His tenure with the Canucks began with him scoring two goals and tallying an assist in his first four games with his new club.
In a shootout that went to seven rounds, it was his new teammates who pushed for Öhgren to have a shot. It was the first shootout attempt of his young career, and he made a move to the backhand before beating Jeremy Swayman to give the Canucks their fourth consecutive win on the trip.
Continuously going up and down between the two leagues, Öhgren knows time in the NHL is not to be taken for granted, and he needs to always be working to earn his spot on the team. He has put in the effort, and playing consistently with the Canucks is showing the improvement in his game.
“I think as long as I know where I’m playing, it’s a relief,” said Öhgren when discussing the stability of staying in the Canucks lineup. “I can just relax and focus on my game and not worry about anything else. It’s been good for me, and I’ve been enjoying my time up here.”
The stability of staying in the NHL has already helped Öhgren’s development. This steadiness is transforming his game and confidence, as can be seen through his play on ice. He has shown bursts of speed and is finding his way onto the score sheet, currently on a career-high three-game point streak.
Öhgren is finding his game with the Canucks, achieving new heights in his career, taking three shootout shots, and establishing his first career point streak. He is giving glimpses of the offensively gifted prospect people thought he was, showcasing his potential as an NHL player and proving that he is more valuable in the trade than originally expected.
As his offensive game continues to evolve, he and Head Coach Adam Foote are working on developing him into a well-rounded player. Öhgren has been seeing ice time with both special teams, playing on the penalty kill as well as with the second power play unit.
“Great. I mean, he’s very coachable. Young guy that’s got a lot of power and speed for his age, and he loves Vancouver,” says Foote about Öhgren’s development since joining the Canucks. “He wants to just fit in and keep learning, and it’s fun to be around a guy like that every day.”
Foote notes Öhgren’s skating ability, which has been on full display in recent games, and Öhgren notices similar things.
“Play with a lot of speed, physicality, winning puck battles. And I’ll always try to score goals. Hopefully, they’ll go in soon,” said Öhgren when asked about what he’s doing to earn more ice time.
His game is coming together as a whole, and he has the right mindset to continue to improve. For the Canucks, he is becoming a player who can play in all situations, supporting the team wherever he is needed.
One aspect that he has filled was keeping the locker room in good spirits.
The Canucks are having trouble finding the win column, and it can be hard to stay in a positive headspace. Öhgren has brought in much-needed smiles and laughter amidst these struggles.
After a recent practice, Elias Pettersson, the defenceman, was meeting with the media when Öhgren interrupted. Öhgren brought in his own makeshift microphone from the side, a goalie stick, trying to get in on the interview.