Canucks Player Grades: Down in Flames in 7-3 loss

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The Canucks started the game with disastrous defending, and behind that was poor Nikita Tolopilo making his first start in two weeks.

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Published Mar 28, 2026 • 4 minute read

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Vancouver Canucks' Zeev Buium battles with Calgary Flames' Blake Coleman on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Vancouver Canucks’ Zeev Buium battles with Calgary Flames’ Blake Coleman on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo by Larry MacDougal THE CANADIAN P /The Canadian PressArticle content

Another game, another night closer to the end of this miserable season.

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The Vancouver Canucks have nothing but pride to play for— and, from time to time, you do see the spark.

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Take Nils Hoglander. The veteran (how did that happen?) Swede has had a tough season. He got hurt at the end of training camp. Didn’t make his debut till December. Took forever to get his first goal of the season.

It doesn’t seem like his coach likes him much: Ice time has been hard to fine, even after the season has been lost.

And yet he keeps showing up, keeps making plays with the puck, keeps looking to find his team a goal.

He bagged a lovely tip in the third period of what could have been another dispiriting loss on Saturday in Cowtown, the Canucks’ final goal in a 7-3 loss to the Flames.

This was a game the Canucks must have circled on their calendar as one to push for near the end of the season.

Unfortunately they started the game with disastrous defending, and behind that was poor Nikita Tolopilo making his first start in two weeks.

Tolopilo had a dismal night, giving up four goals on just 11 shots before he was lifted.

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Calgary Flames’ Joel Farabee celebrates his goal against Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo in Calgary on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo by Larry MacDougal THE CANADIAN P /The Canadian Press

Calgary’s first four goals sandwich a lone marker by Liam Öhgren, who finished off a quick turnover play in the first.

The Canucks just never gave themselves a chance against the Flames, who blew their team up even more than the Canucks did going into the trade deadline.

League leaders

As of Saturday, the Canucks have hit 100 goals allowed in the second period. No other team has hit 90 this year.

On Friday, Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford suggested his team’s second period struggles were down to players getting caught out on the ice for long shifts from the opening whistle, leading them to being tired in the second and then getting trapped by long chances.

Whether that theory is right or not, they’ve been awful in the middle frame.

Three left

The Canucks’ magic number is now three: That is, they have just 10 games left, so they can only manage 20 points maximum, and they’re 17 points back of Chicago and New York in 31st place.

In other words, another Canucks loss plus a win for both the Rangers and Hawks (or, simply, two Canucks losses) will lock in the team’s last-place standing for the season.

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Forwards

Elias Pettersson B- Lovely work in the neutral zone to turn the play around before Öhgren’s goal. He was actually pretty good on the night even if the Canucks were a mess in their own end. His best game in some time.

Liam Öhgren B Great finish off a fast opportunity.

Linus Karlsson B- Smart quick attack on Öhgren goal. Nice pass. Why he hasn’t been playing more is a mystery.

Marco Rossi C He’s had better nights.

Drew O’Connor C+ Drove the net well early.

Brock Boeser B Went to the net and thought he had a goal. Too bad Mancini had already killed the goalie. Got his goal in the second. Been a good month. Too bad it doesn’t matter.

Teddy Blueger C Hockey does not look fun for Blueger of late.

Evander Kane C- Started the game with an aimless clearance that became a delay-of-game penalty. Empty calories most nights: Somehow he had four shots on goal and threw three hits.

Jake DeBrusk C Not much ice time tonight for whatever reason but was actually useful in those minutes.

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Aatu Räty C Won faceoffs. Not much else.

Curtis Douglas C Early fight. It happened. Not much else

Vancouver Canucks’ Curtis Douglas fights Calgary Flames’ Adam Klapka during a hockey game in Calgary on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo by Larry MacDougal THE CANADIAN P /The Canadian Press

Nils Höglander C+ Once again making stuff happen when he’s on the ice. Seriously, why is Evander Kane getting more ice time at this point?

Defence

Zeev Buium C Hard night. Still creating with the puck but struggling defensively

Filip Hronek C Tough whiff on a pass attempt that ended up as the Flames’ second goal of the night. Didn’t get much better from there.

Marcus Pettersson C Not too bad really, but the scoreboard still matters. Rough one.

Tom Willander C Alright night but wasn’t enough.

P-O Joseph C+ Another decent night for him. Too bad the rest of the team was stinking it up.

Victor Mancini C+ He likes to skate. He made a lot happen offensively. Needed this, even in a loss, after some rough games before.

Goalie

Nikita Tolopilo F He hadn’t played in six games. He looked rusty, started from behind and just never got better. Pulled in the second.

Kevin Lankinen C No one wants to come in midway through the game.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

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Canucks Player Grades: Down in Flames in 7-3 loss

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