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Some experts have shared some pretty disappointed expectations for the Vancouver Canucks among Canadian teams for the National Hockey League’s 2025-26 season.

General Manager Patrik Allvin has done a pretty good job building the team’s roster this summer which included locking up forward Brock Boeser to a long-term contract and acquiring Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers, two moves that they believe can get them over the hump and into the postseason.

While it’s still way too early to tell how things will play out in the Pacific Division and Western Conference, it doesn’t appear that there’s much hope for the team’s chances to be among the best in Canada.

Experts give disappointing expectations for Vancouver Canucks among Canadian teams

In a recent edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Matt Larkin went through each of the seven Canadian teams to see where they stand heading into the National Hockey League’s 2025-26, five of whom are fresh off appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

When it came time to talk about the Vancouver Canucks, without hesitation, Yaremchuk and Larkin both believe they’re destined to be the worst of the seven Canadian teams this season.

For Yaremchuk, a big reason he has the Vancouver Canucks dead last among Canadian teams has to do with their depth down the middle, with Elias Pettersson obviously locked into that 1C role, while Filip Chytil, at the time of writing this, is more than likely the team’s second line center to start the year.”We both agreed that Vancouver is dead last, 7th out of seven. I don’t even think it needs that much explaining, but when you look at center depth: okay, Elias Pettersson, what is he? Even if he takes a big step forward and he is a bonafide top-line center for you, you’re still taking a gamble on Filip Chytil finding a way to be healthy. Even if he’s been healthy, asking him to be a 2C is a pretty big ask.

There’s a lot of hope on that Vancouver roster. I’m not saying they’re guaranteed to miss the playoffs, but it’s pretty easy to put them dead last in this ranking.” Yaremchuk said.

Larkin says that the team has struggled big time to find their identity and doesn’t think they’ve done enough in terms of adding to their roster to be a playoff team next spring.

“I agree, and for me, the Canucks are at the top of my “What are you doing?” power rankings. The team really struggled to find its identity. They weren’t good enough to make the playoffs, and what have you added to this roster?” Larkin said.

Fans of the Vancouver Canucks are no stranger to their team being overlooked or underestimated, as was the case in the summer of 2023, with almost everyone believing they’d be “in the mix” for a wild card spot, but ended up winning the Pacific Division.

Unless everyone on the roster has a career-year, it’s unlikely that the Canucks will be in top spot in the Pacific when the regular season concludes, but with the team they have right now, there’s no question that they’ll be pushing for a playoff spot well into March & April.

Previously on CanucksDaily

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