The Vancouver Canucks’ power play has gone from a weapon to a problem early in the 2026-27 season, and the numbers are already loud enough to force a rethink.
Through five games, Vancouver is clicking at 17.6% on the man advantage, going 3 for 17 while also surrendering three shorthanded goals. That combination is hard to ignore, especially when the group has largely stayed intact outside of injury-related adjustments.
The top unit has featured Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Marco Rossi and Filip Hronek. The second group has included Liam Öhgren, Linus Karlsson, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Tom Willander and Zeev Buium. Drew O’Connor has also seen time on the power play, along with Paul Cotter, who has one of Vancouver’s three goals with the extra attacker.
The biggest issue isn’t just finishing. It’s how the Canucks are going about their business once they set up.
Vancouver has been able to hold the puck in the offensive zone, but too often the play turns into a search for the perfect look instead of a quick shot. That hesitation has shown up in the shot totals: 18 shots across 17 power plays, or 29:08 with the man advantage.
That kind of production points to a unit that needs a shakeup, and both groups could use one. One possible fix would be to split up the current combinations and lean on chemistry that already exists at even strength.
Under that look, the first unit would be Zeev Buium, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Linus Karlsson. The second unit would be Filip Hronek, Brock Boeser, Liam Öhgren, Marco Rossi and Paul Cotter.
There’s a case for giving Cotter a bigger role there. He has shown good hands around the crease, and at 6'2", 213 lbs, he can provide the kind of screen that makes life harder for goaltenders.
Manny Malhotra and his staff do not need to wait long to make adjustments. The structure looks predictable, the first unit is giving up too many chances the other way, and early-season struggles have already piled up. Even with only five games in the books, a change now could pay off for the rest of the season.
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