The Vancouver Canucks might be out of the playoff picture, but they’re not out of the story. They head into California to face the Los Angeles Kings with a chance to play spoiler — that’s their role now. With games still coming against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver has a direct say in how the Western Conference race shakes out.
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The Kings are pushing for a playoff spot and playing like it. The Canucks, on the other hand, are coming in on a losing streak and, more concerning, struggling to generate anything resembling consistent offence. Eleven shots in their last game tells you how ineffective their offence has been. The team is having trouble getting to its game at all. If Vancouver is going to have any say in this race, the effort level has to rise.
Item One: Max Sasson Is Making His Case Late in the Season
If you’re looking for a bright spot, Max Sasson is one. In a season that’s had more than its share of frustrating nights, he’s put together a stretch that matters. He scored the lone goal in the loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and now has two goals and two assists in his last four games. On this roster right now, it stands out.
Not long ago, Sasson looked like a player who might be on the outside looking in. That’s changed. He’s worked his way back into the conversation with steady play. Thirteen goals and 19 points on the season tell you he can contribute. More importantly, he’s doing it at a time when the team needs to see who can handle NHL minutes.
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And that’s really what the Canucks are doing right now: they’re chasing answers. Sasson is giving them one, or at least forcing them to think about him differently heading into next season.
Item Two: Quinn Hughes Grew Frustrated With Team’s Direction
There’s also a more serious storyline bubbling under the surface, and it involves Quinn Hughes. According to Rick Dhaliwal, before he was traded, Hughes had grown uneasy with how the organization had handled some of its key people over the past few seasons.
The names mentioned included Bruce Boudreau, Rick Tocchet, and goalie coach Ian Clark. Hughes reportedly watched how those situations played out and didn’t like what he saw. Tocchet, in particular, was said to be his favourite coach. When players at that level start to notice patterns — and start to feel uneasy about them — it matters.
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Now, is this something that turns into a bigger issue with Hughes gone? That’s a question for the organization. But even the hint of frustration from a player like Hughes should get their full attention. You can live with a bad season. What you can’t afford is a disconnect between your best player and the direction of the franchise.
At the trade deadline, the Canucks signalled a shift. Moving players like Kiefer Sherwood, Tyler Myers, and Conor Garland brought back a pile of draft picks that included four seconds, plus a third and a fourth. On paper, that looks like a team patiently preparing to build.
But that patience might not last long. According to Thomas Drance, the Canucks could look to flip some of those picks this summer for younger players who are already NHL-ready. That’s a different approach. It’s not a rebuild per se. It’s more of a retool on the fly. Instead of waiting three or four years, you try to find players who can help now.
Names like Justin Sourdif, Trevor Zegras, and Egor Chinakhov have been tossed around as examples of that type of move. Young players who might need a change of scenery but still have upside. It’s a bit of a gamble, but it’s also a way to speed things up if you believe your core is ready.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
Right now, this is about evaluation and a bit of pride. Head coach Adam Foote is still trying to find some consistency, and that hasn’t been easy in a season like this. Effort has come and gone, and the home record hasn’t done them any favours either.
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But these last games matter more than they look. This is where you figure out who can play, who can’t, and who might surprise you. It’s where guys like Sasson get a real shot, not just a cameo. It’s where you experiment a little and see what sticks.
And maybe most importantly, it’s where you start to reset expectations. The playoffs aren’t coming, but next season will. How the Canucks finish — how they compete, how they respond — will tell you a lot about what kind of team this is going to be when the games actually matter again.
