In their first game against their former superstar the very-tired Canucks wilted in expected fashion.<\/p>\n
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Published Apr 02, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Quinn Hughes<\/a> was always going to be the story.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. 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Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The first time facing his old squad<\/a>: The team that was supposed to be.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n His new team is playoff bound. His old team is not.<\/p>\n He also didn\u2019t have to play half the game<\/a>, as he was doing in Vancouver. The minutes in Minnesota, he says, are easier too.<\/p>\n His Wild were surely going to dominate the Canucks in Thursday\u2019s game, and not just because of the vastly different directions the two squads are headed \u2014 the Canucks also played in downtown Denver<\/a> on Wednesday night. From the rink, that\u2019s a good 40 minute trip to the airport, and you don\u2019t get on the plane until after 11. After that, it\u2019s a two-hour flight from Denver to Minneapolis plus a time zone change. So you\u2019re not getting to your hotel till 3 a.m.<\/p>\n It\u2019s as tough a two-night swing of games you\u2019ll find in the NHL, and for some reason the Canucks keep getting handed it year after year.<\/p>\n That the Canucks looked haggard in the third period was no surprise: They were up 2-1 in the first but faded. Yes, they always fade in the second this season, this time the fading was understandable. It also wasn\u2019t that surprising when they gave up a late empty-net goal, sealing a 5-2 win for the hosts.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Boldy thing<\/p>\n Everytime you see Boldy score, you should be reminded that for whatever reason GM Jim Benning eschewed him for Vasily Podkolzin<\/a>, who is having a fine season in Edmonton but still isn\u2019t the player Boldy has become.<\/p>\n Podkolzin was admired by scouts for his intelligence and the completeness of his game. He was a fine pick. A player who projected well.<\/p>\n But Boldy had a higher ceiling. He\u2019s a remarkable player. An Olympian \u2014 and a 40 goal scorer.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the Canucks traded Podkolzin for a fourth-round pick.<\/p>\n Last place<\/p>\n If you\u2019re going to be bad, at least make it historic.<\/p>\n Never before has a Canucks team finished dead last in the league. April 2, 2026 was the day they finally set a new standard \u2026 or whatever this is.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll be 32nd when the season concludes in two weeks. They\u2019ll have a 25.5 per cent chance at picking first overall.<\/p>\n In other words, they\u2019re unlikely to pick first and when you add up the remaining values, they\u2019re 55 per cent likely to pick third overall, a devastating result.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n During the Linden-Benning era, no team in the NHL finished worse than the Canucks from 2016 to 2018. Their average draft position was 5.67: Atrocious.<\/p>\n Now, they did get Elias Pettersson<\/a> and Hughes in those drafts, but Benning also misfired and picked Olli Juolevi in 2016.<\/p>\n Still, the fact they never got to pick near the top of the draft is amazing.<\/p>\n Here they are. This could be a franchise-defining summer.<\/p>\n Elias Pettersson<\/a> C+ Nice early backcheck. Lots of good plays on the puck. Been better but also been worse.<\/p>\n Liam \u00d6hgren C. Been better. He, Pettersson and DeBrusk saw a lot of Hughes and Brock Faber and struggled to generate much when they were up against the Wild\u2019s best defencemen.<\/p>\n Jake DeBrusk B- Mr. Power play back at it. 15\/18 goals, 83.3 per cent is second highest percentage of man-advantage goals by a player with at least 15 goals<\/p>\n Marco Rossi C Not great in his own end, not great on offence.<\/p>\n Drew O\u2019Connor C+ At least he was feisty.<\/p>\n Brock Boeser<\/a> C After a big night vs. Colorado, not much to say in his favour back in his hometown.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Teddy Blueger<\/a> C+Helped create Willander\u2019s goal. Tidy game.<\/p>\n Max Sasson C+ He\u2019s thriving as a winger.<\/p>\n Linus Karlsson C+ Missing a bit of a scoring touch lately but doing everything else well.<\/p>\n Ty Mueller C+ With Evander Kane out and Nils Hoglander<\/a> unfavoured, the pesky centre got his first NHL game of the season in. Quiet game. All you can ask for.<\/p>\n Curtis Douglas C+ Lost his balance on a silly Hughes cross check near the boards. Quietly, maybe his most effective game as a Canuck.<\/p>\n Aatu R\u00e4ty C+ A weird option on the wing but if the coaches really don\u2019t want to play Hoglander, here we are.<\/p>\n Defence<\/p>\n Zeev Buium B Masterful night against his old team. Controlled the puck well. A couple defensive blips but a big performance in a big moment.<\/p>\n Filip Hronek<\/a> B Great night against his old friend. A good night as partner to his rookie teammate, too.<\/p>\n Marcus Pettersson C Got eaten alive against the Wild\u2019s top line while his youthful partner struggled.<\/p>\n Tom Willander C+ Nice instincts on the four on four to get his goal. He\u2019s hit 20 points on the season. He\u2019s the 18th rookie defenceman in team history to hit that mark and the first since Quinn Hughes<\/a>. Tough night on defence again though.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Elias Pettersson C As the Mad Men meme goes: \u201cnot great Bob!\u201d Another tough night in a mostly tough season for the sophomore blueliner.<\/p>\n P-O Joseph C Same as his partner.<\/p>\n Goalie<\/p>\n Nikita Tolopilo B. Goaltending is a weird thing in the modern game. More and more, it\u2019s about getting into position to make a save: That\u2019s what matters. Shooters are so good now, making great saves is simply about being in the way. He was solid vs. Minneapolis. Gave his team a chance to win even as they continued to struggle defensively.<\/p>\n pjohnston@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Jim Rutherford gives four reasons why the Canucks have been so bad at home<\/p>\n![\"Vancouver](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cp176086548_302405925.jpg\")
Vancouver Canucks centre Max Sasson reacts to his team’s loss against the Minnesota Wild on April 2, 2026. Photo by AP Photo\/Matt Krohn \/APArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, right, skates with the puck as Vancouver Canucks centre Teddy Blueger defends. Photo by AP Photo\/Matt Krohn \/AP<\/p>\n![\"Canucks](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-vs-canucksReport.svg\"\/){kind=icon}
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Vancouver Canucks players talk during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild on April 2, 2026. Photo by AP Photo\/Matt Krohn \/APForwards<\/p>\n![\"Minnesota](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cp176086535_302406031.jpg\")
Minnesota Wild centre Joel Eriksson Ek, right, and Vancouver Canucks centre Teddy Blueger compete for the puck. Photo by AP Photo\/Matt Krohn \/AP<\/p>\n![\"Zeev](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cp176086152_302405969.jpg\")
Zeev Buium skates with the puck ahead of Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy during the first period of the game on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Photo by AP Photo\/Matt Krohn \/AP<\/p>\n![\"Canucks](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0328-col-canucks-1.jpg\")
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