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Canucks’ Elias Pettersson, Nils Hoglander Out At Least Four Games

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The Vancouver Canucks will be without star centerman Elias Pettersson and top-six winger Nils Hoglander for the remaining four games of their current road-trip per NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. Both players missed Vancouver’s team practice on Sunday after each leaving Saturday night’s game with injury. Pettersson exited with roughly five minutes left in the second period. He didn’t appear to sustain an injury, though none of his final five shifts lasted longer than 30 seconds. Hoglander exited with under two minutes left in the second and also didn’t appear injured, though he did get in a choppy stick battle in his final shift. Both players are out with undisclosed injuries.

The Canucks were two games into their second six-game road trip of the season. Pettersson and Hoglander were both pivotal pieces of the lineup in the road trip’s kickoff game against St. Louis on Thursday. Pettersson led all forwards with 20 minutes of ice time and recorded two assists, while Hoglander scored one assist in 17 minutes of ice time. Neither scored in their limited action on Saturday, and Vancouver will now be forced to fill two glaring holes in their top-six.

Rookie Aatu Räty is expected to earn an immediate promotion to the lineup. Räty hasn’t played since January 31st, which was itself a one-off start after not receiving routine NHL minutes since December. He’s appeared in 21 NHL games in total this season, netting just four points split evenly. Räty has been far more productive in the minor leagues, where he leads the Abbotsford Canucks in both total and point-per-game scoring with 39 points in 41 games. The Canucks recalled Räty ahead of Saturday’s game, and he’ll now have a golden chance at hardy minutes with Vancouver away from home for another week.

The Canucks are also carrying rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki, who has rotated into the NHL lineup throughout March. He’s managed seven appearances and one assist through the month, bringing his season-long totals up to four points in 18 NHL Games. Lekkerimaki has also scored 19 goals and 28 points in 32 AHL games this year. He’s received as little as nine minutes of ice time through his recent stretch in the top flight, though Hoglander’s absence should break open at least a third-line role. Räty and Lekkerimaki could also be beneficiaries of the large chunk of power-play minutes that both Pettersson and Hoglander leave behind.

This will be a great chance for Vancouver’s top prospects to show they can shine. The Canucks will need all the support they can get, as they find themselves five points away from a Western Conference Wild Card with two games in hand. They’ve posted a menial 5-4-1 record over their last 10 games – not enough to get ahead the red-hot, 8-1-1 St. Louis Blues or the productive 5-2-3 record of the Calgary Flames. Even with opportunity at hand, it’s hard to imagine the rookies will live up to Pettersson’s 45 points in 64 games this season, which leads all Canucks forwards. Hoglander’s 21 points in 66 games, and gritty middle-six role, will likely be a bit more acheivable to match.

Canucks Expected To Activate Thatcher Demko

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The Canucks are expected to reinstate goaltender Thatcher Demko from injured reserve today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast. Vancouver plans to start the netminder for tonight’s Hughes bowl against the Devils.

Demko, 29, was a Vezina Trophy nominee for the first time in 2023-24 but sustained a knee injury in Game 1 of the postseason that ended his campaign. The injury, later revealed to be a complex issue with his popliteus muscle, also kept him on the sidelines through the first two months of 2024-25. Upon returning to the lineup, he wasn’t himself – posting a .881 SV% and a 2-1-3 record in seven starts before briefly exiting the lineup again with a back injury. That one only cost him a couple of starts, and he returned a week later. He logged an improved but still underwhelming .899 SV% in 10 appearances leading into the 4 Nations break.

In Vancouver’s final game before the break, Demko left midway through the first period of his start against the Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury and hasn’t played since. While unrelated to his popliteus muscle issues, it kept him off the ice for over a month. He only returned to practice as a full participant yesterday, but Friedman reports he’s been doing “a lot of work behind the scenes” in an attempt to return to play as soon as possible for the stretch run.

Demko’s return could make a considerable impact in the Western Conference wild-card race. Back-to-back losses have slashed Vancouver’s playoff chances to 11.3%, per MoneyPuck, now sitting five points back of the Blues with two games in hand, but the Flames are still ahead of them in the catch-up race. While Demko hasn’t been great this year, his season numbers are better than what Kevin Lankinen has given them since the break. After signing a five-year, $22.5MM extension last month, he’s posted a 5-6-1 record and a .885 SV% in 12 appearances. Fatigue has likely played a factor for Lankinen, who’s started 10 of Vancouver’s 11 games in March. His 44 starts and 46 appearances on the year are already career-highs by a significant margin.

Since we’re past the trade deadline, the Canucks won’t need to make a corresponding move to activate Demko from IR. Nonetheless, they’ll presumably return current backup Arturs Silovs to AHL Abbotsford unless they have a desire to carry three goalies.

Thatcher Demko Returns To Practice As Full Participant

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  • Thatcher Demko was a full participant in practice for the first time since being injured six weeks ago, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. Demko suffered a lower-body injury during Vancouver’s 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8th and has been on injured reserve since. With the Canucks just three points out of the final wild card spot in the west, the potential return of Demko would serve as a key reinforcement down the stretch. However, with just 12 games remaining in their season, it will be interesting to see how long it will take Demko to get the official greenlight to return to play.

