches without materially impacting the game at even strength. He only scored three five-on-five goals during Vancouver’s last 41 games, for example.

Secondly, DeBrusk’s shift-by-shift impact was very quiet when he wasn’t scoring, which he acknowledged last week on locker-room cleanout day. He wasn’t enough of a force on the forecheck and wasn’t able to manufacture or drive five-on-five offence on his own.

However, when you step back, it’s impossible to view DeBrusk’s first season in Vancouver as anything but a success. Scoring 28 goals when the elite centre you were tasked to mesh with mysteriously falls off is impressive and a product of his lethal net-front finishing this season. DeBrusk noted that he didn’t score as many even-strength rush goals as he had in years past, but again, that’s probably because Pettersson’s ability to drive controlled entries and lead threatening rushes had declined significantly.

You also can’t really fault DeBrusk for being a passenger for long stretches because he’s only paid $5.5 million and was never meant to be a player who could drive a top-six line. The expectation was for DeBrusk to succeed as a complementary scorer, which he unquestionably did.

Conor Garland played the most minutes among Canucks forwards this season. (Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images)

Conor Garland: B
81 GP, 19-31-50

Garland was Vancouver’s most frequently used and most consistent forward throughout a challenging 2024-25 campaign, but was unable to generate the results to match the effectiveness with which he played at five-on-five.

Despite leading all Canucks skaters in five-on-five shots on goal, Garland converted on only 6.3 percent of his looks at even strength. Even if one-shot goal scoring isn’t one of Garland’s plus attributes, that’s still the lowest conversion rate he’s managed in any full season in his NHL career.

Garland’s offensive misfortune extended beyond his own finishing luck. His linemates similarly struggled mightily to convert on their scoring chances throughout the year. It was a perfect storm, really, as Garland’s consistent, play-driving effort went unrewarded far too often.

Garland’s overall value, however, is still readily apparent. Garland led all Canucks skaters in five-on-five ice time per game, playing top-line minutes for the first time in his Canucks tenure, and had an especially robust defensive impact. The Canucks dominated possession with Garland on the ice this season, and rarely gave up shots or scoring chances against as a result.

The bottom line is that the results this season didn’t accurately capture Garland’s value or his evolution as a top-line defensive ace. Below the surface, Garland put together an impressive season in trying circumstances.

Pius Suter: A
81 GP, 25-21-46

Suter has always been a valuable Swiss Army knife, but he took that to a totally new level in his second year as a Canuck.

The savvy, undersized centre was forced to step into a top-six role at times this year and did a remarkable job of holding his own. He exploded for a career-high 25 goals and 46 points. That included a team-high 18 five-on-five goals, which ranked top-50 among all NHL players this season.

Suter’s defensive play was sturdy and reliable as always, with the Canucks controlling a positive share of scoring chances and goals during his five-on-five shifts. Rick Tocchet sometimes even used him in a head-to-head role against opposing teams’ top lines following the J.T. Miller trade. He and Blueger were also the first unit backbone of Vancouver’s vaunted penalty kill, which ranked third-best in the NHL.

Kiefer Sherwood: A
78 GP, 19-21-40

Sherwood set an NHL record for hits thrown and chipped in 19 goals and 40 points — 33 of those points at five-on-five — across a genuinely phenomenal first season in Vancouver.

Sherwood’s speed and tenacity proved to be a perfect fit with Vancouver’s north-south style, and his against-the-grain attacking prowess was crucial for a team that struggled to counterattack and generate off the rush.

It’s likely that Sherwood’s goal-scoring totals will prove sticky if he can maintain a middle-six role going forward. On the whole, Sherwood’s finishing rate at five-on-five wasn’t too far out of line with his career norms. That he broke out offensively was more about his opportunity and earning a role as an everyday player than it was about bounces or shooting efficiency.

Sherwood’s linemates, however, did run hot as shooters this season, and accordingly, his assist totals will be more difficult to repeat unless he plays further up the lineup with more skilled linemates going forward. That’s something he may not be well suited to doing given his shoot-first mentality.

We can worry about whether Sherwood will repeat as a 40-point forward next season in the fall. What’s indisputable is that Sherwood provided the club with significant value, especially at a $1.5 million cap hit, in his first Vancouver season.

Teddy Blueger: C+
82 GP, 8-18-26

At first glance, a C+ grade might seem a bit harsh for Blueger. After all, he was outstanding on the Canucks’ penalty kill, scored 1.49 points per 60 at five-on-five, which is a respectable rate for a bottom-six forward, and appears to be a hardworking, trustworthy player when you watch him play.

A look at Blueger’s even-strength performance, however, reveals some legitimate cracks in his performance. Vancouver controlled just 45.5 percent of scoring chances (and was outscored by nine goals) during Blueger’s five-on-five shifts this year, which was the worst mark among every Canucks forward who appeared in at least 20 games. Quietly, he was a drag on the team’s ability to manufacture shots and quality chances.

Context matters, as he was thrust into playing harder matchups than usual due to the club’s injuries at centre. Blueger is still a quality depth forward, especially due to his PK impact, but the seams showed at five-on-five when he was forced to play higher in the lineup than the fourth line, which happened most of the season.

Nils Höglander: C
72 GP, 8-18-26

Höglander looked primed for a true breakout season. Coming into camp, Höglander was widely praised for showing up in incredible shape, won a top-six job and seemed set to build on his impressive 24-goal 2023-24 campaign.

