Predicting the Canucks’ Top Scorers in 2026-27

If you think that the Vancouver Canucks are going to have some elite scorers on their squad in 2026-27, you should temper your expectations. They are likely to be one of the lowest-scoring clubs next season, even with new head coach Manny Malhotra bringing his more player-oriented approach to the organization. Still, while the Canucks arguably have less talent to go around on the roster this season compared to last, several players also look to take a step forward, or in the case of several of the veterans, bounce back.

Here are who we project to be the Canucks’ top five point scorers, with an estimated point total at the end of each section.

1. Elias Pettersson

Some may be surprised to hear that Elias Pettersson actually led the team last season in points with 51 in 74 games. Unfortunately, he’s expected to be a player capable of touching triple digits, and instead was the team scoring leader with the second-lowest point total in 2025-26, only edging out Matt Coronato of the Calgary Flames.

While there have been trade rumours out there, including talks that he may end up with the Los Angeles Kings, it’s fair to assume he likely starts the season with the Canucks. With the $11.6 million per year contract he’s on and the organization not needing to move off him at the moment, it also seems there’s a real chance he’s a Canuck for the full season. Pettersson has hit 102 points in the past, and while that will almost certainly go down as a career season, he’s had an 89-point campaign and another that could’ve been in that range in 2019-20, had that season not been shortened.

The most realistic expectation is that Pettersson has some form of bounce-back, as he’s too skilled not to.  Breaking 80-plus points also seems unlikely, though, especially with a supporting cast that will struggle to help him generate offense.

Prediction: Pettersson produces 66 points.

2. Zeev Buium

Zeev Buium’s outlook in 2026-27 is a little bit difficult to evaluate. He’s still young and relatively inexperienced, but all the makings of a breakout are there.

We saw Buium’s role shuffled around a decent amount last season, but he ended the campaign as the quarterback for the first power-play unit and on the top pairing. Offense has always been one of Buium’s biggest strengths, as he put up a 50-point season with the University of Denver in his draft year and notched 11 points in 14 World Junior Championship games.

Second in points may be a lofty expectation for someone so young, but with scoring defensemen across the league seeing their numbers climb in recent seasons, it doesn’t feel too out of the ordinary. This could look somewhat similar next season to what Bowen Byram is expected to be in Chicago, where Buium, with the full reins to the power play, could put up offensive numbers significantly above the common projections.

Prediction: Buium records 53 points.

3. Brock Boeser

Brock Boeser feels like a smart choice for a slight bounce-back candidate in 2026-27. His point totals last season were pretty lackluster, only putting up 22 goals and 48 points. This wouldn’t really be bad for a complementary scorer on a basement team, but considering it was just the first season of a contract that will span seven years, it was tough to see.

As mentioned previously, Boeser is a solid complementary piece. He’s had his highest scoring seasons when paired with other productive players. Going into 2026-27, that may not be the case, but there seems to be reason to believe that if the team as a whole gets better production, Boeser will have more chances to showcase his great finishing skills.

Prediction: Boeser records 52 points, and we predict he leads the team in goals with 27. 

4. Jake DeBrusk

A lot of what was said about Boeser can describe Jake DeBrusk’s outlook. We ranked Boeser higher due to the higher ceiling and better track record, though DeBrusk may have more skill with driving play.

There’s also the question of how long DeBrusk sticks with the team, as his name has been circulated in trade rumours for months. This projection assumes he rides out at least the season with the Canucks, but if there is an offer on the table for him near the 2027 Trade Deadline, it would be hard to think the team would turn it down, unless he uses his no-move clause. With that said, DeBrusk is a pretty solid winger who has been somewhat miscast on this Canucks team, and you can expect him to at the very least give the team 40-plus points if he remains healthy and on the roster.

Prediction: DeBrusk records 46 points.

5. Filip Hronek

Filip Hronek impressively was second on the team in points in 2025-26 with 49. This was a career-best output that came off the back of him becoming the team’s bona fide number-one defenseman following the trade of Quinn Hughes. With the emergence of Buium, Hronek will probably take a bit of a step back scoring-wise.

Prediction: Filip Hronek records 41 points.

Other Possibilities

While this list is made up of mostly established veterans (with one exception), some of the Canucks’ young and/or unheralded players always could make the leap. Braeden Cootes will possibly make the team and has the skill set to be a solid complementary scoring center. Linus Karlsson was surprisingly potent on the attack in 2025-26, and there’s always a chance, albeit a slim one, that he takes another major step forward when it comes to production.