The Olympic break is supposed to be a breather, but if you follow the Vancouver Canucks, there’s never a quiet day. Between Filip Hronek gearing up for a major role with Team Czechia, a young prospect finally finding his game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and another one tearing up the Western Hockey League (WHL), there’s no shortage of storylines to keep an eye on. It’s one of those stretches where the NHL team might be off, but everything around the organization feels like it’s moving fast.
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This week, especially, has been a reminder of how wide the Canucks’ footprint is right now. Veterans are stepping into leadership roles on the international stage, while prospects in junior hockey are either finding a spark or flat-out dominating. If you’re trying to get a sense of where the organization is heading—short term and long term—these three stories offer a nice little snapshot.
Item One: Filip Hronek Set to Anchor Czechia’s Blue Line in Milan
Filip Hronek rolls into the Olympics looking exactly like the kind of defender you want in a short, high-pressure tournament. Even with Vancouver’s season going off the rails, he’s been the steady heartbeat on the back end—calm touches, smart decisions, and a whole lot of responsibility without any drama attached.
With Quinn Hughes now on fire with the Minnesota Wild, Hronek’s had to take on more of everything, and he’s handled it well. Wearing an “A,” logging tough minutes, and putting up 32 points in 57 games, he’s been one of the few constants the Canucks can lean on.
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International play isn’t new territory for him. Five World Championships plus multiple U20 events have basically made him immune to the nerves that hit most players when the games start to matter. He doesn’t chase offence, but he knows when to push. He doesn’t try to force big hits, but he’s strong enough to win battles. It’s just solid defensive hockey. And that’s exactly why Czechia will lean on him to stabilize its blue line. In tournaments where one mistake can flip everything, Hronek is the player you trust to keep things calm.
Item Two: Gabe Chiarot Puts Up His First Multi-Point Game
Gabe Chiarot badly needed a game like this, and he finally got it. His goal and two assists in the Kitchener Rangers’ 5–2 win over the London Knights were his first multi-point effort since being traded from the Brampton Steelheads in late December. It hasn’t been the smoothest move for him. When he entered a new environment, faced new expectations, and encountered different systems, his production dipped. Before Tuesday’s breakout, he had only eight points in 17 games with his new club.
But his overall season is trending up. He’s at 33 points in 48 games, which already beats last year’s pace. That tells you there’s still growth happening even if the transition hasn’t been easy. Tuesday night was a reminder of what he looks like when everything syncs: confident, involved, and driving play. If this is the start of him settling in, Kitchener could see a lot more of that version down the stretch.
Item Three: Braeden Cootes Is Taking Over the WHL
While Chiarot is only just now finding his footing, Braeden Cootes is over in the WHL, kicking down the door. His latest highlight was a three-point night against the Brandon Wheat Kings—one goal, two assists. It’s just the latest chapter in his hot run. Across his time with the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Prince Albert Raiders this season, he’s up to 47 points in 33 games. That’s 19 goals and 28 assists, plus a sharp plus-17 rating. He looks like a player who knows exactly what he wants to do every shift.
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Since landing in Prince Albert, he’s turned it up even more. His Feb. 7 game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes might have been his best yet, where he added another three points. Beyond the points, what stands out is how complete his game is starting to look. He’s scoring, setting up teammates, and holding his own defensively.
If he keeps this pace up, the Canucks will have an interesting conversation on their hands this fall. He was close to NHL-ready last offseason, and now he’s starting to look like a player who might force the issue.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
The big takeaway this week is how much depth and potential the Canucks have scattered across hockey’s different corners. Hronek is about to step into one of the biggest stages of his career. Chiarot might finally be finding his groove in Kitchener, and Cootes is blowing the doors off the WHL.
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None of these stories solves the challenges Vancouver is facing right now, but together they paint a picture of a team with building blocks at every level. There’s no guarantee how any of these paths end, but for now, the future feels far more interesting than the present. And with the season Vancouver’s had, that’s not a bad place to be.