Then the defensive miscues piled up as the Canucks began to come unglued in mid-November. Höglander’s usage was cut significantly, and he even yo-yoed in and out of the lineup for a stretch at midseason.

Finally, down the stretch, Höglander got going again and began to earn his way back up the lineup.

Overall, Höglander’s season was probably better than it seems. Vancouver at least outscored opponents by a wide margin with Höglander on the ice at five-on-five, and his two-way impact was generally solid. Höglander needs to find a way to stick in the top six, however, if he’s going to realize his potential.

Dakota Joshua: C+
57 GP, 7-7-14

The rugged, physical bottom-six forward was diagnosed with testicular cancer in the offseason and missed all of training camp, which understandably put him behind the eight-ball in 2024-25. Then, he suffered another injury in January, which again interrupted his season and ability to develop a proper rhythm.

Joshua was clearly shaking off the rust from those setbacks this season. He understandably wasn’t able to produce, drive play or leave a physical mark on games as consistently as he did last year.

The good news is that he found some traction toward the end of the season. He started becoming more noticeable down low in the offensive zone and chipped in with six points in his last 13 games. Hopefully, he’s able to build on that and use a healthy summer to bounce back next season.

Aatu Räty: B+
33 GP, 7-4-11

In fits and starts this season, Räty looked like a player ready to be a full-time NHLer.

To be a full-time top-nine centre option, Räty’s skating will probably have to take another step this offseason. With his faceoff acumen, defensive reliability and ability to operate offensively down low and in traffic, however, Räty has a high floor, and has cemented himself as a suitable bottom-six option for Vancouver.

Drew O’Connor: B-
31 GP, 4-5-9

O’Connor’s speed, size and assertiveness on the forecheck were a welcome addition to the Canucks’ lineup. He was a bit underwhelming offensively, scoring just four goals in 31 games and averaging only 1.1 shots per game, but his defensive play was sound and he consistently made plays to get the team moving in the right direction.

The 26-year-old left winger’s two-way numbers were strong, with the Canucks controlling 52.5 percent of shot attempts and 53.4 percent of scoring chances during his five-on-five shifts. He’s a useful bottom-six contributor with attractive athletic tools, but the team will probably be hoping for a tad more offence out of him next season, considering the $2.5 million cap hit he’s owed on his contract extension.

Max Sasson: C+
29 GP, 3-4-7

Sasson managed to dress in 29 NHL games this season, which is amazing by itself for an undrafted college free agent.

The 24-year-old showed the pace and hockey IQ to safely log minutes at the NHL level. There isn’t much that’s dynamic about his game outside of his skating, and he regularly struggled in physical engagements below the hashmarks, but he clearly earned the trust of Canucks coaches and performed well in a larger-than-anticipated role this season.

Linus Karlsson: B
23 GP, 3-3-6

Karlsson was one of the most promising call-ups from Abbotsford down the stretch.

The 25-year-old winger displayed a lot of legitimate NHL qualities. He excels in small, high-traffic areas down low in the offensive zone and along the boards. He has decent instincts and hands at the front of the net offensively. He wins puck battles and makes smart plays. He’s reliable defensively. His acceleration has gotten a tad quicker, which means his skating is no longer a liability.

With Karlsson on the ice at five-on-five, the Canucks controlled nearly 54 percent of expected goals and had a 10-5 edge in goals. He didn’t just hold his own on the fourth line, he made a legitimately positive impact. Karlsson deserves a solid chance to contend for a fourth-line job out of training camp next fall.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki: C+
24 GP, 3-3-6

Lekkerimäki appeared in 24 games, preserving his Calder Trophy eligibility for next season, played a prescribed role often with skilled linemates and showed some flashes of finishing brilliance. All told, Lekkerimäki’s performance this season was promising and matched what you’d hope to see from a 20-year-old just breaking into the NHL.

While Lekkerimäki’s shot, skill and ability to find quiet ice were evidently dynamic, and he showed real precociousness on the flank in five-on-four situations, there are significant areas for growth in his game. A gifted puck carrier, Lekkerimäki is a technically proficient skater, but he’s not NHL-level fast just yet. He also struggles to protect the puck and emerge from 50/50 puck battles with possession at this stage of his career.

Lekkerimäki looked like a player on the verge of holding down an everyday role at the NHL level as a sparkplug middle-six contributor and power-play mainstay.

Filip Chytil: B
15 GP, 2-4-6

Six points in 15 games may not stand out on paper, but that undersells how dangerous and intriguing Chytil looked for the Canucks before suffering a concussion in mid-March that sidelined him for the final month of the season.

Chytil’s speed, slick puck carrying and creativity was exactly what the Canucks’ lethargic offence needed. He effortlessly generated controlled zone entries and rush chances. Sure, his finishing could use some work (which was a criticism of his game with the Rangers, too), but he was also unfortunate not to have more points to show for all the quality looks he created. Chytil’s line generated 3.24 expected goals per 60 minutes through 15 games in Vancouver, which is an impressive mark, but scored on just 3 percent of their five-on-five shots. That’s a remarkably low conversion rate, which will undoubtedly improve.

Chytil showed all the tools to be an effective middle-six centre, so long as he can stay healthy.

(Photo of Kiefer Sherwood, Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)

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