The Vancouver Canucks brought in a variety of new faces over the summer at different positions.
Management solidified the wings, brought in some big blueliners, and added another goalie to the crease. The team committed a lot of salary cap space to these new players with the hope that they’d fit in seamlessly. So far, that’s been true for some, while others have struggled slightly.
While it’s only been five games, and it’s far too soon to make any serious judgements, the early returns have differed greatly across players. Here is how each new Canuck has fared across their first few games.
Kevin Lankinen: Potential team MVP?
Goalie Kevin Lankinen has started three games so far and looked very strong in all of them. The Canucks have grabbed five of the six points available in those contests.
His play has been so good, and Arturs Silovs’ so bad, that the Canucks called upon the Finnish netminder to start their two most recent contests, breaking up the alternating rotation used previously. Lankinen has taken over the starter role.
Lankinen rewarded the team’s confidence by putting together a 28-save shutout in his second straight start last game. He currently has a .953% save percentage and a 1.28 goals-against-average, both stellar numbers. You couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.
Jake DeBrusk: Good, but still finding his spot
Jake DeBrusk was the team’s most notable free agent signing. While he’s yet to score, he has four assists in five games. His production hasn’t been bad, and he’s shown flashes of being a scary downhill threat when carrying the puck in the neutral zone.
While DeBrusk was signed to play alongside Elias Pettersson, he’s already been moved off that line just a few games into the season. It now looks like he could be a better fit beside J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser. No matter where he plays, DeBrusk is looking like a legitimate top-six forward.
He was also brought in to help the power play, and thus far, the results have been mixed. The team’s lines today at practice suggested that he might be bumped to the second unit for their next game.
Daniel Sprong: Living up to his reputation
When the Canucks signed Daniel Sprong late last summer, it was understood that the reason he was still available was because of warts in his defensive game. That has been fully on display so far this season, as he’s already been scratched after making some confusing defensive decisions.
After the goal below vs. Calgary, Sprong (#91) played just four more shifts for #Canucks.
“I don’t want to name the guy but if he just comes underneath, there’s no goal,” said Tocchet postgame.
Sprong has immense offensive upside but he still needs to gain the coach’s trust. pic.twitter.com/4GQ7hS4F2c
— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) October 19, 2024
He did score the team’s first goal of the season but will need to show more defensive responsibility to earn a larger role. Sprong is not yet an everyday player on this Canucks team, but if he can’t stay in the lineup full-time in October, it’s hard to see how he will be trusted in the playoffs next spring without major changes.
Derek Forbort: Too soon to say
While he’s only played a few games, Derek Forbort has been the bottom-four, penalty-kill specialist the Canucks were expecting him to be. The team is allowing the fewest shots-against-per-60-minutes while he’s on the ice compared to any of the other regular penalty killers.
Forbort left the team a few days ago as he deals with a personal matter. It’s not know when he will be back, although it’s expected to be soon.
Vincent Desharnais: Healthy scratched already
When the Canucks signed Vincent Desharnais to a two-year, $4 million deal this past summer, the AAV of $2 million raised some eyebrows. He had just 114 career games played before signing that deal, but management saw potential in him and liked his 6-foot-7 frame.
Through the first five games of the season, Desharnais has dressed for just three of them, sitting as a healthy scratch in the other two. That’s not great for a recent signing.
His results on the ice have been far from stellar. He has the fourth-lowest CF% on the entire team. It was always understood that Desharnais was going to be a project, but there may be more work to be done than initially expected.
Danton Heinen: Not enough offence
Canucks fans were excited to see local kid Danton Heinen sign with the team this summer. He was first given a stellar opportunity on the top line with Miller and Boeser but has already been replaced. Heinen has now been skating in the bottom-six.
While the winger has two assists through the first five games and firmly has a place secured in the lineup, he hasn’t been creating much offensively. Heinen has just three five-on-five shots on net through five games, the same number defenceman Forbort has managed in just three contests.
The Canucks will be hoping that he can show more offensive pop in his game over the coming weeks.
Kiefer Sherwood: The perfect pest
If you had to draw up the perfect bottom-six winger, they would play something like how Kiefer Sherwood has thus far. The winger has been the perfect pest. He leads all NHL skaters in hits and has managed to annoy opponents.
Oh man Sherwood is going to endear himself to this fanbase so much 😆 😂 pic.twitter.com/rbGgbyBnY4
— Coco (@AllLoveCoco) October 21, 2024
Sherwood also has a goal and is tied for fifth on the team in shots. He’s added a ton of speed and energy to the forward group and looks to be someone who could occupy different positions.