The Vancouver Canucks enjoyed a team breakout in 2023-24, rectifying three consecutive missed postseasons by winning 50 games and capturing the Pacific Division in the process. They then took the eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers to seven games in Round 2. It was a hugely encouraging campaign for the franchise, and there was hope across British Columbia that it was the start of serious contention for the club.
Instead, 2024-25 brought a rift between Elias Pettersson and JT Miller that led to the latter being traded, multiple injuries, and an eventual fifth place finish in the division. It was a huge step back for a team that many expected to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs again. It didn't help that key center Pius Suter left to join the St. Louis Blues in free agency.
Heading into training camp in a couple of weeks, the Canucks are looking to return to the form they showed two years ago. Brock Boeser surprisingly returned to the roster instead of testing free agency, while Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland were both given lucrative new contracts. As well, Evander Kane was added in a trade with the Oilers and will be inserted right into the top-six.
For Vancouver to get back to playoff form, all of those players are going to need to be at their best, and Pettersson is going to need to bounce back in a big way. But if a couple more under-the-radar forwards can take a step forward, that quest is going to get a lot easier. Here are three such skaters who are ready for their breakout in 2025-26.
Filip Chytil has a great opportunity as Canucks' likely 2C
Although Canucks management made it clear they were looking to upgrade at the second line center position, that didn't end up happening this summer. The team was linked to Jack Roslovic — probably the best free agent still available — but The Athletic's Thomas Drance reported earlier this month that that is no longer the case.
Instead, all signs point to Filip Chytil beginning the new season at 2C. The 25-year-old has struggled mightily to stay healthy throughout his career, but he provided an overwhelmingly positive update at the NHL player media tour in Europe earlier this week.
“I feel great, and hopefully it’s gonna be like this for a lot of years,” Chytil told reporters. “I feel ready for camp. Professionally, yeah, I couldn’t play. I was off the ice, and I couldn’t do what I love, and personally, it was harder for probably people around me — for my wife and for the family — because I know how I feel, but they don’t know that, and they don’t see me on the ice.”
Chytil managed six points in 15 games for Vancouver after being involved in the trade that sent Miller to Broadway. But he sustained a season-ending concussion on March 15 and didn't play again. For Canucks fans, it's great to hear that the Czech Republic native is healthy, and it's critical for a team that badly needs an effective 2C.
The former first-round pick in 2017 was at his best in 2022-23, managing career-highs with 22 goals and 45 points over 74 games with New York. He hasn't been as effective since, but he's going to get an excellent opportunity come October. Daily Faceoff has him pencilled into the 2C slot alongside Garland and Kane, and he should also be playing on the top powerplay unit alongside superstar Quinn Hughes, Jake DeBrusk, Pettersson and Boeser.
If Chytil can stay healthy, he could be a difference-maker for this Canucks team in 2025-26 — and that's exactly what the front office is expecting from him.
Aatu Raty is ready for a full time role
Another player who is going to get an immediate chance to make an impact is Aatu Raty. Originally selected 52nd overall by the New York Islanders in the 2021 NHL Draft, he was part of the trade that sent Bo Horvat to Long Island in January of 2023. After getting his feet wet with the Canucks in 2022-23, he was excellent for the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, managing 52 points in 72 games in 2023-24 and amassing 40 points in just 43 games in 2024-25.
He also got into 33 games in the big leagues, scoring seven goals and adding four assists in that span. He was part of the Abbotsford team that just won the Calder Cup, and his days in the AHL are likely over. He would have played a larger role in that championship run if he didn't suffer an injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.
Daily Faceoff projects Raty centering the Canucks' third line in 2025-26, which should put him in an excellent position to succeed. He's also a candidate to play with the second man advantage unit, which would be huge for the 22-year-old. Even if he doesn't stay in that spot all year, he has a real chance to make a difference in Vancouver's bottom-six, and he earned a two-year contract extension from the front office this offseason.
Linus Karlsson just led the AHL playoffs in scoring
Like Raty, Linus Karlsson is ready to leave the American Hockey League behind for good. He was probably the most impactful player for Abbotsford in their electric run outside of MVP goaltender Arturs Silovs, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer. Karlsson dominated the AHL playoffs, leading the league with 14 goals and 26 points in 24 games. That's after he amassed 39 points in 32 games in the regular season.
Karlsson was drafted in the third-round by the San Jose Sharks in 2018 but traded to British Columbia in 2019. While he only managed six points in 23 games with the Canucks in 2024-25, his AHL performance was extremely encouraging. Now 25 years old, the Swedish forward is ready to prove he belongs in the NHL, and he'll have a great chance to make the team out of training camp. If that happens, he could be a candidate to join Raty with the second powerplay group.
The Canucks have a decent top-six, and it'll be even better if Chytil can stay healthy and live up to his potential. But if the bottom-six can make a significant impact in 2025-26 — especially Raty and Karlsson — it will go a long way in helping the team remain competitive in the Western Conference all season long.
