{"id":465600,"date":"2026-02-21T11:00:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/465600\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T11:00:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T11:00:37","slug":"canucks-news-rumours-hronek-cootes-remembering-ferland-the-hockey-writers-column","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/465600\/","title":{"rendered":"Canucks News & Rumours: Hronek, Cootes & Remembering Ferland – The Hockey Writers – Column"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes a team hits a stretch where everything feels a little unsettled\u2014leadership questions, young players rising faster than expected, old names popping back into memory. That\u2019s pretty much where the Vancouver Canucks<\/a> are sitting right now. A captain still hasn\u2019t been named, one of their top prospects is having a wild and impressive season, and a former player\u2019s story has resurfaced, reminding everyone how quickly the game can change.<\/p>\n

Related: Horvat-Miller Decision Still Haunts the Canucks<\/a><\/p>\n

So here\u2019s a closer look at three threads running through the Canucks organization this week: who might wear the \u201cC,\u201d why one prospect is climbing the ladder in a hurry, and what we can take from a short but memorable career cut down by injuries.<\/p>\n

Item One: Expect Hronek to Become the Canucks\u2019 New Captain<\/p>\n

The Canucks haven\u2019t had a captain since they traded Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December, and it\u2019s left a pretty noticeable hole in their structure. But according to insider Rick Dhaliwal<\/a>, there\u2019s one name rising above the rest: Filip Hronek<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"FilipVancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Since coming over from the Detroit Red Wings in 2023, Hronek has turned himself into one of the most important pieces on the roster. He plays huge minutes, defends well, moves the puck cleanly, and this season he\u2019s sitting right behind Elias Pettersson in team scoring. His work at the Milan Olympics didn\u2019t hurt either; he handled over 25 minutes a night for Czechia, showing he can carry a blue line on a big stage.<\/p>\n

Related: Filip Hronek a Surprising Front-Runner for Canucks\u2019 Next Captain<\/a><\/p>\n

Right now, the Canucks are rotating alternates like Brock Boeser and Tyler Myers<\/a>, but that won\u2019t last. With how much Hronek plays, how reliable he\u2019s become, and how the room seems to respond to him, it feels like the decision is getting clearer by the week. If he gets the \u201cC,\u201d he\u2019d become the 16th captain in Canucks history.<\/p>\n

Item Two: Braeden Cootes Is Building His Resume Quickly<\/p>\n

If you follow prospects even a little bit, you\u2019ve probably kept hearing about first-rounder Braeden Cootes, and it\u2019s justified. He\u2019s had one of the most unusual and impressive draft-plus-one seasons you\u2019re likely to see. He started the year by showing up at camp and surprising everyone. Not only did he hold his own against NHL players, but he played his way onto the Canucks\u2019 roster for three games as an 18-year-old. That\u2019s rare for someone drafted outside the top 10.<\/p>\n

\"BraedenBraeden Cootes, Vancouver Canucks (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

From there, things got wild. Cootes went back to junior, captained the Seattle Thunderbirds, led them in scoring, headed to the World Juniors for a depth role on a veteran Canadian team, and then was traded to the Prince Albert Raiders\u2014his fourth team of the season across all levels.<\/a><\/p>\n

Since joining Prince Albert, he\u2019s been one of the Western Hockey League\u2019s (WHL\u2019s) most productive players. He leads the Raiders in scoring, plays heavy minutes on both special teams, and brings the same style every night\u2014fast, competitive, and relentless. He wins battles, steals pucks, and tilts the ice even when he doesn\u2019t get rewarded on the scoresheet.<\/p>\n

Related: Canucks News & Rumours: Trades for Garland & Boeser & Goalie Questions<\/a><\/p>\n

With almost 50 points in 36 games and a likely deep playoff run ahead, he looks like a prospect whose game translates cleanly to the NHL. His ceiling is a top-six centre, and his floor is the kind of matchup forward every team leans on.<\/p>\n

Item Three: A Brief Look Back at Micheal Ferland<\/p>\n

Micheal Ferland\u2019s career was shorter than expected\u2014but still meaningful. He came to mind recently, and I tracked down what he was up to. He\u2019s one of those players who it\u2019s hard not to think about what could have been. He could change a playoff series, which he did for the Calgary Flames against the Sedin twins and the Canucks. <\/p>\n

\"MichealMicheal Ferland, Vancouver Canucks (Jess Starr<\/a>\/The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n

After that postseason series, he eventually signed in Vancouver. Former general manager Jim Benning hoped he was getting that same heavy, game-changing presence. But the concussions were already stacking up, and his body just wouldn\u2019t let him play the way he always had. His time in Vancouver was short\u2014only 14 NHL games\u2014and then the reality set in.<\/p>\n

Related: Canucks\u2019 Micheal Ferland: A Postseason Difference Maker?<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s good to see that Ferland didn\u2019t disappear. Now\u00a0he\u2019s working with the Kenora Devils Gap Islanders<\/a>\u00a0in the Superior International Junior Hockey League as their skills coach.\u00a0He\u2019s stayed in the game, coaching and helping young players develop the tools he once used so well. His NHL run may have been cut short, but the impact he made, and still makes, behind the bench is real.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for the Canucks?<\/p>\n

The next few weeks could tell us a lot. A team decision about a new captain feels close. Cootes is gearing up for a long playoff run that could affect the team\u2019s timeline. And stories like Ferland\u2019s remind us all that hockey can be a tough career, but if you\u2019ve played, you have to love it.<\/p>\n

The Canucks aren\u2019t in a bad spot. They\u2019re just in a transitional moment. With a leadership decision looming and a top prospect pushing toward the NHL sooner rather than later, this stretch could become a turning point in how the organization shapes the next couple of seasons.<\/p>\n

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