Hughes Shines Despite Canucks’ Losing Streak

By Andrew Phillip Chernoff and Zachary Oliver Burnham | CanucksBanter

November 23, 2025

The Vancouver Canucks endured a challenging but high-event week, going 0-3-0 and struggling to find consistency as they wrapped up a road trip and returned home. The primary narrative centered on offense and a depleted goaltending corps.

The week kicked off in dramatic fashion with a high-flying, 8-5 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday, November 17th. Despite mounting a rally powered by star defenseman Quinn Hughes, who dominated the scoresheet with 3 assists, the goaltending situation—with Jiri Patera making a tough spot start—could not hold back the two-time defending champions.

Returning home for a single game against a strong Western Conference opponent, the Canucks were shut down in a 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, November 20th.

While the results were disappointing, the playmaking of Hughes and the clutch scoring of players like Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane provided offensive fireworks, signaling that the team’s attack remains potent.

The challenge remains converting that star-level production into sustainable team wins while navigating injuries in net and elsewhere in key positions on the team.

Game Results

Monday, November 17: Canucks 5, Panthers 8

Quinn Hughes broke a franchise record for the most assists in a three-game span with his three assists in this game.

Elias Pettersson scored two goals in the high-event affair. The Canucks’ offense was strong, but the defense struggled immensely, allowing eight goals.

​Thursday, November 20: Canucks 2, Stars 4

The Canucks outshot the Stars 36-24, showing a solid effort in generating opportunities.

Elias Pettersson continued his hot streak, extending his point streak to five games with a power-play goal in the third period.

The team fought hard and felt they “deserved a better fate,” only trailing by one goal late in the third period.

Sunday, November 23: Canucks 2, Flames 5

The victory gave the Flames their third straight win and a much-needed boost in the Pacific Division standings. Goaltender Dustin Wolf was solid in net, stopping 28 of 30 shots.

This was a major point of frustration for Vancouver. After trailing 2-1 heading into the second, the Canucks failed to generate offense and allowed the Flames to score two more goals, extending the lead to 4-1 before the final frame.

Kevin Lankinen took the loss, stopping 16 of 21 shots faced. With Thatcher Demko still sidelined due to injury, the goaltending depth continues to be a major vulnerability for Vancouver.

Quinn Hughes scored the final goal on the power play after a solo dash up the ice, showcasing his individual brilliance. He also played a massive 30:05 of ice time.

Filip Hronek scored the opening goal just over a minute into the first period on a rush, giving the Canucks a brief early lead.

The loss further highlighted the Canucks’ struggles at home this season, dropping their record at Rogers Arena to 3-7-1.

​Injury Update

Player	Status	Injury / Update	Expected RT
Filip Hronek	Day-to-Day	Illness (Absent from practice Nov 22).	Nov 23, 2025 (Questionable)
Filip Chytil	Out (IR)	Upper Body (Resumed skating).	Nov 23, 2025 (Possible)
Thatcher Demko	Out (IR)	Lower Body (Week-to-week).	Nov 28, 2025
Teddy Blueger	Out (IR)	Lower Body (Suffered a setback in recovery).	Nov 29, 2025
Jett Woo	Out (IR-NR)	Upper Body.	Nov 29, 2025
Derek Forbort	Out (LTIR)	Undisclosed.	Dec 2, 2025
Nils Hoglander	Out (LTIR)	Lower Body.	Dec 14, 2025
Guillaume Brisebois	Out (IR-NR)	Lower Body.	Nov 23, 2025 (Possible)

Roster Moves/Speculation

David Kämpf Plays First Games

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 Toronto Maple Leafs, 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

Roster Moves

• Nov 17, 2025: D V. Mancini sent to Abbotsford-AHL.

Roster Speculation

• Lukas Reichel Trade Speculation: The Canucks are reportedly looking to move forward Lukas Reichel barely a month after acquiring him. He has struggled with only one point in 13 games and was a healthy scratch in the loss to Dallas. The short-lived experiment at second-line center appears to be over, likely due to underperformance and the impending return of other injured forwards.
• Search for Second-Line Center: The ongoing need for a reliable second-line center remains a hot topic, with the Reichel experiment failing.
• Quinn Hughes Future: While purely speculative, there’s always noise around the core players during periods of team struggles. Hughes’ name has surfaced in general “Canucks News & Rumours” discussions.

