Drew O’Connor is walking into this season with a bigger spotlight and a bigger role, and he sounds ready for both.
The 28-year-old Vancouver Canucks forward turned in the best goal total of his NHL career last season, finishing with 17 goals and 29 points while also logging more than 85 minutes on the penalty kill. For a player who can slide up and down the lineup, that kind of production only adds to his value. It also puts him in line for an important year, with unrestricted free agency arriving in July.
O’Connor said he believes there’s still another gear to hit offensively.
"I think there's another level, hopefully, to get to offensively, said O'Connor. I think there's always more I can do, and continue to work with that over my career and over the summer, especially, to try to kind of reach new heights in that regard. So, I think the main things I do well are being a reliable player and then building my offence on top of that, so I'm just going to try to keep going on that."
The Canucks’ offseason brought major change behind the bench, with Adam Foote fired and Manny Malhotra installed as the new head coach. O’Connor said the mood around the room has been upbeat as the group gets familiar with the new staff.
"I think there's a lot of excitement about the new staff. I think they're going to bring a great mindset and approach to our team.
We've seen the guys around here a little bit, but yeah, looking forward as we get going to speak with them a little bit more about their vision for the team and how we're going to play. Looking forward to working with the coaches as well."
What matters most inside the locker room, though, is how the group responds on the ice. Vancouver is projected to finish near the bottom of the standings, and effort is going to be watched closely after too many nights last season when the team simply didn’t look engaged.
O’Connor said the players know exactly what has to change.
"I think, systems-wise and all that stuff, we'll get into with the coaches. I think from a player perspective, we're going to hold each other accountable to show up every night and compete hard.
There's going to be no excuse for that. We're going to defend hard.
We're going to work hard. We're going to skate, and we're gonna do the things well that there's no excuse not to.
So any of those little things that we can control, that's gonna be our mindset as players. We'll hear more from the coaches about how we're gonna play."
He also made it clear that the Canucks aren’t interested in reopening old wounds. With the Miller/Pettersson rift and Quinn Hughes' departure among the storylines that have followed the organization, O’Connor said the focus is on what comes next.
"To be honest, I feel like it's not even something any of us are thinking about at all. We have a lot of really good players that are excited for the season.
I don't think it does us any good talking about the past. It doesn't feel like anyone's really worried about it.
I feel like we're looking forward to the season. Like I said, we're all really prepared.
We all have good summers. It's nice to be here a little bit early and get to skate with all the guys and just get ready to go."
Beyond the on-ice work, O’Connor also sees himself as someone younger teammates can lean on. He has played more than 300 NHL games and has plenty of AHL experience, and he said he’s willing to share that perspective with anyone dealing with a tough stretch.
"I think I can help just with anything. I mean, honestly, I've been through some of the ups and downs that some of these guys have been through.
I was up and down in the minors a lot my first three years. So anyone that I can help out, any of those guys that might feel like the light's not at the end of the tunnel, you know, it's there.
I can help some of those guys that are going through those situations. I'll be there for them."
For a Canucks team trying to reset, that kind of steady presence matters. O’Connor has already shown he can produce, kill penalties and move around the lineup. If last season was his baseline, there’s room for more.
In Other News...
Canucks Suddenly Face Pressure On Liam hgren After Buium Deal
The Canucks took care of one major piece of business by locking up defenseman Zeev Buium on an eight-year deal before the leagues September 15, 2026 cutoff for that kind of contract. It was a timely move, not just for the players future but for Vancouvers long-term planning, with the new contract rules about to make those extended terms unavailable.
Now the attention shifts to Liam hgren, who is eligible to sign an eight-year extension for just the next 10 days before becoming a restricted free agent. Vancouver is expected to turn its focus to getting that deal done, and the Buium signing has only sharpened the sense of urgency around hgrens situation as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Aatu Rty Just Gave Canucks Fans A Real Training Camp Reason To Watch
Aatu Rty is heading into Canucks training camp with a little extra buzz after helping Finland win gold at the 2026 World Championship. The Vancouver center made a strong international impression too, finishing with four goals and seven points in seven games, and that kind of summer usually carries a bit of momentum back into camp.
For Rty, though, the next step is less about one tournament and more about proving he can stick as a full-time NHL player. He enters the 2026-27 season focused on sharpening his skating and rounding out the rest of his game, with offseason work alongside Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho adding to the intrigue. Manny Malhotra will be the one guiding him now, and for a player trying to turn promise into permanence, that makes this a camp storyline worth following closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lekkerimaki Arrives At Canucks Camp Facing One Crucial Test
Jonathan Lekkerimki is back in full with Canucks camp after a shoulder surgery in February, and his return comes with a clean slate of sorts as he builds toward the upcoming season without restrictions. The young winger has already resumed skating with teammates, taken part in a recent scrimmage and even made a quiet adjustment off the ice with a number change to 88, all signs that he is trying to put the injury behind him and re-enter the conversation on merit.
For Vancouver, the important part now is not simply that Lekkerimki is healthy again, but how he handles the pace and demands of camp after missing so much time. He sounded optimistic about both his recovery and his opportunity with the team, and the next stretch will tell the Canucks whether his offseason progress translates into a real push for a larger role. [Read more 🡒]