Vancouver’s Hoglander And Pettersson Out Day-To-Day

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Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet stated that forwards Nils Hoglander and Elias Pettersson are each day-to-day, per NHL.com reporter Mike Morreale. Tocchet also added that Aatu Raty will likely join the team ahead of their matchup in New Jersey on Monday.

The status of Hoglander and Pettersson for tomorrow’s tilt against the Devils are not known, nor are the exact injuries they sustained. Both were unable to play in the third period of a 5-3 loss at the New York Rangers on Saturday, per an NHL release. Tocchet noted that both were, “pretty sore and banged up, so we’ll see what 24 hours does.” He added that he wasn’t sure if they’d be available against the Devils.

In 66 games, Hoglander has put up 21 points and a plus-6 rating in a bottom-six role. The 24-year-old was Vancouver’s second round choice in the 2019 draft and is coming off of a breakout season where he posted 24 goals and a plus-23 rating. While he hasn’t found that type of offensive success this year, he has established himself as a reliable depth piece for the Canucks moving forward.

Petterson, on the other hand, is clearly a staple to Vancouver’s success. The four-time all-star has posted five seasons with 30-plus goals with the Canucks and has registered 457 points in 471 career games. However, Petterson has struggled this season to the tune of 45 points in 64 games. He has recorded a minus-10 rating and has seen his career-high faceoff percentage of 50.8 last season dip down to 47.5 this year.

Despite Petterson and Hoglander’s dip in offense this season, the Canucks find themselves just three points out of the final wild card spot in the west. The team’s -17 goal differential speaks to their offensive struggles, but a return to health for both players will be key during the stretch run. The Canucks, who have 12 games remaining on the season, are already without center Filip Chytil (upper body).

The Canucks recalled Raty on Sunday in the event Hoglander or Petterson can’t go on Monday. He has appeared in 21 games with Vancouver this season, recording four points. He’s added an impressive 39 points in 41 games in the AHL.

Vancouver Canucks Recall Aatu Räty

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As expected, the Vancouver Canucks have had to make a recall for the injured Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander. Vancouver announced they’ve recalled center Aatu Räty from their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

Räty’s pathway to the NHL is a well-known story. The Oulu, Finland native was projected to be one of the top players available in the 2021 NHL Draft until a disappointing pre-draft campaign dropped him down to the 52nd overall pick. Although drafted by the New York Islanders, New York traded Räty to the Canucks after only a year and a half of play in the organization.

He spent all of last season with the AHL Canucks, scoring 18 goals and 52 points in 72 games, with another two goals and two assists in six postseason contests. Räty isn’t considered the best forward prospect in Vancouver’s system, but his play last year vaulted him up to a heavily relied-upon depth candidate.

Räty made the Canucks’ roster of training camp this season but was reassigned a few days later on October 16th. Räty has had the highest number of games played this season, with 21 NHL contests under his belt after several recalls. Still, the young forward hasn’t had much responsibility at the NHL level, registering two goals and two assists in those games, averaging 9:30 of ice time.

He’s enjoyed a far more production season in Abbotsford. Räty is the AHL Canucks leading scorer with 17 goals and 39 points in 41 games. Furthermore, it appears Räty will have another opportunity to increase his career-scoring totals in the Calder Cup playoffs with Abbotsford hanging on to third place in the AHL’s hotly-contested Pacific Division.

Elias Pettersson, Nils Höglander Out With Injuries

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The Vancouver Canucks lost a pair of forwards as the team shared Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander were pulled from today’s game against the New York Rangers due to injuries.

Nobody in the organization could provide meaningful updates to Pettersson or Höglander’s status. Still, Sportsnet’s Brendan Batchelor relayed an idea from head coach Rick Tocchet indicating Vancouver may need to recall a center before their game against the New Jersey Devils on Monday. The hypothetical recall will likely come in the form of Aatu Räty or Max Sasson should the Canucks need some help.

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Canucks Showed Interest In Josh Norris Before Trade Deadline

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While Ottawa ultimately moved center Josh Norris within the division when they traded him to the Sabres on trade deadline day this month, that wasn’t the only team they had serious talks with.  Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported earlier this week that the Sens held trade talks with the Canucks and Predators before the deadline but obviously, neither move materialized.  Nashville certainly had ample salary cap space to absorb his $7.95MM cap charge along with three first-round picks but didn’t have the young impact center to send that Buffalo did in Dylan Cozens.  Vancouver, meanwhile, would have been able to cover Norris’ cap charge as well (though longer term, it would have been a challenge) but also lacked the core center to go the other way with Elias Pettersson pulled out of trade talks before the deadline.

Canucks Notes: Tocchet, Boeser, Offseason Target, Celebrini

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Don’t expect to hear any news about a contract extension for Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet anytime soon.  Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre relays that the bench boss noted on local radio earlier this week that he has told management that he does not want to discuss a new deal at this time.  Instead, he wants to concentrate his focus on Vancouver’s playoff push.  The Canucks hold a club option on Tocchet’s contract for next season, one that’s expected to be exercised should a new deal not be reached in the meantime while Tocchet noted that his decision shouldn’t be construed as a lack of desire to remain behind the bench or a play for more leverage.

