The Vancouver Canucks only have two more games until the Olympic break, when six of their players will head to Italy to compete for their countries. They just wrapped up a long eight-game homestand where they picked up only five of a possible 16 points, and still sit last in the league with 42.
Related: Canucks News & Rumours: Tolopilo, Lekkerimaki, Willander & Reichel
Here is the schedule and storylines for the week of Feb. 2 – 9 as the Canucks head out on a brief two-game road trip, also known as the annual “Mom’s Trip”.
Lekkerimaki & Ohgren Showcase Chemistry Against Maple Leafs
Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Liam Ohgren were reunited recently on a line with Teddy Blueger, and if the game on Saturday is any indication, fans should be in for a treat when both of them hit their prime. They played most of their junior career in Sweden together with Noah Ostlund and racked up some impressive numbers, especially in their draft year: Lekkerimaki potted 20 goals and 35 points in 26 games, while Ohgren had 33 goals and 58 points in 30 games.
Fans reflected in the glass cheer as Vancouver Canucks forward Liam Ohgren celebrates a goal scored by forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
They flashed some of that chemistry against the Toronto Maple Leafs when Ohgren fed Lekkerimaki in the slot, and he snapped it top corner on Joseph Woll for his second of the season. If they can continue to build that chemistry in the NHL, the Canucks might have the makings of a lethal top line. Now, they just need a centre that complements them as well as Ostlund, because I doubt the Buffalo Sabres will be trading him anytime soon.
Since Tom Willander got called up from the Abbotsford Canucks in late October, he has improved with every game he’s played. While he’s had his share of defensive hiccups, as all young defencemen do, his offensive game and poise in his own end have stood out more often than not. When he was drafted in 2023, The Hockey Writers Peter Baracchini described him as “a very confident, steady and mobile two-way defender who can do it all in any situation,” while adding “He’s an extremely effective defender offensively with his vision and mobility and possesses great situational awareness.”
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander celebrates his goal (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
All of that is coming through in spades right now, as Willander has not only been steady defensively, but has picked up a lot of points as well. In his last five games, he has two goals and four points, alongside a plus-6. He hasn’t picked up a minus on his ledger since the 6-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 17, and matched his career-high of plus-3 in the 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Jan. 21.
Willander has showcased his mobility and offensive IQ multiple times, most recently against the Maple Leafs when he jumped up to take a pass from Evander Kane and wristed home his fourth goal of the season. He now has an impressive 16 points in 43 games, which ranks sixth among rookie defencemen. For comparison, the last great Canucks Swedish blueliner, Alex Edler, had eight goals and 20 points in 75 games in his first full season in the NHL. He is on pace to shatter that.
Tolopilo Making People Forget About Silovs
From Swedes to a Belarusian. Thanks to Thatcher Demko having to undergo season-ending hip surgery, Nikita Tolopilo will be playing a lot more down the stretch than anticipated this season. So far, he’s risen to the challenge. Over his last three appearances, he has only allowed four goals on 100 shots for a .960 save percentage (SV%). If not for concussion protocol and Kevin Lankinen having to come in for two minutes against the Anaheim Ducks, he also would have had his first career NHL shutout.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
Tolopilo’s last two starts were particularly impressive. First, he had the almost 32-shot shutout, then put on a show in the third period against the Maple Leafs, stopping 17 of 18 shots to give his team a chance to win it in extra time. While Auston Matthews got the last laugh with his second one-on-one attempt in the shootout, Tolopilo is the reason they even had the chance to grab two points. All in all, he’s doing his best right now to make fans forget about Arturs Silovs.
Boeser Will Join Team on Mom’s Trip, But Unlikely to Play
Since taking a late hit from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brian Rust last Sunday (Jan. 25), Brock Boeser has been out of the lineup, going through concussion protocol. He has missed the past three games, but was given the green light to travel on the upcoming Mom’s Trip. Foote said after practice on Saturday that he’s unlikely to play before the break, though. That said, it’s good news on the concussion front, since he’s healthy enough to get on a plane to Utah.
Other Injury Updates: Demko, Rossi, Buium, and Hoglander
As for the other players currently on the injured list, here’s where they stand:
Thatcher Demko: Shut down for the season to undergo hip surgery. The estimated time of recovery is 4-6 months, so he should be ready to go for training camp next season.
Marco Rossi: Ruled out until after the Olympic break. He’s missed the past 14 games with a lower-body injury.
Zeev Buium: Also ruled out until after the Olympic break. He’s missed the past three games after getting hit in the face with a puck last Sunday against the Penguins. He reportedly broke a bone near his cheek and might require surgery to repair it.
Nils Hoglander: Still day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He has missed the past two games.
Canucks Schedule Feb. 2 – 9
DateOpponentTime (PT)LocationNotesMon, Feb. 2@ Utah Mammoth6:30 PMDelta CenterStill searching for first win against Mammoth/Utah HCWed, Feb. 4@ Vegas Golden Knights7:00 PMT-Mobile ArenaLast game before Olympic break against Pacific Division rivalFri, Feb. 6No Game––Olympic break begins
