These Vancouver Canucks are on the hot seat heading into the season
There’s no team facing less pressure than the Vancouver Canucks.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a handful of guys on the hot seat.
After all, this is still the NHL. There are only 23 roster spots on every team, and guys should be hungry to prove they still belong.
For various reasons, here are seven Canucks players on the hot seat heading into the season.
1. Elias Pettersson, forward
The seat under Elias Pettersson has been hot for so long, it’s probably burned a hole through his suspenders.
Ryan Johnson did his best to throw some ice on Pettersson’s hot seat during his introductory press conference.
“We want to wipe away all expectations for him,” Johnson said back in May.
You can see why Johnson said that, but one would hope Pettersson takes that the right way.
Does Pettersson want to get traded to a destination of his preference? Does he want to shake the legacy of having one of the worst contracts in Canucks history? Whatever his inner answer is, he’ll need to play a heckuva lot better to make one of those a reality.
2. Victor Mancini
Victor Mancini surely didn’t have the 2025-26 season he envisioned.
After a decent Canucks debut in 2024-25, coupled with a stellar performance during Abbotsford’s Calder Cup run, Mancini looked poised to handle everyday NHL minutes heading into last season.
Instead, he often looked lost and discombobulated defensively.
We’re about to find out whether that was more Adam Foote’s fault, or if Mancini just isn’t ready to be a full-time NHLer. At the age of 24, hopefully it’s not the latter.
Mancini looks to be competing with Luke Schenn for a spot in the opening night lineup, although roster dark horses like Jack Thompson could also push Mancini with a strong camp.
3. Elias Pettersson, defenceman
Much like Mancini, the 2025-26 campaign was something of a step-back for defenceman Elias Pettersson.
He brings something the rest of Vancouver’s defencemen lack: decent wheels along with the ability to rattle off bone-crushing hits.
But if he wants to be an everyday NHLer, he’ll need to tighten up his play defensively.
Pettersson should be feeling some heat at camp based on the emergence of Kirill Kudryavtsev, who’s not as flashy, but is more refined defensively. Pettersson is also still waiver-exempt and could be sent down if the Canucks see fit.
4. Kevin Lankinen
Can Canucks’ Kevin Lankinen bounce back from a forgettable 2025-26 season? (Blake Dahlin/Imagn Images)
Like many players on the Canucks roster, 2025-26 was a nightmare for Kevin Lankinen.
The Finnish netminder saw his effectiveness drop off a cliff. Part of that can be attributed to the Canucks spectacularly bad defensive structure, coupled with some personal issues he was battling off the ice.
But in terms of the cold, hard stats, Nikita Tolopilo outplayed him last season.
If that continues, and Thatcher Demko ever returns, it could put the Canucks and Lankinen in an awkward spot.
The 32-year-old can kibosh any thoughts of him being third on the goaltending depth chart with a bounce-back season.
5. Aatu Räty
Moving up the Canucks lineup isn’t getting any easier for Aatu Räty.
With Filip Chytil now reportedly healthy, Räty is heading into camp positioned to be the Canucks’ fourth-line centre once again.
However, some of the Canucks best prospects could be breathing down his neck soon enough.
Braeden Cootes outperformed Räty at last year’s training camp. And this time next year, Caleb Malhotra could also push for a roster spot.
Räty’s work ethic should give Canucks fans confidence that he is a useful NHL player, but he needs to start proving it soon to remove any doubt.
6. Jake DeBrusk
Jake DeBrusk is full of smiles and income security, with five years left on his deal paying him $5.5 million per season.
So, why is he under any pressure?
Well, the 30-year-old did hint at not signing up for a rebuild. It’s mildly surprising that he’s even still with the Canucks to begin camp.
If DeBrusk does want to be traded, he needs to step up his game at even strength. Shooting luck played a part in his ineffectiveness, but he hardly looked threatening at all last season, aside from cleaning up rebound garbage on the power play.
7. Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Can Jonathan Lekkerimäki finally crack the Canucks full-time? (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)
It’s hard to believe that Jonathan Lekkerimäki is entering his fifth season since being drafted by the Canucks in 2022.
Injuries played a large role in his quiet 2025-26 season. However, he hasn’t looked overly threatening or effective during his short NHL stints.
With Lekkerimäki being waiver-eligible next season, the Canucks need to learn whether he’s an NHL player or not. It’s now on the 22-year-old to prove he can stick.