The Anaheim Ducks head into tonight’s matchup against the Vancouver Canucks looking to reset after their seven-game win streak came to an end in Edmonton. But even in defeat, Anaheim didn’t look like a team that had lost its rhythm. They stayed composed, structured, and continued to get meaningful contributions throughout the lineup - not an easy task when injuries start piling up.
For Vancouver, this game is less about bouncing back and more about stopping the bleeding. The Canucks have dropped 14 of their last 15, including a flat 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.
That defeat pushed them to 1-5-0 on what was supposed to be a stabilizing eight-game homestand. Instead, it’s become a stretch that’s threatening to bury their season.
Both teams are dealing with injuries, but only one has managed to adapt. Anaheim’s been able to plug holes and keep their identity intact. Vancouver, on the other hand, looks like a team still searching for itself - and that identity seems to shift not just game to game, but period to period.
Höglander Injury Adds to Canucks’ Mounting Issues
Nils Höglander’s status is up in the air after suffering a lower-body injury against San Jose. He’s being evaluated, and if he can’t go tonight, David Kämpf is expected to draw back into the lineup.
While Höglander’s stat line - two assists in 18 games - doesn’t exactly leap off the page, his impact has come in other ways. He’s been one of the few Canucks forwards consistently playing with pace, finishing checks, and trying to spark some life into games that have gone flat early. On a team where energy has been in short supply, that kind of effort stands out.
But this isn’t just about who steps in for Höglander. It’s about what his absence reveals.
Vancouver is running out of players who can handle the chaos. Every new injury tightens the margin, and right now, this roster is short on guys who can keep their game intact when things go sideways.
If this stretch is about evaluating who can survive the grind, Höglander missing time only makes that process tougher - and the season feel even longer.
Jake DeBrusk Is Heating Up - But For How Long in Vancouver?
Jake DeBrusk picked up two assists against the Sharks, giving him five points over his last four games. He’s back on the top line, and this is the version of DeBrusk that coaches keep hoping shows up - flying through the neutral zone, creating chances, and producing just enough to justify the minutes.
It wasn’t that long ago that DeBrusk found himself a healthy scratch, and it clearly didn’t sit well. Since then, he’s responded the way you’d hope a veteran would: with urgency, effort, and results. That’s a positive for Vancouver, but it also opens the door to some uncomfortable questions about consistency and trust.
The timing here is hard to ignore. DeBrusk is producing, playing meaningful minutes, and checking a lot of boxes that playoff-bound teams look for at the trade deadline: speed, experience, and power-play utility.
There would be interest. The question is whether this hot stretch is something Vancouver can build on - or if it’s simply a well-timed heater that boosts his trade value at just the right moment.
If the Canucks can’t turn things around soon, the conversation may shift from “Can he help us long-term?” to “What can we get for him while he’s hot?”
Liam Öhgren’s Subtle Impact and a Familiar Connection
When Liam Öhgren arrived in the Quinn Hughes trade alongside Zeev Buium and Marco Rossi, he was easy to overlook. Eighteen games in without a point, it was fair to wonder if he was more of a depth piece than a key return. But through 22 games in a Canucks sweater, it’s clear there’s more going on beneath the surface.
What wasn’t fully appreciated at the time of the trade was how seamlessly Öhgren would fit into Vancouver’s young core - especially with longtime teammate Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The two go way back to their days at Djurgårdens, playing together from U16 all the way through junior and international play. That kind of chemistry doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s something you can’t teach.
It shows on the ice. There’s a comfort level between them that gives Öhgren a foundation to build on as he adjusts to the NHL. And for a Canucks team trying to find direction in a difficult season, Öhgren’s emergence - paired with a trusted linemate - is looking less like a throw-in and more like a quietly meaningful piece of the return.
Where the Canucks Go From Here
This isn’t just a rough patch for Vancouver - it’s a full-on unraveling. And it’s not about games slipping away late.
These contests are getting away from them early. Defensive lapses.
Broken breakouts. Turnovers on retrievals.
The cracks aren’t subtle anymore.
You can hear it in the postgame comments: this isn’t just frustration - it’s exhaustion. And that’s where the rest of the season shifts focus.
Wins and losses still matter, but the bigger picture is about information. Who can keep their game together when things are ugly?
Who stays competitive when the margin for error is gone?
With Thatcher Demko out long-term and young players like Nikita Tolopilo getting extended looks, this stretch is going to shape more than just this season. It’s going to inform decisions that ripple into next year and beyond - no matter what the standings say.