Canucks Statistical Snapshot (As of November 24th 2025, 8 am)

Key Concern: The Penalty Kill is a critical weakness, ranking dead last in the league. The high number of goals against is also a major concern.

		Pacific Div.	Western Conf.	NHL	Notes
Record	9-12-2
PTS	20	7th	14th	T-28th	Rank by total points
P%	.435	7th	14th	29th	Rank for overall record
Goals +/-	-15	8th (Last)	15th	30th
GF/G	3.09	5th	9th	T-17th
GA/G	3.74	8th (Last)	15th	31st	Second-worst in the NHL
Power Play %	23.4%	3rd	6th	11th	A strong special teams unit
Penalty Kill %	69.7%	8th (Last)	16th (Last)	32nd (Last)	League-worst performance
SF/G	27.6	7th	12th	25th	Low shot volume
SA/G	31.0	2nd	6th	6th	Allowing high shot volume

Players Stats Totals For Week of November 17-23, 2025

Category	Player	Stat for the Week	Game Breakdown
Points (P)	Quinn Hughes (D)	5 Pts (1 G, 4 A)	3 A (Nov 17), 1 G (Nov 23)
	Evander Kane (LW)	4 Pts (1 G, 3 A)	1 G, 3 A (Nov 17)
	Elias Pettersson (C)	3 Pts (1 G, 2 A)	1 G, 2 A (Nov 20)
	Filip Hronek (D)	2 Pts (1 G, 1 A)	1 G (Nov 23), 1 A (Nov 17)
Goals (G)	Quinn Hughes (D)	1 Goal	Power Play Goal (Nov 23)
	Filip Hronek (D)	1 Goal	Even Strength Goal (Nov 23)
	Elias Pettersson (C)	1 Goal	Power Play Goal (Nov 20)
	Evander Kane (LW)	1 Goal	Power Play Goal (Nov 17)
	Jake DeBrusk (LW)	1 Goal	Even Strength Goal (Nov 20)
	Drew O’Connor (LW)	1 Goal	Even Strength Goal (Nov 17)
	Kiefer Sherwood (LW)	1 Goal	Even Strength Goal (Nov 17)
Assists (A)	Quinn Hughes (D)	4 Assists	3 A (Nov 17)
	Evander Kane (LW)	3 Assists	3 A (Nov 17)
	Elias Pettersson (C)	2 Assists	1 A (Nov 17), 1 A (Nov 20)
Plus/Minus (+/-)	Filip Hronek (D)	+1
	Drew O’Connor (LW)	+1

Week Highlights & Impact

• Quinn Hughes continues to be the dominant force, leading the team in points with 5. His goal on Sunday against the Flames (a coast-to-coast rush) was a rare highlight.
• Filip Hronek was the only other player besides Hughes to record a point in the final game of the week, adding a goal and also finishing the week with a team-leading +1 plus/minus rating (tied with Drew O’Connor).
• The scoring was very balanced in terms of goals, with seven different players scoring one goal each over the three games. No player had more than one goal.

Goaltender Records (November 17–23, 2025)

Goalie	Date	Team	Result	GA	SA	SV%
Patera	Nov 17	@ Florida	L (5-8)	8	36	.778
Lankinen	Nov 20	vs. Dallas	L (2-4)	4	30	.867
Lankinen	Nov 23	vs. Calgary	L (2-5)	5	29	.828

Week Summary

• Kevin Lankinen played two of the three games, finishing with a .847 save percentage for the week, notably allowing 5 goals in the loss to the Flames.
• Jiri Patera had the difficult task of starting against the high-powered Panthers offense in his season debut, contributing to the poor weekly combined metrics.
• The team allowed a total of 17 goals in three games, reflecting a very difficult stretch for the defensive and goaltending unit.

Pacific Division Standings (as of November 23, 8 am)

The Canucks are 9-11-2, placing them 7th in the Pacific Division and 14th in the Western Conference.

2025-26 NHL PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS

RK	Team	GP	W	L	OT/SOTL	Pts	Diff
1	Ducks	22	14	7	1	29	+11
2	Kraken	22	11	5	6	28	-2
3	Vegas	21	10	4	7	27	+7
4	LA	22	10	6	6	26	-3
5	SJ	23	11	9	3	25	-4
6	Oilers	24	10	9	5	25	-13
7	Canucks	23	9	12	2	20	-15
8	Flames	24	8	13	3	19	-14

My Week’s Highest Value Canucks Performers

Quinn Hughes (D): Recorded three assists in the November 17th game against Florida, extending a major point streak and setting a franchise record for the most assists in any three-game stretch. His offensive output as a defenseman provides significant value.

