JJ Peterka – CanucksBanter

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter

December 5, 2025

This is a contest for two teams trending in opposite directions.

The Vancouver Canucks return to Rogers Arena in desperate need of a reset.

Following a tough road trip and a three-game losing skid, they have slipped to the bottom of the league standings (32nd overall as of this morning).

The pressure is mounting on the core group to put an end to this slide before the playoff picture is completely out of reach.

Opposite are the Utah Mammoth, who come to Rogers Arena with momentum on their side. They are coming off a dominant 7-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday—their first shutout in franchise history.

Utah currently sit at the .518 mark, tied for 21st in the NHL and are fighting to solidify a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Canucks in Crisis Mode: As I have written about extensively, Vancouver’s recent form has been alarming.

They have lost six of their last ten games in regulation and are struggling to keep the puck out of their net (league-worst 3.63 GAA).
With the offense also sputtering (23rd in goals per game), the focus tonight is purely on structure and desperation. Head Coach Adam Foote will be looking for a simpler, grittier game to stop the bleeding.

Utah’s Youth Movement: The Mammoth are proving to be a dangerous opponent at this time of the season.

Their young guns are firing; JJ Peterka is fresh off a 4-point night (2G, 2A) against Anaheim, and Logan Cooley leads the team with 23 points.
When their offense clicks, they play with a speed that could be double trouble for a fragile Canucks defense.

Injury Watch & Lineup Notes

Vancouver: Sportsnet 650 (Brendan Batchelor) and The Hockey Writers report that Demko is targeting a return on December 11 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Kevin Lankinen is the likely starter, tasked with stabilizing the team.
Conor Garland is a potential returnee, PuckPedia and Sportsnet reports indicate he participated in practice in a non-contact jersey. His expected return is tentatively set for tomorrow, December 6.
Evander Kane is listed as Probable / Day-to-Day. Iain MacIntyre (Sportsnet) reported that Kane suffered a laceration to his forearm from a skate blade during the game against Colorado on Tuesday. Head Coach Adam Foote confirmed it was a scare but stated the injury is “not expected to be significant,” and he is likely available for tonight.
Nils Höglander (F): listed on IR-LT (Lower Body). Adam Foote (via media availability) confirmed Höglander is also targeting the December 11 game for his return.
Utah: Karel Vejmelka is expected to start after his 27-save shutout performance on Wednesday.

Statistical Look

Category	Utah	Rank	Canucks	Rank	Edge
Record	13-12-3	4th (Central)	10-14-3	8th (Pacific)	Utah
Goals For / Game	3.11	12th	2.89	23rd	Utah
Goals Against / Game	2.96	14th	3.63	32nd	Utah
Shots For / Game	29.1	11th	26.5	22nd	Utah
Shots Against / Game	24.4	2nd	30.1	25th	Utah
Power Play %	14.1%	28th	20.7%	13th	Vancouver
Penalty Kill %	81.3%	16th	72.0%	29th	Utah
Faceoff Win %	47.4%	t-25th	47.3%	t-27th	Even

Players To Watch

Vancouver

Elias Pettersson (#40 | Center)
Kiefer Sherwood (#44 | Winger)
Filip Hronek (#17 | Defense)

Utah

JJ Peterka (#77 | Winger)
Mikhail Sergachev (#98 | Defense)
Logan Cooley (#92 | Center)

Projected Game Goalies

Karel Vejmelka (UTA)
Kevin Lankinen (VAN)

Until next time, hockey fans

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff CanucksBanter

Arturs Silovs (G, Latvia) is one of 7-players chosen as a finalist for the IIHF’s 2022-23 Male Hockey Player of the Year.

Silovs made his NHL debut this past season, appearing in five games for the Vancouver Canucks, sporting a 3-2 record and 2.75 GAA. He played most of the season with the team’s farm club in the AHL, Abbotsford, where he had a 26-12 record.

Silovs became a finalist for his stellar and exceptional play at the recently completed 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship.

Silovs carried off three pieces of hardware from Tampere at the IIHF 2023 World HockeyChampionship, and rightly so.

The 22-year-old was named the tournament MVP, IIHF Directorate Award Best Goalie, and the goaltender for the Media All-Star Team. He also appeared in every game for Latvia, his 601:00 total minutes played second all time for one IIHF WM event, and he was key to Latvia winning the bronze medal, the country’s first medal in any top-level IIHF event ever. Silovs had a save percentage of .921 and a GAA of 2.20, winning seven games.

Other finalists include, (in alphabetical order): Andres Ambuhl (F, Switzerland), Connor Bedard (F, Canada), Adam Fantilli (F, Canada), Dominik Kubalik (F, Czechia), JJ Peterka (F, Germany), and Moritz Seider (D, Germany).

The voting will take place among Media and invited members of the IIHF Family, and the winner will be announced on Monday, 19 June. Voters are not limited to these seven candidates, and if anyone feels another player is more deserving, that name can be “written in” on the ballot.

This is the first year for this trophy, and Hilary Knight has already been named Female Player of the Year by receiving nearly 41 per cent of all votes in that category.

Both winners will be awarded their trophy in person by IIHF delegates, the larger version of which will be housed permanently at the Hockey Hall of Fame and a smaller version for the player to keep. The candidates are chosen based on players who best exemplify exceptional skill, determination, team success, and sporting character on and off the ice during the preceding season.

The Male Player of the Year must have competed in at least one IIHF tournament this past season (IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, IIHF World Junior Championship, IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship) as well as in a domestic league of the highest calibre for that country, the combined performances of which were deemed superior to all other players.
International Ice Hockey Federation

Source: IIHF