The Vancouver Canucks were one of the big surprises of the 2023-24 National Hockey League campaign, following up three consecutive playoff-less seasons by winning the Pacific Division and taking the eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers to seven games in Round 2.
Although the year ended in crushing disappointment — losing a Game 7 at home brought back ghosts of seasons past in Vancouver — the Canucks finally have a competent front office. With general manager Patrik Allvin, president Jim Rutherford and reigning Jack Adams Award winning head coach Rick Tocchet at the helm, there's a ton of belief around British Columbia that this roster can take the next step in 2024-25.
While the departures of Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov will certainly hurt this club, Allvin made some shrewd moves in free agency, adding Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Daniel Sprong and Kiefer Sherwood up front along with Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais on the back end.
The Canucks again project to be one of the top teams in the West next year, and the squad will be motivated to prove that last year's run was no fluke. Here are three potential breakout candidates that could help the franchise get over the hump next spring.
Daniel Sprong is an absolute steal for the price
Despite scoring 18 goals and 43 points in 76 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season — while primarily playing in a bottom-six role — Sprong went unsigned through free agent frenzy and was still available deep into July. Allvin and the front office took a chance on a player who has more 5-on-5 goals per minutes played than some of the league's top players over the last two years, inking the Dutch forward to a one-year, $975,000 contract on July 20.
Although Sprong won't get onto the top powerplay unit, he could be a prime candidate to play on superstar Elias Pettersson's wing to start the year. Sprong's 43 points in 76 games was impressive, and he was even better the year before with the Seattle Kraken. The 27-year-old scored a fantastic 21 goals and 46 points in 66 games in 2022-23, helping the Kraken come within one win of the Western Conference Final in just their second season of existence.
Sprong admitted he was surprised by the lack of demand for his services in free agency, and this should be a player with a massive chip on his shoulder come October. Projected to play with Pettersson and DeBrusk, Sprong is a huge breakout candidate next year, and he could be a legitimate difference-maker if he sticks around in the top-six all year long.
Danton Heinen is a great addition to bottom-6
Along with DeBrusk, Heinen joined the Canucks this summer after spending last year in Boston. He's bounced around a couple of teams over the last half-decade, including the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks, and earned a two-year pact that will pay him $2.25 million in each of the next two seasons.
Although the 29-year-old isn't expected to play in the top-six, he was solid in a bottom-six role with the Bruins last year, chipping in 17 goals and 36 points in 74 contests. This is a player that was once over a point-per-game for three straight years in college hockey, and he has proven that he can score goals at the NHL level.
Heinen is a speedy left shot left winger with crafty puck skills, and his style of play should fit in extremely well in Vancouver's system. After watching players like Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander excel in the fast paced, offensive-minded scheme, there's no reason why he couldn't do the same in 2024-25.
He probably doesn't have the upside of a player like Sprong, but if he has a strong start to the campaign, Heinen would be a prime candidate to move up the lineup. If that happens, he could turn into a breakout candidate on a deep Canucks forward group.
Kiefer Sherwood is ready for his NHL opportunity
The Canucks forward core is in great shape considering all three of these potential breakout players are new additions. And Sherwood could quietly be the smartest signing by Allvin and the front office after he established himself as an NHL regular last season.
Sherwood absolutely tore up the American Hockey League, amassing 36 goals and 75 points in 57 games with the Colorado Eagles in 2021-22 and putting up another 38 points in 42 games with the Milwaukee Admirals the next season. He was also solid in the show last year, chipping in 27 points in 68 games with the Nashville Predators.
The 29-year-old is making $1.5 million in each of the next two seasons, and he should be ultra-motivated to prove that he's an everyday NHLer. Vancouver's fourth line of Sherwood, Heinen and Pius Suter could sneakily be excellent, just as the third line of Teddy Blueger, Garland and Dakota Joshua was last season.
All three of Sprong, Heinen and Sherwood should excellently complement a star forward core that already features Pettersson, Brock Boeser and JT Miller. If the trio can mesh to Tocchet's coaching style and provide the kind of value that Allvin expected when he signed them, this could turn into one of the best forward groups in the National next season. If anything, they're going to be a ton of fun to watch in 2024-25.
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