Canucks' Di Giuseppe is the NHL's most surprising top-line forward

One year ago, Phil Di Giuseppe was an afterthought for the Vancouver Canucks.

Today? He’s arguably the NHL’s most surprising top-line forward.

The rise of 30-year-old Phil Di Giuseppe is a feel-good story for the Canucks. Since initially signing with Vancouver in 2021, he’s risen the depth chart from serviceable top-six AHL winger, to a top-line NHL forward.

You might also like:
• Canucks reveal theme night schedule for Diwali, Pride, and more

His rise up the depth chart is quite frankly, a shock. However, he doesn’t look out of place, and he’s provided the Canucks with massive value ever since returning to the NHL in January.

Di Giuseppe is a massive bargain for Canucks

For casual fans, it’s easy to assume that any line with Elias Pettersson on it is the de facto top line for the Canucks.

However, based on ice time dished out by head coach Rick Tocchet, that’s not the case.

The trio of Di Giuseppe, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser is by far the line that has played the most at even strength so far this season for the Canucks.

Through six games, Di Giuseppe has averaged 14 minutes of even-strength ice time per game. That’s third-most among Canucks forwards, trailing only Boeser and Miller.

Yes, Di Giuseppe is even playing more at even strength than Pettersson, who has averaged 12:49 of even-strength ice time this season.

Among 428 forwards who have played in the NHL in 2023-24, Di Giuseppe’s average of 14:00 even-strength minutes per game ranks 39th in the league.

Part of the reason why the Boeser, Miller, and Di Giuseppe line has played a lot is because Tocchet seemingly wants to play them against the opposition’s best players.

During two games against the Edmonton Oilers to start the season, Di Giuseppe spent more than 50% of his even-strength ice time going head-to-head with the best hockey player on the planet, Connor McDavid.

It was a similar story against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Di Giuseppe spent nearly 50% of his even-strength ice time playing against Nikita Kucherov.

So far, the Canucks’ top line has unsurprisingly been out-chanced, but they’ve managed to outscore the opposition 5-2 at even strength.

We love an early period goal❗️
Di Giuseppe with his 1st of the season. pic.twitter.com/DXSUp4Ajbt

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 25, 2023

Not only is Di Giuseppe playing a ton at even strength, but he’s one of the Canucks’ top penalty killers as well. Only Pettersson, Miller, and Dakota Joshua have averaged more shorthanded ice time among Canucks forwards.

His ice time on the PK is also ahead of Pius Suter and Sam Lafferty, two guys who were acquired by the Canucks in part to help with the penalty kill.

Among the Canucks’ regular penalty-killing forwards, only Di Giuseppe and Joshua have yet to be on the ice for a shorthanded goal against.

Based on his contributions all throughout the lineup, Di Giuseppe is easily one of the best bargains in the NHL so far this season. He’s making a league minimum of $775,000 and is signed to a two-way contract.

There have been 45 forwards making league minimum that have suited up for NHL games this season. Di Giuseppe leads them all with an average ice time of 16:14. His +6 is also tops among that cohort.

How Canucks’ Di Giuseppe returned to the NHL

The fact that Di Giuseppe is playing the role he is with the Canucks right now is a minor miracle.

It’s not often that you see guys who are 29 years old resurface in the NHL and stick around full time after a lengthy absence.

Since being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2012, Di Giuseppe has played for four NHL organizations, and eight different teams if you include their AHL affiliates.

From 2015 to 2021, he played NHL games in every season. That changed in 2021-22, his first year with the Canucks organization.

Despite a solid training camp, Di Giuseppe was sent to the Abbotsford Canucks. He was recalled twice but never played an NHL game.

Last season, he had another good training camp, but this time it was cut short by injury. He didn’t make his season debut with Abbotsford until October 23, 2022.

Di Giuseppe was recalled on January 25 and played his first NHL game since May 8th, 2021. He was actually sent to the minors again three days later, but Ilya Mikheyev’s season-ending injury and the trade of captain Bo Horvat left some holes in the Canucks lineup.

On February 4, Di Giuseppe was recalled by the Canucks. He scored his first NHL goal in nearly two years the following game, and hasn’t relinquished his roster spot since.