Another Vancouver Canucks forward is being evaluated for an injury
It’s been a season from hell for the Vancouver Canucks.
But of all the guys who’ve suffered through the worst luck this year, Nils Höglander is right up there.
The 25-year-old entered this NHL season with hope for a rebound campaign. After scoring 24 goals, all at even-strength, in 2023-24, the winger slumped to just eight goals and 25 points in 2024-25.
This season has been much worse, through little fault of his own.
Höglander suffered an ankle sprain during the Canucks second preseason game and proceeded to miss the first 29 games of the 2025-26 campaign.
Since returning to the lineup, the BocktrĂ€sk, Sweden native has just two assists in 18 games. He’s currently averaging a career-low 11:32 per contest.
Now, he may be sidelined with another injury.
At Canucks practice on Wednesday, five players were absent, including Tyler Myers, Filip Hronek, Filip Chytil, Conor Garland, and Höglander.
Head coach Adam Foote mentioned that everyone missing was out due to a maintenance day or because of illness, except for Höglander.
“Hög is getting evaluated later today for lower body,” Foote said after practice.
He mentioned that Höglander will be evaluated on Wednesday by a doctor.
The sixth-year Canucks forward played just three shifts in the third period last night, and he wasn’t on the bench at the end of the game.
Höglander signed a three-year extension with the Canucks worth $3 million per year just before the start of the 2024-25 season. At the time, it looked like Vancouver was buying low on a player who had turned a corner and could provide value on his contract by playing in a top-six role.
Instead, he’s been mired in injuries and inconsistencies. Since the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, Höglander has eight goals and 27 points in 90 games.
With Höglander, Chytil and Blueger missing the majority of the season due to injury, the Canucks now have the third-most man-games lost at forward this season. Only the Buffalo Sabres and the Florida Panthers have had forwards miss more games than the Canucks.