In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, Elias Lindholm makes his Canucks debut on Feb. 6. Meanwhile, the organization still has interest in Phil Kessel. Additionally, Quinn Hughes is among the elite defencemen in the league today and in the history of the NHL.
Lindholm Makes Canucks Debut
Lindholm made his Canucks debut against the team that drafted him with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Swedish forward didn’t take long to make an impression, as he scored two power-play goals in the club’s 3-2 win.
The Canucks acquired the forward on Jan. 31 from their division rivals, the Calgary Flames. His teammates and coach praised him for his skill and high IQ, as both were on display on Feb. 6.
“Just at the end, that blocked shot, knowing when to be aggressive and when not to be, you can tell. When you go through the tape tomorrow, you’ll see hockey IQ plays,” Rick Tocchet said. “He was great tonight for us.”
Canucks Are Interested in Kessel
Rick Dhaliwal said the Canucks are still poking around on unrestricted free agent Kessel. The 36-year-old forward is coming off a Stanley Cup-winning season with the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring 14 goals and posting 36 points in 82 regular season games and adding two assists in four playoff games.
Kessel has a history with president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford and head coach Tocchet. Rutherford acquired Kessel as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, which ultimately helped the club win two Cups back-to-back, while Tocchet was an assistant coach. Tocchet also coached Kessel with the Arizona Coyotes and recently said there’s value in the forward, and he believes Kessel can still play. Kessel also said he wants to play and has a desire to play the game he loves.
“Obviously, I don’t feel old or anything like that,” Kessel said. “So, you know, I enjoy playing every game, and I’m looking forward to next year, wherever I’m at, and continuing my career.”
The 2006 fifth overall draft pick holds the league record for 1064 consecutive games played, which is still alive. He is willing to sign without assurance the streak will live. Through 1286 NHL games, he has 413 goals and 992 points and has 34 goals and 83 points in 100 playoff games.
Hughes Among Elite Defenceman
Hughes assisted on both of Lindholm’s goals against the Hurricanes. He now has 64 points in 54 games on the season, joining the NHL’s elite blueliners. Hughes is tied with Erik Karlsson for the most points through 50 games in the salary cap era at 64. Cale Makar could beat both players as he is on pace for 65 points in 50 games this season.
Related: Adding Elias Lindholm Benefits Canucks in Multiple Ways
Hughes is on pace for 105 points in 82 games, which would make him the first Canuck blueliner to reach the mark. Karlsson is the only defenceman who has reached the 100-point milestone in the salary cap era and the first to do it since Brian Leetch posted 102 points in 80 games in 1991-92. Hughes could join other 100-point defencemen in Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Leetch, and Karlsson. Also, Hughes is three points away from having the fifth most points by a Canucks defenceman.
Demko Earns Ninth Straight Win
Demko strung together 22 saves in the club’s win against Carolina. As a result of the win, Demko now has nine straight wins, tying Dan Cloutier’s streak from the 2002-23 season. He can break the streak with a 10th straight win in his next start.
The 28-year-old started the streak against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 6. Additionally, he’s had one regulation loss since Dec. 9, giving him a 15-1-1 record over that time. Demko has 27 wins (tied for first), a .920 save percentage (third), 2.43 goals against average (tied for third), and five shutouts (tied for second). He is among the league’s front-runners for the Vezina Trophy.
Bowness Praises Tocchet
Former Canucks assistant coach and current Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness praised Tocchet and the success the Canucks are having this season. During a segment on the 32 Thought Podcast, Bowness said the team is well-balanced, well-coached, and will be a tough opponent for them.
“I love what he’s done, going in there, you see more structure, you see more compete,” he said. “And you see them play more as a team — they’re playing for each other out there and it’s very obvious. They play a high-tempo game, they’re putting pressure on you all over the ice, obviously they can score goals and they’re doing a much better job defensively because of the structure that Rick and his staff have put in there.
“Since he’s taken over, it’s a remarkable turnaround and it’s a credit to Rick and his staff. But man, they’re a really good team — they’re legitimate, they can score, they can defend and you don’t go anywhere in our league without great goaltending and they get that as well.”
Bowness served as an assistant coach for the Canucks from the 2006-07 season to 2012-13 before joining the Tampa Bay Lightning and then the Dallas Stars as an assistant. He later became the head coach of the Stars, leading the club to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, and finally, joining the Winnipeg Jets in 2022-23. The Canucks will take on Bowness and the Jets on Feb. 17 for the first time this season.
Bains Named AHL All-Star Game MVP
Arshdeep Bains represented the Abbotsford Canucks at the 2024 American Hockey League (AHL) All-Star Challenge. He led all players with five points, scoring two goals and three assists. Bains made his first AHL All-Star appearance in his second season.
Bains is having an impressive season with nine goals and 39 points in 40 games. He signed a three-year deal with the Canucks in March 2022, and he could make his NHL debut next season.
