It is summer and fans of the Vancouver Canucks are patiently waiting for hockey to return. August is a tough time for hockey fans (and to some extent, hockey writers). The dust on free agency has settled and not much news happens. There is a reason why they call it the dog days of summer. But soon enough, the trees on the leaves will change colours and start to fall and Canucks will be back on the ice at Rogers Arena in front of their fans. So while it is still offseason, why not try and predict what will happen to the Canucks next season? Here are five Canucks predictions for 2024-25.
Five Canucks Predictions for 2024-25
#1: Jake DeBrusk scores 30 goals
Our first of our Canucks predictions involves one of their free agent signings. Jake DeBrusk was the biggest catch of the Canucks 2024 free agent class. The winger signed a seven-year deal with Vancouver worth 5.5 million dollars per season. The term is a big eye-brow raising. Still, DeBrusk fits what the Canucks need in their top six. He is a goal scorer with a nose for the net.
DeBrusk has established himself as a solid top-six forward with the Boston Bruins. This past season he played mostly with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle. When he wasn’t with them, he was on a line with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. While his consistency has been questioned, he has scored some big goals in Boston, particularly in the playoffs.
This is the first time DeBrusk will be seen in a different team’s jersey and it will be interesting to see how adopt to Rick Tocchet‘s system. Given the fact he also brings some grit and is reliable defensively, there is no reason why he can’t.
With the Canucks, it is expected that he will play an elevated role. DeBrusk will likely play on the first power play unit and be heavily relied upon in the top six with Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, JT Miller, Nils Höglander and Daniel Sprong or even Pius Suter. In the second half of the 2023-24 season and the playoffs,
DeBrusk’s career high in goals is 27. He hit that number twice, in 2018-19 and 2022-23. DeBrusk is coming to a system that suits him and is going to be relied upon heavily. Seeing him score at least 30 goals wouldn’t be surprising. The biggest X-Factor is if he can find chemistry with Elias Pettersson. If he does, then scoring at least 30 is possible.
#2: Elias Pettersson reaches the 100-point mark
Speaking of Pettersson, he took a lot of criticism in the second half of last season and the playoffs. Unlike the first few months of the season, Pettersson went through many games without putting up points, missing the net, bobbling the puck and looking slow. It turns out, he had tendinitis in his knee since January and frankly, that explained everything.
Pettersson did not have a bad season at all. The Swedish centre had 34 goals and 55 assists for 89 points. Those numbers are the second-highest of his career after 2022-23.
When Pettersson is healthy, he is one of the NHL’s best centres, plain and simple. In 2022-23, he hit 102 points. The Canucks were bad that season, especially in the first half of the season.
Remember, Pettersson went on a long slump before. That was in the first half of the 2021-22 season. He only had 17 points in the first 37 games. On an 82-game pace, that is 38 points. In the second half, Pettersson managed 51 points in 43 games. On an 82-game pace, that is 97 points. Why did Pettersson have a poor 2021-22 season? It turns out a wrist injury he sustained in 2020-21, didn’t fully heal at the beginning of the season and he played with a taped wrist.
Of course, injuries can’t be used as an excuse but given Pettersson’s track record, there is no reason to believe why he can’t bounce back.
Pettersson is the type of player that can take over a game and elevate his linemates. After all, early in 2024, he elevated Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev. He and DeBrusk have the potential to be a dynamic duo. 100 points for Pettersson isn’t as far-fetched as it seems. But he needs to stay healthy and prove he is the player Canucks fans know he is. Pettersson has got the shot, the skill, the track record and a better winger. So why not?
#3: Dakota Joshua scores 20 goals
Dakota Joshua has become a fan favourite in Vancouver. What is there not to like about him? He is a physical player who lays out bone-crunching hits, can get under the skin of opponents and provides a ton of grit. Oh yes, he can score goals too.
Joshua set career highs with 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points. He also managed four goals and four assists in the playoffs. As a result, he got rewarded with a four-year contract worth 3.25 million dollars per year.
Joshua found chemistry with Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger. The trio became a feared line and it felt like they would connect on a goal every night. With Blueger also being re-signed, it is likely Tocchet will put the trio back together next season.
Realistically, Joshua can score at least 20 goals. He could possibly get to 25. Let’s not forget, Joshua could have eclipsed 20 last season if it wasn’t for a hand injury that sidelined him for 19 games. With his nose for the net and tenacity, expect another big year for Joshua.
#4: One of Vasily Podkolzin or Nils Höglander or both will be traded
Let’s start with Vasily Podkolzin.
Next season is a big one for Podkolzin. It is a make-or-break year. Drafted 10th overall in 2019, the Russian winger hasn’t lived up to his potential so far.
He had a promising rookie season (2021-22) but has spent the last two seasons between Vancouver and the Abbotsford Canucks. Podkolzin has shown flashes with his physicality and tenacity. But he’s 23 now and flashes aren’t good enough. It is time for him to prove he can be a full-time NHL player. The Canucks are banking on him by doing so as they gave him a two-year contract before the playoffs worth million dollars per season.
After a promising rookie season, Höglander’s next two seasons were plagued by defensive issues and offensive droughts. 2022-23 saw him join Podkolzin in Abbotsford. But 2023-24 might have been a breakout season for the 2019 Canucks second-round pick. He set career highs with 24 goals and 36 points.
As of now, it is clear that Höglander is the one with the higher ceiling out of the Canucks first two 2019 draft picks. As a result, he has positive value and his name has been brought up in trade rumours numerous times over the past few months.
The Canucks biggest need is a puck-moving defenceman to complement Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek. They need one that could move the needle in their top four and take them further. Höglander is a big piece of bait for them to use especially if he replicates or comes close to his 2023-24 season.
Podkolzin doesn’t have value now but if he improves, there might be some. One of him or Höglander or even both may not be a Canuck by the deadline. Patrik Allvin has shown in his time as Canucks general manager he isn’t afraid to make big moves and he could make another involving the team’s first two picks from 2019.
#5: The Canucks power play finishes in the top 10
Our last of the Canucks predictions involve the team as a whole.
The Canucks power play finished 11th in the NHL last season. However, the man advantage was eighth in the NHL before the All-Star break and after, it was 24th. There were a lot of factors why: Pettersson was not at his best, not enough shooting and more.
Heading into next season, the additions of DeBrusk and Sprong are a boost. Sprong, in particular, would help the second unit. 12 out of his 18 goals with the Detroit Red Wings last season were on the power play.
Let’s say Pettersson, Boeser, Miller, DeBrusk and Hughes are the first unit. That looks solid on paper. The second unit could have Sprong, Garland, Höglander, Suter and Filip Hronek.
The power play has a bit more offensive firepower. They need to get the fundamentals right and it could be a deadly one. The Canucks also promoted skills coach Yogi Svejkovsky to assistant coach and will have Daniel and Henrik Sedin more involved in day-to-day activities. That includes the power play. It will be interesting to see how Svejkovsky runs the power play and who better to learn from than the two men who made the man advantage back in the late 2000s and early 2010s for the Canucks.
The power play has too much talent to be mediocre. It can finish in the top 10 in the NHL. With some added additions and a new system, there is no reason why it can’t.
Let us know your Canucks predictions for 2024-25 in the comment section or on social media!
Main Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
