The Canucks are aiming to build on the playoffs at the start of the new NHL season

The Vancouver Canucks got a taste of playoff hockey last season – now they're hungry for more.

“Fighting through two difficult postseason matchups is an experience the team will draw on as we head into a new season,” said right winger Brock Boeser.

“The playoffs are a lot of fun and it was great that we had success,” he said at training camp in Penticton, B.C. “And I think that’s only going to help us this year.”

The Canucks finished the 2023-24 regular season atop the Pacific Division with a record of 50-23-9 and played their first playoff game since 2015 in Vancouver in April.

After defeating the Nashville Predators in six games, the Canucks faced the Edmonton Oilers in the second round. Both teams battled through a seven-game series, with Edmonton emerging victorious.

Vancouver made progress last year, but head coach Rick Tocchet has once again challenged his players to improve their skills this season.

“To get to the next plateau, the expectations are higher and it will be difficult,” he said. “We know that.”

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It's been a busy summer for the Canucks' front office, as general manager Patrik Allvin tinkered with the roster in free agency.

Instead of signing key midseason additions Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to big deals midseason, Allvin signed left wing Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year, $38.5 million contract.

Lindholm and Zadorov both landed with DeBrusk's former team, the Boston Bruins, while Vancouver said goodbye to backup goaltender Casey DeSmith, veteran blue liner Ian Cole and depth forwards Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev.

DeBrusk, who had 19 goals and 21 assists for Boston last season, is expected to line up alongside star center Elias Pettersson and provide some offensive support to the star center.

It's a role that DeBrusk relishes.

“Personally, I don’t care how I personally perform in terms of statistics. That's why if we win, I'll be here to help. But in saying that, I feel like I can add some elements to the team,” he said.

“Obviously there are a lot of great players already, but I think I could fit in pretty seamlessly. That’s why I decided to come here.”

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New signings, important injuries

Allvin also signed left wingers Danton Heinen (Boston) and Kiefer Sherwood (Nashville) as well as struggling defensemen Derek Forbort (Boston) and Vincent Desharnais (Edmonton). He completed the new additions with sharpshooter Daniel Sprong (Detroit Red Wings) and goalkeeper Kevin Lankinen (Nashville).

“It’s a lot of speed, a lot of character. The new guys seem to be a really great fit. Great guys off the ice too,” said Canucks center JT Miller.

“They are all very eager to learn. They have all played on good teams before. So you know the expectations and I think there’s a bit of excitement in the group at the moment.”

Vancouver will be without an important player at the start of the season.

All-Star goalie Thatcher Demko announced before training camp that he was recovering from a knee muscle injury. No date has been set for an expected return.

Tocchet said he plans to have rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs in goal when the Canucks open their season against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Latvian gained plenty of experience in high-pressure games last spring when he was promoted from Vancouver's third goalie to starter in just a few days during the playoffs. In ten postseason appearances, he posted a 5-5 record with a .898 save percentage, 2.91 goals-against average and one shutout.

“We put (Silovs) in tough situations and he did a good job for us,” Tocchet said.

Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award as the league's best coach last season, while Canucks captain Quinn Hughes won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. Hughes led all NHL Blue Liners with 92 points (17 goals, 75 assists).

Missing home

Canucks fans won't have a chance to watch their team play in Vancouver for almost a month in the middle of the season.

After hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8th, the Canucks have three and a half weeks to play before another home game against the Anaheim Ducks on March 5th.

In between there's international hockey with the 4 Nations Face Off in Montreal and Boston before Vancouver heads to a five-game away tournament through the Western Conference.

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Kingsley Bailey, operator of Vancouver Ticket Services, says ticket prices at Rogers Arena, the Canucks' home stadium, have increased noticeably since last season following the team's playoff success.

Bailey said eager Canucks fans are waiting to see how the team performs this season, but acknowledged support would suffer if the team gets off to a poor start and ticket prices remain high.

“At the end of the day, it won't really hurt the team because they'll still make their money from their TV sales and everything else, but it will hurt if they don't have fans in the stands,” he told CBC News.