Canucks News & Rumours: Öhgren Surge, Buium Questions & What’s Next

The Vancouver Canucks made one of the biggest moves in franchise history when they sent Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. Whether that trade ultimately works or not won’t be decided for years. What it does mean, however, is that the organization is entering a new phase. The spotlight naturally falls on the stars, but successful teams are often built around younger players who quietly take major steps forward.

Today, I wanted to look at two of those players. One is a young winger who may be ready for a bigger offensive role. The other is a young defenseman who might be showing some of the same traits that made Hughes so intriguing before he became one of the NHL’s elite blueliners.

Why Liam Öhgren Could Be Ready for a Breakout in 2026-27

The Canucks may have a quietly emerging winger in Liam Öhgren. His raw numbers from last season—eight goals and 15 points in 59 games—won’t make anyone think a star is arriving. But sometimes the numbers underneath the numbers tell a more interesting story.

After arriving from Minnesota, Öhgren steadily earned the coaching staff’s trust. Following Conor Garland’s departure, he began moving up the lineup, seeing time on the second line and eventually getting looks alongside top offensive players. His ice time climbed toward 18 minutes a night, and he continued producing despite receiving very few power-play opportunities.

What I like most is that Öhgren’s game isn’t built around one thing. He shoots the puck, he finishes checks, and he seems willing to play the harder areas of the ice. His 82 shots and 61 hits suggest a player who is engaged rather than waiting for offence to find him. That’s often the profile of a young winger before the point totals start catching up.

The biggest clue may have come late in the season. Four of his eight goals came during March as his role expanded. That’s not enough to declare a breakout, but it’s enough to notice a trend. At 22 years old, Öhgren is entering the age when many NHL forwards begin turning potential into production. If he opens next season in a top-six role and receives regular power-play minutes, a 20-goal season doesn’t feel unrealistic at all.

Does Zeev Buium Remind Anyone Else of a Young Quinn Hughes?

Let’s get the obvious part out of the way first. Zeev Buium is not Hughes. Still, when I watch Buium’s development and see how the Canucks are using him, I can’t help but notice a few similarities to the early stages of Hughes’ career. Not in terms of talent level, but in the organizational signals he’s already flashing.

Buium is only 20 years old, yet he was already playing close to 20 minutes per night and receiving top-four responsibilities. Coaches don’t hand those minutes out because they’re feeling generous. Young defencemen have to earn them. His 26 points in 75 games aren’t eye-popping, but 13 of those came on the power play. That tells me the Canucks already trust his puck-moving ability and offensive instincts.

The other thing that stands out is the patience Vancouver has shown with him. Buium’s minus-33 rating wasn’t pretty, but the organization continued giving him opportunities. That’s often what happens when a team believes the long-term upside outweighs the short-term mistakes. Before Hughes became a Norris Trophy winner, he also had to learn where the NHL game could punish him defensively.

No one should expect Buium to become Hughes. That’s an impossible standard. But if he continues developing as a puck-moving, offensively gifted defenseman who can handle increasing responsibility, the Canucks may have acquired a far more valuable piece in the Hughes trade than many people initially believed.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

One thing I’ve learned watching hockey over the years is that organizations rarely move forward in a straight line. Sometimes the biggest stories aren’t the blockbuster trades or the expensive free-agent signings. Often, they’re the young players who quietly become more important than anyone expected.

That’s why Öhgren and Buium are worth watching. Neither player is a finished product. But both also showed signs last season that the Canucks may have more young talent on the way than many people realize.

If Vancouver is going to build a successful next chapter, it will happen because several young players take meaningful steps forward at the same time. Öhgren and Buium might be two of the most important names on that list.