By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
November 16, 2025
Losing Streak Ends At Three Games
The Canucks entered this week at 8-8-1 and finished at 9-9-2, sitting 6th in the Pacific Division with 20 points, after finishing last week’s games 1-1-1, ending a three-game winless streak (0-1-2) with a road victory Sunday, 6-2 over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Vancouver sits ahead of 7th-place San Jose (19 points) and is behind division leaders Los Angeles (24 points), Anaheim and Seattle (23 points).
With current playoff odds estimated at only 25-30%, Vancouver finds itself in a precarious position, projected for a wild-card bubble finish in the 92-98 point range.
Game Results
Tuesday, November 11: Jets 5, Canucks 3
The Winnipeg Jets snapped a three-game losing streak with a convincing 5-3 victory over Vancouver at Rogers Arena. Josh Morrissey led the Jets with a goal and two assists, while Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo each contributed a goal and an assist. Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for Winnipeg.
For the Canucks, captain Quinn Hughes recorded three assists despite suffering an injury during the game when his stick got tangled with Mark Scheifele while battling for a puck. Hughes briefly left for the locker room after being assessed a hooking penalty but returned to quarterback the power play. Elias Pettersson had two assists, while Brock Boeser scored late with the goalie pulled to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Iafallo’s empty-net goal sealed the win.
The game proved costly for Vancouver as starting goaltender Thatcher Demko left after the first period with a lower-body groin injury, having stopped only five of eight shots. Demko was subsequently placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 11, with the team announcing he would be out two to three weeks.
Friday, November 14: Hurricanes 4, Canucks 3 (OT)
Despite being heavily outshot and outchanced, the Canucks earned a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to Carolina. The Hurricanes dominated possession with a staggering 94-30 advantage in shot attempts and a 21-2 edge in five-on-five high-danger scoring chances, yet Kevin Lankinen kept Vancouver in the game with 34 saves.
Fourth-line center Max Sasson scored his first goal in 11 games on a breakaway just 2:45 into the first period after a Carolina turnover. Elias Pettersson converted a shorthanded goal on a Sean Walker turnover at 9:14 to tie the game 2-2, and Conor Garland gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal in the second period.
However, Andrei Svechnikov scored twice for Carolina, and Taylor Hall tied the game 3-3 at 6:26 of the third period. Sebastian Aho won it for the Hurricanes at 4:29 of overtime, capitalizing on an uncharacteristic defensive mistake by Pettersson near the blueline.
The game ended on a controversial note when Svechnikov delivered a high elbow to the head of defenseman Filip Hronek late in the third period. Hronek was pulled by the concussion spotter and did not return for overtime. No penalty was called on the play, and the NHL’s Department of Player Safety later determined there would be no supplemental discipline, ruling that Hronek’s movement while clearing the puck “substantially contributed to the hit to the head”.
Captain Quinn Hughes missed the game after being listed as a game-time decision. Though he participated in the morning skate, Hughes began feeling off as game time approached and pulled himself from consideration.
Sunday, November 16: Canucks 6, Lightning 2
Tampa Bay took an early 2-0 lead with goals from Nikita Kucherov in the first period and Jake Guentzel early in the second. The Lightning dominated the first period, outshooting the Canucks 12-1.
Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a power-play goal from Jake DeBrusk, making the score 2-1 heading into the third.
The Canucks utterly dominated the final frame, scoring five unanswered goals to seal the victory. Three of those goals came in a 1:40 span early in the period.
- Kiefer Sherwood tied the game with a power-play goal.
- Linus Karlsson gave Vancouver the lead just 43 seconds later.
- Drew O’Connor extended the lead a minute later.
- Mackenzie MacEachern (his first of the season) and Marcus Pettersson (empty-netter) rounded out the scoring.
Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes was the standout player, recording four assists in his return to the lineup, leading the charge for the offense.
The Canucks won the special teams battle, converting on 2 of 3 power plays, which helped swing the momentum.
Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen made 28 saves on 30 shots, while Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson struggled, stopping just 12 of 17 shots before the empty net goal.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Canucks.
For the Lightning, it was a very disappointing loss after starting so well, ultimately allowing their opponent to score six unanswered goals.
Injury Crisis Deepens
The Canucks’ injury situation reached critical levels during this week. In addition to Demko’s groin injury and Hughes’s upper-body issue, the team was already without forwards Filip Chytil (concussion protocol), Teddy Blueger (lower body), Nils Höglander (lower body), and defensemen Derek Forbort (undisclosed).
On a positive note, defenseman Victor Mancini was activated from injured reserve on November 14 after missing eight games since October 26. Winger Conor Garland had returned earlier in the week after missing three games from a hit by Sam Carrick on October 28.
Roster Moves
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced on November 15 that the Canucks had signed unrestricted free agent center David Kämpf to a one-year, $1.1 million contract. Kämpf, recently released by another team, was brought in specifically to address Vancouver’s weaknesses down the middle, particularly on faceoffs and penalty killing. Allvin emphasized that Kämpf’s hockey IQ and two-way reliability would provide immediate help to areas of need
Statistical Snapshot (As of November 16th 8 am)
The week highlighted some alarming trends for Vancouver.
