Throughout a tumultuous 2024–25 season, the Vancouver Canucks saw 18 new players join their lineup via trade, AHL call-up, or free agency. 14 of these players remained with the team until the end of the regular season. During the team’s year-end media availability, some of these players reflected on their experiences with the team.
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Jake DeBrusk signed a five-year contract with the Canucks on July 1, 2024. He ended the season as the team’s leading goal scorer with 28 in 82 games. This marks a new career high for him, despite occasionally going through some cold stretches.
“It was a pretty crazy one,” he said of his first year in Vancouver. “There’s lots of things that happened throughout the whole season. The first year here, these guys used everything there’s some highs and lows. But at the same point, you know, I think that obviously you don’t get to the playoffs. I think that’s my game plan was to try to help win. And, you know, unfortunately, we’re sitting here talking.”
Another free-agent signing who reached career-highs in his first year with the Canucks was Kiefer Sherwood, who will be a free agent come the end of the 2025–26 season. Sherwood broke both personal, franchise, and league records this season. He scored a career-high of 19 goals, including his first NHL hat trick, and had his first 40-point season. As well, he smashed hit record after hit record, ultimately setting a new NHL high in hits made in one season with 462.
“Just that it’s been a lot of ups and downs. I think emotionally, spent a lot this season dealing with, you know, all the adversity that our team faced, but I think as players, you just try to go about your business, put one foot in front of the other, and take it day by day. Always just trying to find the next game or next opportunity to kind of grow yourself and build something special here,” he said during his season-ending media availability.
Despite some of the drama and disappointment of this season, Sherwood is optimistic about what 2025–26 has in store. “We’ve got a lot of things that we’re looking forward to. We faced so much stuff this year and we were right on the brink of playoffs. Overall, I think it sucks to not be in the playoffs, but we’re in a good spot because the fire in our belly is probably gonna get a little bit bigger this summer. And I think everyone can look in the mirror and be a little bit more accountable and figure out where we’re gonna be better moving forward. And I think we’re gonna take a couple steps next year.”
One of the team’s most important players throughout the season, Kevin Lankinen was signed by the Canucks on September 21, 2024. He went on to play in 51 of the team’s 82 games, posting 25 wins and four shutouts. His impressive play throughout the first half of the season resulted in him signing a five-year contract with Vancouver on February 21 — exactly five months after his first contract was inked.
“It was a great experience,” Lankinen said of his first season with the Canucks. “I loved my time here and obviously, going back to the summer, my goal was to find a place where I can showcase myself as the number one goalie. I was fortunate to get the opportunity here, and yeah, just really liked how everything worked out, and pretty happy with the season.”
Elias Pettersson (D) was the first of two new Petterssons to enter the Canucks’ lineup this season. The defender was picked 80th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut on January 25, 2025 against the Washington Capitals. He was one of six Abbotsford Canucks to make their NHL debut this season.
“Great experience for me. I think I learned a lot this year,” he said.
The next Pettersson, Marcus Pettersson, ended up in Vancouver following the J.T. Miller trade on January 31. Vancouver shipped two other new Canucks, Danton Heinen and Vincent Desharnais, back to the Pittsburgh Penguins in return. After an impressive couple of games, the elder Pettersson was signed to a six-year, $5.5M AAV contract extension on February 5 — five days after he was acquired.
“I came into a locker room that wants to win. The care factor from all the guys is right there. Everybody loves each other and wants to push each other. So I think we have a young group, still very young group, and I think we can learn about from this year on and off the ice, and if we can learn and grow from that, but I think we’re in a great spot.”
Accompanying Pettersson from Pittsburgh was Drew O’Connor, who also impressed with his speed and heavy forecheck early on. Like his Penguins teammate, O’Connor also signed an extension with the Canucks at the beginning of his time with Vancouver. He signed his new two-year, $2.5M AAV deal on February 18, 2025.
“It’s been good. I’ve enjoyed the group here,” O’Connor said of his first few games with the Canucks. “Obviously, it’s been a little bit up and down the last little while, and we’d obviously like to be in playoffs, so I think we’re all pretty motivated through the summer to make that happen. But it’s been a great little while here that I enjoyed.”
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