Vancouver Canucks on the Radar: Week of October 27 – Demoralizing By Design

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Oct 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) checks Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images | Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Levi Pike, Editor

Welcome back to Canucks on the Radar, a weekly feature focused on Canucks analysis here on Last Word On Hockey, where we break down the stories and developments worth watching around the Vancouver Canucks each week. We will cover a variety of topics, including the week’s games in review, top performers, players making a positive or negative impact, roster questions, news, and trends that could shape the season. This series will break down the developments worth watching around the Canucks. Make sure to check back every Tuesday for a new edition of Canucks on the Radar.

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On our radar this week is, as usual, a quick look at last week’s games and top performers of the week, and then we will look at John Garrett’s tribute last Tuesday, the return of Quinn Hughes to Vancouver and how the fans responded, and how General Manager Ryan Johnson and the team have thought of the Canucks’ start so far.

Canucks on the Radar Issue 4 – Demoralizing By Design

Week in Review

October 20th: Carolina 6-3 Vancouver

October 22nd: Detroit 5-2 Vancouver

October 25th: Minnesota 4-2 Vancouver

Record: 0-3-0 (Overall: 2-10-1)

To start this week’s edition of Canucks on the Radar, let’s take a brief look at this week’s games. This is the third straight week the Canucks have gone winless, as their losing streak has hit 10 games. They were competitive against Carolina for two periods, had their worst effort of the season against Detroit, and got outmatched against Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild in Hughes’ first return to Vancouver.

Top Performers of the Week: Karlsson and Lekkerimäki Among Most Consistent Canucks

While the positives are starting to wane, this week we will discuss the positives, which are Linus Karlsson and Jonathan Lekkerimäki‘s consistently strong play.

Karlsson had just one goal this week, but he continues to be strong at 5-on-5 and leads the team in points at even strength. He had the most 5-on-5 points last season as well, so it is good to see that continue, as the leading scorer, Elias Pettersson, has had the majority of his points on the power play.

Lekkerimäki recorded two goals and an assist this week, thus making his second appearance on our top performers of the week here on Canucks on the Radar. His puck retrievals and wins in puck battles have been impressive, and he is putting his strong shot to good use.

John Garrett Tribute: A Job Well Done By the Canucks Organization

Last Tuesday, October 20th, broadcaster and former NHL goaltender John Garrett was honoured by the Canucks throughout the game, from the Sportsnet broadcast as well as in the arena. He was a regular on Canucks broadcasts since the 2002-03 season, until his retirement from regional broadcasts in 2023. He touched the lives of many fans and was the voice of my childhood, alongside John Shorthouse and Dan Murphy. We would like to shout out the Canucks organization, John Shorthouse, and Dan Murphy on a job well done in honouring a renowned voice in the industry, as well as honouring the great man that Garrett was.

Quinn Hughes Returned to Rogers Arena, Handing Canucks Their Tenth Loss in a Row

Hughes made his return to Vancouver, to passionate fans who voiced their displeasure with how his tenure in Vancouver ended. Chants of “Quitter”, “Quinn Hughes sucks”, and “He’s not signing” rang loudly around the arena throughout the evening. A tribute to his time in Vancouver was played, with a few cheers. It certainly was not as brutal of a crowd as when Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa, but Canucks fans still made their voices heard.

GM Ryan Johnson Dedicated to Staying the Course As Players Look Dejected

Ten-straight losses will have the players and coaching staff alike feeling frustrated, but that is the reality of a rebuild. Brock Boeser called out his team after the loss to Detroit, saying, “It’s the same stuff game after game. I don’t know where the disconnect is, if guys in here aren’t listening to what the coaches are preaching on our style of play, or if some of our structure is not working, or what it is.”

While losses are bound to come for the rebuilding Canucks, the losses have looked worse this week, as they were outshot 109-47 in the three games last week. In the second period against the Red Wings on October 22, the team recorded zero shots. It feels like rock bottom for the team right now, with no help coming. The team will probably win eventually, but with the way they are playing, it looks like an uphill climb to even get a single victory.

Oct 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) checks Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

In an interview on Donnie & Dhali this week, General Manager Ryan Johnson remained steadfast in staying the course. As the team struggles, some may wonder why the team is not calling up Braeden Cootes or giving Adam Novotny a chance to play in the NHL. Johnson made it clear in the interview that he will not rush Cootes’ development.

“I want him to experience everything and anything he can at the American Hockey League level before he comes here. There’s no question he’s gonna be a part of this organization for a long time and a big part of the turnaround here… I just want to be very strategic about when that is,” said Johnson.

The NHL is unforgiving, and when the NHL team is going through tough times, that would be the worst time to bring young kids up. Johnson understands the situation, and although losing regularly is tough, he has not lost sight of the process that needs to happen in order for the team to thrive long-term.

Looking Ahead

For this coming week, the Canucks will face the Anaheim Ducks tonight, followed by visiting Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, and then rounding out the week against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday Night Hockey. On the next edition of Canucks on the Radar, we will look back at the team’s performance in October as well as any other major developments that happen throughout the week.

Previous Canucks on the Radar Editions:

Vancouver Canucks on the Radar: Week of October 20, Eastern Roadie Woes

Vancouver Canucks on the Radar: Week of October 13, Rebuilding Realities

Vancouver Canucks on the Radar: Week of October 6, Chaos and Resiliency

Main Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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