The NHL preseason often doesn’t get much respect. The games don’t count, the results vanish when the puck drops on opening night, and most veterans are just trying to stay healthy. But for the Vancouver Canucks, this preseason is different. General Manager Patrik Allvin put it well in a conversation with Dan Murphy during the intermissions of Sunday night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.
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In a conversation with Dan Murphy during the intermissions of last night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, General Manager Patrik Allvin noted that, for the Canucks, these early games are about much more than exhibition hockey. It’s about shaping a competitive core, making sure the team isn’t built on flashes of talent but on sustainable, repeatable play.
Young Canucks’ Players Are Forcing Their Way In
This preseason has given young Canucks the opportunity to step up. Prospects like Aatu Räty (who scored a goal against the Oilers), Arshdeep Bains, and others aren’t just filling roster spots for practice — they’re auditioning. Allvin’s message has been sharp: if you want a job, grab it.
Braeden Cootes is also making an early impression, chipping in two goals and three points through three games while showing poise well beyond his age. Logging over 15 minutes a night and winning draws at an impressive 55.6% clip, he’s proving he can already handle NHL pace and pressure. He scored again last night – a dirty little goal that came from being in the right spot.
This is how NHL teams stay competitive. They ensure competition is constant and no roster spot is ever handed out. This is a refreshing change for the Canucks after years when their depth chart felt predictable and stagnant.
Canucks Are Building Systems and Habits That Stick
Allvin also stressed identity. It isn’t enough for the Canucks to rely on their stars to carry them night after night. What matters is structure — the defensive layers, the forecheck pressure, the neutral zone discipline. Those are the things that turn a team from one with dangerous pieces into one that’s consistently hard to play against.
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New head coach Adam Foote has been hammering those points from the bench, but it only matters if the habits stick through preseason and into the grind of the regular season.
Canucks’ Backbone Is in the Crease
Then there’s Thatcher Demko. Allvin didn’t hide from it: Demko is the backbone of his group. When he’s at his best and healthy, he gives the Canucks a chance every night.
But it’s more than saves now — Demko has become a leader, a standard-setter. He’s the type of goalie who calms a bench down when things get chaotic. If Vancouver is going to make the jump from hopeful to legitimate, Demko’s presence will be at the center of it.
Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes: Stars With Responsibility
Of course, no discussion of the Canucks’ core can omit Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. They’re the twin engines, but their responsibility is growing. Hughes, now wearing the “C,” has to turn his skating and playmaking into a model for how the rest of the defence corps carries itself.
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Pettersson, meanwhile, has to blend his offensive brilliance with consistency and compete in all three zones. Allvin’s interview with Murphy made it clear: the organization isn’t content with stars who shine alone. They want stars who elevate the entire group.
Canucks Are Building Depth Around Their Core
Allvin also emphasized the team’s depth. The Canucks don’t just need more out of the top six or top four; they need production and reliability from the middle of the lineup. That’s where players like Kiefer Sherwood and Conor Garland matter. It’s where the further development of Nils Höglander and Jake DeBrusk could boost their secondary scoring.
(Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
Building depth is also a reason why prospects are being given a longer runway this preseason. Championships aren’t won with just a top line — they’re won when the third line chips in and the second pair defends tough minutes.
Canucks’ Management Is Taking the Long View
Finally, Allvin pointed out something that Canucks fans should hold onto: this isn’t just about October. Preseason is the first brick in a wall that will need to stand all season. The front office is aiming at sustainability, not streaks.
That means no shortcuts. The goal is to develop a competitive core that doesn’t just challenge in one year, but grows stronger season after season. That’s the long view the management is taking.
Canucks’ Bigger Picture Is Balancing With the Preseason Grind
So, while some might dismiss preseason games as meaningless, the Canucks’ approach tells a different story. Management views these games as spaces where identity is shaped, where young players take their first real shot, and where systems are tested before the real games begin.
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In Allvin’s words, the preseason has been about competition and culture — two things the franchise has struggled to get right in the past. If they’re successful, the Canucks won’t just start the season strong. They’ll have planted the seeds of a team identity that can finally hold up under the weight of expectation. That’s what the preseason is really about.