Elias Pettersson (C/W): Scored two goals in the high-scoring November 17th loss to Florida and netted a power-play goal on November 20th against Dallas. He is consistently producing offense, accumulating nine points (4 goals, 8 assists) in his last five games in November.

Evander Kane: Notched two assists in the November 17th game and had a primary assist on the game-tying goal, continuing his strong November.

Jake DeBrusk: Scored a goal on November 17th, with one report noting he had five points (4 goals, 1 assist) in his last six games as of November 23rd, showing solid goal-scoring consistency.

Filip Hronek: Scored a power-play goal on November 17th, demonstrating offensive capability from the blueline.

Kevin Lankinen (G): Delivered a crucial high-performance win (Nov 16th, .933 SV%) amidst the team’s defensive struggles.

• The overall defensive play for the team has been noted as challenging during November, with reports suggesting his Advanced Stats (Goals Saved Above Expected) were better than his basic save percentage suggests, meaning he was valuable in managing a high volume of dangerous scoring chances against.

2026 NHL Playoffs Chances

The team’s current record and poor 3-6-2 record in November, compounded by significant injuries and the league-worst penalty kill, puts their current playoff chances in serious jeopardy and which is the main reason they have fallen out of Wild Card contention. Improvement and health will be critical to climb back into a Wild Card spot.

2025-26 NHL Western Conference Wild Card Standings (as of November 24, 2025 @ 8 am)

Team	Div	GP	PTS	ROW	GF	GD
Colorado	Central (1st)	22	37	16	88	+38
Dallas	Central (2nd)	22	30	11	72	+10
Anaheim	Pacific (1st)	22	29	13	80	+11
Seattle	Pacific (2nd)	22	28	11	57	-2
Wild	Central (3rd)	23	28	10	68	+4
Vegas	Pacific (3rd)	21	27	10	67	+7
—	—	—	—	—	—	—
LA	Pacific	22	26	9	60	-3
Utah	Central	22	25	11	66	-1
—	—	—	—	—	—	—
SJ	Pacific	23	25	10	68	-4
Oilers	Pacific	24	25	10	74	-13
Calgary	Pacific	24	25	9	67	-14
Jets	Central	21	24	11	67	+8
Chicago	Central	22	24	10	69	+7
Blues	Central	22	21	7	59	-23
Canucks	Pacific	23	20	9	63	-17
Nashville	Central	21	16	6	49	-24

What’s Up?

This three-game, four-day stretch presents a great opportunity, especially as the last two games are a challenging back-to-back.

• Gain Divisional Ground: All three opponents are Pacific Division rivals. These are crucial “four-point” games where winning not only gives the Canucks two points but also denies two points to a divisional opponent.
• The Back-to-Back Challenge: Playing in San Jose at 1:00 PM on Friday and then immediately traveling to face the Kings in Los Angeles on Saturday night will be a significant test of the team’s depth and conditioning. Goaltending management will be key for the Canucks’ coaching staff.
• Consistency is Needed: The Canucks have struggled for consistency lately, dropping five of their last six games as of today (November 23rd). A strong road performance against these teams could be a turning point for their season.
• Star Performance: Players like Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson will need to continue their high level of play to power the offense, especially in a road environment.

If the Canucks can sweep or take at least 5 of 6 possible points, they could significantly improve their playoff odds early in the season.

Canucks Keys for a Successful Week

1. Massive PK Improvement: The 32nd-ranked penalty kill is hemorrhaging goals. The team must find a way to stay out of the box and be more effective when short-handed, especially with tough division rivals coming up.
2. Goaltending Stability: With Thatcher Demko out, Jiri Patera and Kevin Lankinen need to deliver above-average performances to stop the bleeding of goals against (3.68 GA/G).
3. Road Trip Success: The upcoming California road trip against the Ducks, Sharks, and Kings presents a chance to gain ground in the Pacific Division. Securing points in the three division games is paramount.

Games This Week

Date	Opponent	Time (PST)	Location
Nov 26	@ Anaheim Ducks	7:00 PM	Honda Center (Road)
Nov 28	@ San Jose Sharks	1:00 PM	SAP Center (Road)
Nov 29	@ Los Angeles Kings	7:00 PM	Crypto.com Arena (Road)

Until next time, hockey fans

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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