There’s no doubt the Vancouver Canucks carried the play in their latest game. From the opening faceoff, they were on the front foot again — fast, organized, and generating the kind of early looks that usually tilt a game. Ten shots in the first period, multiple high-danger chances, long stretches where the Utah Mammoth couldn’t get out of its own zone… it was all there.
Everything except the part that matters. No matter what the Canucks threw at Karel Vejmelka, he turned it aside. Chest, pads, shoulder — it didn’t matter. The big Utah goaltender absorbed everything, looking more like a wall than a netminder. The Canucks couldn’t get much past him — just a single goal. He stopped 32 of 33 shots on net in a 4–1 win.
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This wasn’t a 4–1 game in any way except the scoreboard. Vancouver pushed, carried the pace, and kept the puck where they wanted it, but Vejmelka stole the night. When you’re sitting where the Canucks are in the standings, those kinds of losses probably feel even heavier. You can see they’re engaged and playing with purpose, but when a goalie is in that kind of zone, it tightens the bench and turns each missed chance into another layer of frustration. Another strong start, another step forward in the effort, and still no payoff.
Item One: Linus Karlsson Quietly Has His Strongest NHL Game Yet
If you’re looking for a silver lining in a night where almost nothing went right on the scoreboard, Linus Karlsson provided it. This might have been his sharpest NHL performance so far. He looked a lot like the player who carried long stretches for the American Hockey League (AHL) Abbotsford Canucks during their Calder Cup run.
He read the ice well, shoulder-checking before receiving passes, and made the kind of little touch plays that create scoring chances even when they don’t get finished. His timing was sharp, and the puck seemed to follow him around.
Karlsson didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he absolutely justified the coaching staff bumping him to the top line after a stretch of five goals in his last 11 games. He drove play instead of reacting to it. He won small-area battles, fought to keep possessions alive, and showed the kind of poise that suggests he’s growing into even more responsibility. On a team starving for finish, his hockey intelligence and second efforts were noticeable.
What’s interesting is how he’s changed his own identity as a player. During the intermission between the second and third period, Canucks’ analyst Landon Ferraro shared that Karlsson wasn’t a net-front guy until Vancouver’s development staff pushed him there. He used to run the half wall, but as competition tightened, he leaned into the crease-area role.
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Now that’s a strength for Karlsson. His quick hands, clever positioning, and patience in tight spaces are habits that translate well. Even without a goal, Karlsson is pointed in the right direction.
Item Two: Elias Pettersson Back to Playing on Instinct
Over this recent stretch, Elias Pettersson has started to look like himself again — not the hesitant, wait-and-see version, but the downhill attacker who forces defenders to scramble. He’s taking pucks inside, pushing tempo, and playing on instinct instead of overthinking situations. When he plays that way, Vancouver’s entire offence sharpens.
What’s really stood out is his physical engagement. He’s not chasing hits, but he’s leaning on defenders on entries, protecting pucks, and staying involved in all three zones. Almost every dangerous chance Vancouver generated against Utah had his fingerprints on it, even if he wasn’t the one taking the shot. He’s trying to pull the team forward shift by shift.
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Coaches have pushed him to simplify his first touch. Get the puck, take three hard strides, and then make the play. You can see that advice taking root. When Pettersson attacks like this, the Canucks look faster, more purposeful, and far more threatening. If he keeps playing on instinct, more goals will follow.
Item Three: Nils Höglander Nearing a Much-Needed Return
After missing the entire start of the season with a lower-body injury, Nils Höglander may finally be close to rejoining the lineup. Head coach Adam Foote suggested he could return as soon as Dec. 11 against the Buffalo Sabres, and the fact he’s now traveling with the team is the clearest sign yet that his rehab is winding down.
Höglander isn’t a headline player, but he fills a lot of middle-six minutes with energy and pace. Last season, he played 72 games and chipped in eight goals and 17 assists while throwing 76 hits — the kind of numbers that don’t show up in highlight packages but matter to coaches who want pressure and engagement. Foote’s been asking for more spark and more consistent forechecking. Höglander brings exactly that.
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The real trick will be how quickly he can get up to speed after missing two months. Lines have shifted, roles have changed, and the Canucks need players who can help immediately. If he returns looking like his usual self — disruptive, quick, and always around the puck — he’ll give Vancouver one more much-needed jolt.
Item Four: Thatcher Demko Eyeing Dec. 11 Return
Vancouver might get another key piece back on the same night. Thatcher Demko, out with a lower-body issue, is tentatively aiming for that Dec. 11 matchup against Buffalo as well. He’ll miss the next three games, but the timeline is at least firming up.
Demko’s season hasn’t been spotless. His record is 5–4–0 with a .903 save percentage. However, he still brings the kind of steadiness the Canucks rely on. With him out, Kevin Lankinen has carried the load and done his best, while Nikita Tolopilo has slid into the backup role. They’ve kept things afloat, but neither offers the same margin for error that Demko provides.
Getting Demko back won’t fix everything, but it will settle the crease at a time when Vancouver needs stability more than anything. This is the stretch of the season where standings start to harden; the Canucks can’t afford to fall further behind.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
Not much time to dwell on this game; Vancouver skates against the Minnesota Wild tomorrow night. A back-to-back might or might not be ideal when frustration is already hanging over the group, but sometimes a quick turnaround is what a team needs. They’ve shown effort, structure, and engagement. Now they need a bounce to go with it.
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If the Canucks can bring the same pressure and add even a little finish, they’ll give themselves a chance to reset this skid before it grows heavier.