The team’s penalty kill, which ranked third in the NHL last season at 82.7%, has plummeted to dead last at 66.1%. The Canucks are allowing 1.06 power-play goals per game, more than double last season’s rate of 0.48. Through 19 games, they had surrendered 18 power-play goals, compared to just 39 in 82 games the previous season.
The absence of key penalty killers Pius Suter, Teddy Blueger, and Derek Forbort has been significant, with replacements like Elias Pettersson and Aatu Räty proving less effective at controlling the slot and preventing point shots.
On offense, Kevin Lankinen continued his heavy workload as Demko’s replacement, appearing in his 10th game with a 3-5-2 record, .885 save percentage, and 3.57 goals-against average. Despite the statistics, Lankinen’s performance against Carolina—where he faced 38 shots and kept his team in a game they were being dominated in—earned praise from observers.
Elias Pettersson showed continued improvement offensively, recording a goal and an assist against Carolina and two assists against Winnipeg. The center has been productive in November with seven points (one goal, six assists) in four games during this week.
Standings Situation
The Canucks entered this week at 8-8-1 and finished at 9-9-2, sitting 6th in the Pacific Division with 20 points. They are behind Vegas and Edmonthon by 2 points who are in 5th and 4th place and are behind division leaders Los Angeles (24 points) and Anaheim, Seattle (23 points).
With current playoff odds estimated at only 25-30%, Vancouver finds itself in a precarious position, projected for a wild-card bubble finish in the 92-98 point range.
The team faces a crucial stretch ahead, beginning with a game against the Florida Panters on November 17.
With the Olympic break looming and a condensed schedule, the Canucks desperately need to get healthy and find consistency if they hope to remain in playoff contention.
2025-26 NHL PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
My Week’s Highest Value Canucks Performers
The Canucks finished their week strong with a decisive 6-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The high-value performers were a mix of star power and secondary scoring that stepped up in a crucial road win, especially given the difficult road trip and injury to Thatcher Demko.
- Elias Pettersson (C): Even in a tough 4-3 OT loss to Carolina, Pettersson registered a shorthanded goal and a power-play assist, showing he’s generating offense in all situations. He ended an eight-game goal drought and is trending up, remaining the team’s most talented offensive center.
- Secondary Scorers (Kiefer Sherwood, Linus Karlsson, Drew O’Connor): The Canucks’ third period surge against Tampa Bay was powered by goals from this group, including three goals in a 1:40 span. This kind of depth scoring is absolutely critical, especially on the road and in back-to-back situations.
- Conor Garland (RW/LW): Garland continues to be a reliable source of secondary offense, including a power-play goal against the Hurricanes. He’s seeing top-six minutes and power-play time, proving he’s a valuable contributor to the attack.
What’s Up?
The next week presents a demanding stretch as the Canucks are on a long road trip, which is made even more challenging by the recent lower-body injury to starting goaltender Thatcher Demko (now on Injured Reserve). Kevin Lankinen will be relied upon heavily in net.
- At Florida Panthers on Monday, November 17:
- The second half of a difficult back-to-back against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Florida is a tough team to beat at home. The Canucks will need a big performance from Lankinen and a disciplined defensive effort.
- Vs Dallas Stars on Thursday, November 20:
- Returning home to face a strong Western Conference contender. The Stars typically boast a deep forward group and strong goaltending. Top-line production from Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser will be essential to counter Dallas’s offense.
- Vs Calgary Flames on Sunday, November 23:
- A crucial Pacific Division rivalry game. This will be an important test to see if the Canucks can consistently win in their own division. They’ll need to use their home-ice advantage to generate offense and control the pace of play
Keys for a Successful Week
The main key to success, particularly for the difficult start to the week, is managing the loss of their top goaltender.
- Elite Goaltending from Kevin Lankinen: With Thatcher Demko on IR, Lankinen must provide consistent, high-level goaltending, especially in the back-to-back against Tampa Bay (which they won) and Florida. Stealing one or two of these tough road games will be vital.
- Special Teams Discipline: Against high-powered offensive teams like Florida and Dallas, the Canucks need to stay out of the penalty box and ensure their penalty kill remains sharp. Converting on their own power play opportunities is equally important to generate goals when 5-on-5 play may be a grind.
- Balanced Scoring & Defense: The team must continue to see contributions from their depth lines (as they did against Tampa). This takes pressure off the stars and makes them harder to match up against. Defensively, they must limit high-danger scoring chances to support their backup goaltenders.
Games This Week
- At Florida Panthers: November 17/25 @ 04:00 pm PST
- Vs Dallas Stars: November 20/25 @ 07:00 pm PST
- Vs Calgary Flames: November 23/25 @ 06:00 pm PST
Until next time, hockey fans