More from Vancouver:

  • The Canucks weren’t able to re-sign or find a suitable trade for Brock Boeser before the trade deadline earlier this month. Speaking with Pierre LeBrun in a piece for The Athletic (subscription link), GM Patrik Allvin wouldn’t rule out the possibility of further extension talks taking place even though the two sides weren’t close enough to hammer out a deal a couple of weeks ago, shifting them to focus toward a trade that didn’t materialize.  Boeser is having a bit of a quieter year, notching 20 goals and 21 assists through 61 games after potting 40 goals and 33 helpers just last season.  It’s believed that he turned down a five-year, roughly $40MM extension offer earlier in the season but it’s unclear what Vancouver’s most recent offer was.
  • While the Canucks picked up Filip Chytil as part of the J.T. Miller trade earlier this season, don’t be surprised if they add another center this summer. Allvin revealed in the same interview that “definitely we’ll do that in the offseason, whether that’s through trade or free-agent signing.”  Pius Suter is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer so if he departs, they will certainly have another opening down the middle to fill while Chytil’s concussion history will likely motivate them to get some more center depth as well.
  • Prospect Aiden Celebrini is expected to remain at Boston University next season, relays Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest. The 20-year-old defenseman was a sixth-round pick by Vancouver back in 2023, going 171st overall.  He’s close to wrapping up his sophomore year with the Terriers and has a goal and five assists through 26 games this season.  The Canucks hold Celebrini’s rights through August 15, 2027.

Canucks Sign Aku Koskenvuo To Entry-Level Contract

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The Vancouver Canucks have signed collegiate goaltender Aku Koskenvuo to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal comes after Koskenvuo’s junior year at Harvard University came to an end on Sunday. He was a strong goaltender until the very end of his collegiate career, making 47 saves on 49 shots in Harvard’s final game of the season. It was his fourth-consecutive start and second-consecutive overtime appearance. Koskenvuo made 138 saves on 147 shots in his last four games of the season.

Koskenvuo earned Harvard’s starting role through the latter half of this season, after spending his freshman year as the third-string and last season splitting starts. He climbed to the full-time role on the back of an 8-9-1 record, .902 save percentage, and 2.81 goals-against-average in 20 games this season. The stat line was a slight lateral step from his sophomore totals last year, when Koskenvuo managed a 5-6-4 record, .910 Sv%, and 2.95 GAA.

The Canucks drafted Koskenvuo in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, after his first full season in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja. In what was a shortened 2020-21 season, Koskenvuo posted a .893 Sv% and 2.92 GAA in 13 games with HIFK’s U20 club. He followed it up with a .897 Sv% and 2.79 GAA in 27 U20 games in 2021-22. Through the mix, Koskenvuo also served as a go-to option for Team Finland’s international juniors clubs. He recorded a .874 Sv% and 3-3-0 record in six games of the 2021 World U18 Championship; but cratered at the 2023 World Junior Championships with a .842 Sv% an 4.47 GAA en route to an 0-2-0 record.

Koskenvuo will join a crowded goalie room in the Canucks organization. He’ll spar for minutes with players like Arturs Silovs, Nikita Tolopilo, and Ty Young at the AHL level. Tolopilo has served as the starter for the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and has a .896 Sv% and 2.74 GAA in 30 appearances. Young leads the minor squad in save percentage, with a .905 in just nine AHL appearances.

Canucks Recall Linus Karlsson Under Emergency Conditions

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The Canucks announced today they’ve recalled forward Linus Karlsson from AHL Abbotsford under emergency conditions. Neither Filip Chytil nor Conor Garland are expected to play tonight against the Jets after missing the morning skate, per Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650, so Karlsson’s presence is necessary for them to have 12 healthy forwards.

Chytil’s absence is clear after the center entered concussion protocol over the weekend, but Garland didn’t miss a shift in Sunday’s outing against Utah. He hasn’t missed a game since the 2022-23 campaign. Head coach Rick Tocchet adds he’ll be a game-time decision with an undisclosed injury (via Harman Dayal of The Athletic).

Karlsson, fresh off a one-year extension, comes up to fill the void and will skate on the third line with Drew O’Connor and Teddy Blueger. The 25-year-old has nine NHL games under his belt this year, but tonight will be his first appearance since Feb. 4. He has one goal during that stretch – his first NHL point – while recording eight shots on net and averaging 9:59 per game.

The 6’1″ Swede continues to be a productive minor-leaguer for the Canucks. His 1.13 points per game (21-13–34 in 30 GP) rank third among AHL skaters with at least 25 games played, trailing only vets Vinnie Hinostroza and Andrew Poturalski. Outright, his 21 goals are tied for 15th in the league.

Karlsson remains waivers-exempt for the rest of the season, but that status will disappear in 2025-26. If he doesn’t make Vancouver’s opening night roster next season, he’ll be offered to the rest of the league before he can be returned to Abbotsford.

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