The Vancouver Canucks got a full practice in on Thursday, and the biggest new face on the ice was Cameron Crotty.
With Friday’s matchup against the New York Rangers coming after a rare three-day break, the Canucks used the extra time to get back to work and bring in the defenseman they claimed off NHL waivers from the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Crotty was right in the mix for his first session in Vancouver, skating on a veteran pair with Jamie Oleksiak.
The blue line wasn’t the only area with movement. Filip Chytil and Tom Willander stayed in their usual spots as they continue through their return-to-play protocols, and both remain on track to be available for tomorrow’s game against the Rangers. Chytil centered Paul Cotter and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, while Willander skated with DPetey.
Crotty’s path to Vancouver has been a quick one. The 27-year-old is already on his third team in a matter of weeks after two waiver claims. He opened the season with the Ottawa Senators, playing three games, then was claimed by Minnesota on October 29 before landing back on waivers and ending up with the Canucks.
The early practice reps suggested Arshdeep Bains and Jacob Quillan were the odd forwards out, rotating in on drills for Paul Cotter and Drew O’Connor, respectively. On the goalie side, Guillaume Brisebois was among the first players out to help with warmup drills for Leevi Meriläinen and Kevin Lankinen alongside goalie coach Marko Torenius.
The session had plenty of bite to it, especially when the forwards got into a 2v2 drill late in practice. Pucks were battled for in the corners, while one defender on each side stayed high at the blue line to set up the shot, almost like a basketball possession stretched across the ice.
Even with the intensity, the mood stayed loose. Manny Malhotra and an assistant coach even grabbed the big ice crew shovels partway through to clear snow from the drill.
The Canucks also skated in their Hometown Remix gear, with Friday night set to be the first time they wear it in a game against the Rangers.
Malhotra said Crotty handled his first day well: “It was obviously just one practice, but he did a good job of executing and picking up on the drills quite quickly. It’s always a task to come to a new team and follow a different set of drills and the cadence of practice, but he did a great job following it.”
He also talked about the challenge of bringing a new player along the right way: “There’s a balance there. You obviously want to see what you have available, but [you’ve] got to make sure we put him in a good spot, to make sure he feels comfortable within the system and within the room. But day one was good.”
Crotty kept his own expectations simple. Asked what fans should expect from him, he said: “Meat and potatoes hockey.
Just simple defensive side of the puck. I’m not gonna be here to score goals and stuff like that, but just simple, steady game and be hard to play against.”
And when it comes to the chance in front of him, he’s not changing his approach: “Obviously, I’m gonna run with whatever opportunity I get. Nothing changes for me, I’ll play the same game that I’ve played that’s got me here.”
In Other News...
Canucks Cut Short A Summer Gamble Fans Already Questioned
The Canucks summer bet on Ilya Safonov has come to an abrupt end, with Vancouver placing the forward on unconditional waivers to terminate the one-year deal he signed. Safonov had already left the AHLs Abbotsford Canucks, and his path back to Russia became clearer once he decided he could not secure an NHL roster spot in Vancouver.
Now, Safonov is headed back to Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL, where he is expected to slide into a depth role at center. For the Canucks, it closes the book on a low-risk gamble that never really got off the ground, and it leaves another reminder of how quickly roster depth plans can change once a player sees a clearer opportunity elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Deadline Watch Now Includes Some Names Fans Werent Expecting
With the Canucks sliding in the standings and the trade deadline looming, the focus in Vancouver has shifted from adding help to figuring out which pieces could be moved as part of the rebuild. Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk and Drew OConnor have already been part of the rumor mill, but the list of possible trade chips does not stop there, especially as the front office weighs performance, contract value and longer-term flexibility.
Paul Cotter and Filip Chytil have also surfaced as names to watch, giving the deadline picture a broader and less predictable feel than many fans expected. Luke Schenn is another player drawing attention, though his situation comes with an extra layer of uncertainty because his availability depends on a personal decision that could shape whether he is even in play at all. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Brutal Start Puts A Long-Term Blue-Line Move In Focus
Vancouvers rough start to the 2026-27 season has already pushed long-term roster questions to the front of the conversation, and the blue line is right there among them. With the losses piling up and the standings gap growing, the Canucks have reason to look beyond short-term fixes and start weighing whether a more permanent defensive upgrade could help stabilize the teams future.
One name that fits that kind of thinking is Alexander Nikishin, a promising Carolina Hurricanes defenseman who has drawn attention for his potential to become a fixture on a contenders back end. If Vancouver is going to keep digging into ways to reshape its defense, a move of that type would speak to a bigger reset than just patching holes during a bad stretch. [Read more 🡒]