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Recent trend shows rival NHL teams aren't taking the Vancouver Canucks seriously

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Oct 30 2025, 7:12 pm
Recent trend shows rival NHL teams aren't taking the Vancouver Canucks seriously
Bob Frid/Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks’ woes on offence aren’t a secret, and other NHL teams seem to be taking note.

Since the beginning of last season, the Canucks have ranked 31st, averaging just 25.5 shots on net per game. Only the Chicago Blackhawks have been worse.

If we just isolate this season, things haven’t been much better for the Canucks. They’re actually averaging just 25.4 shots on net, which ranks 29th in the league.

This season, the Canucks’ 2.55 goals per game rank 28th overall in the league.

It doesn’t take much explaining to see why other NHL teams see games against the Canucks as a good opportunity to play their backup goalie.

So far this season, the Canucks have seen the opposition’s backup goalie in more than half of their games played.

Here’s who the Canucks have faced through 11 games so far.

  • Oct. 9 vs. Calgary Flames: Dustin Wolf (starter)
  • Oct. 11 @ Edmonton Oilers: Calvin Pickard (backup)
  • Oct. 13 vs. St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington (starter)
  • Oct. 16 @ Dallas Stars: Casey DeSmith (backup)
  • Oct. 17 @ Chicago Blackhawks: Spencer Knight (starter)
  • Oct. 19 @ Washington Capitals: Charlie Lindgren (backup)
  • Oct. 21 @ Pittsburgh Penguins: ArtÅ«rs Å ilovs (starter)
  • Oct. 23 @ Nashville Predators: Jusse Saros (starter)
  • Oct. 25 vs. Montreal Canadiens: Jakub DobeÅ” (backup)
  • Oct. 26 vs. Edmonton Oilers: Calvin Pickard (backup)
  • Oct. 28 vs. New York Rangers: Jonathan Quick (backup)

So far in 11 games, the Canucks have seen six backup goalies, and they’ve gone 3-3 in those games, averaging 2.83 goals per contest.

Their relative success against backup netminders took a hit on Tuesday, when Jonathan Quick and the Rangers shut them out.

In their five games against starting netminders, Vancouver is 2-3, averaging just 2.2 goals per game in those contests.

That average of 2.2 goals per game would rank 30th in the league this season, behind only the Rangers and Calgary Flames.

In contrast, the Edmonton Oilers have played a backup just twice in 11 games thus far. Another Western Conference contender, the Colorado Avalanche, has faced a backup just once in 11 contests.

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