Heading into the 2023-24 season, multiple players have a chance to step up for the Vancouver Canucks. Some players will take a step and reach a career-high, while others will regress. Nils Hoglander is a candidate to be one of the Canucks’ breakout players this season. The 2019 second-round pick could post a career year after an up-and-down start to his time in the NHL.
Impressive Rookie Season
After being drafted by the Canucks with the 40th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, Hoglander cracked the main roster in the 2020-21 season after impressing at training camp. With Tyler Toffoli heading to Montreal, the Canucks had an opening on their top six, which Hoglander won. He impressed former head coach Travis Green with his ability to battle and fight for the puck.
“His willingness to compete and compete in hard areas, that’s probably the thing that stands out to me,” Green said. “There’s no way he could win puck battles the way he does if he wasn’t brave and wasn’t playing without fear, which is easier said than done. The skill and the plays he makes with the puck, those are the easy things to see. But his nature, that competitiveness, is probably the biggest thing for me.”
The 2019 second-rounder continued to show off his speed and skill throughout the remainder of the season and won the team’s Pavel Bure Most Exciting Player Award. He finished the season with a career-high 13 goals (fourth most on the team) and 27 points (third most) in 56 games. However, Hoglander couldn’t replicate his rookie season success the following year.
NHL Disappointment & Rebound in AHL
The sophomore slump hit Hoglander hard in his second NHL season. He went from playing a top-six role and being praised by Green to a reduced role and criticism from new head coach Bruce Boudreau. The Canucks fired Green in December 2021 and hired Boudreau to replace him. The newly named head coach commented on Hoglander’s game, saying he has potential but needs to improve.
“He’s got some scoring potential, but he needs to learn how to play the game,” Boudreau said. “He’s still a young kid, quite frankly, and I don’t know, someday he might score 40 goals, but if you’re going to hover around the 20-goal mark, you better learn to play both ends of the ice.
“As a guy that played overseas, he’s still learning that game. There’s a lot of things that he could do better, but his natural talent is definitely there.”
Hoglander finished the season with 10 goals and 18 points in 60 games. The 2022-23 season wasn’t any better for the forward in the NHL. He struggled for the 25 games he played on the main roster, posting three goals and six points. As a result, the Canucks sent him down to the American Hockey League (AHL) in mid-Decemeber. Instead of going down to the minors and being disappointed, Hoglander made the most of his opportunity in Abbotsford. He spent time with head coach Jeremy Colliton and Hall of Famers Henrik and Daniel Sedin. The forward said he gained confidence and improved his puck management, something Bourdeau criticized him for.
Related: Canucks Training Camp Important for a Good Start to 2023-24
“When I have (the puck) in different situations, I know what I’ve got to do with it,” Hoglander said. “I want to play more physical, especially when I play with these two guys, Kuz and Elias. Win some puck battles; I know I can play physical, too. I think that I can bring that to a game. I feel a lot of confidence out there that, I think, is from last year being in the (AHL) playoffs. Down there, I think I built up a lot of confidence. I feel good.”
The forward posted 14 goals and 32 points in 45 games in the regular season while scoring three goals and adding three assists in six playoff games.
Coaching Change Leads to Big Minutes in Preseason
With Rick Tocchet taking over as head coach, Hoglander could become a player the coach loves to use. Hoglander didn’t have an opportunity to play under the new head coach when he took over in January. However, Tocchet discussed what he wanted his young players to bring to the team in the offseason, saying they need to play with enthusiasm.
“Chasing pucks down, winning puck battles. I think young guys add that to the team,” Tocchet said. “Even in practice in the doldrums of the season sometimes in practices, guys are a little bit tired or whatever, if you got a young guy out there buzzing around… those energy bunnies.
“Can they be the first on the forecheck, can they get the crowd going at Rogers? Those are the things you want these young guys to do, just add a little bit of spice and life to your team. Obviously, they have skill sets, but one thing for me is whether can they be really good forecheckers for us. That would be huge for me, if I could get those young guys, we’d be a good forechecking group.”
Tocchet’s description sounds exactly like what Hoglander brings to the team. The forward plays with high energy and has learned how to win puck battles and play physical hockey during his time in the AHL. Additionally, his placement in training camp is an indication of how the coach views him. With Ilya Mikheyev slowly rejoining the team after returning from injury, the head coach placed Hoglander on the top line along with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko. He also received minutes on the top power-play unit in the team’s game against the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 27.
New Found Confidence & Coach Will Help Hoglander
After an impressive rookie season, Hoglander struggled to reproduce and build on his success the following seasons. He didn’t meet Boudreau’s expectations and spent time in the AHL. With the time Hoglander spent in the AHL, he said he’s confident in his puck management skills and brings a lot of what Tocchet looks for in a young player. The forward has an opportunity to seal a roster spot and even a chance to play on the first line. If everything goes right for Hoglander, he can have a breakout season.
