3 Most Defining Moments for The Canucks in 2024

The Vancouver Canucks have had an interesting 2024 calendar year. Leading into 2025, there is much to work on for the team, and fans are wondering if what’s happened over the past few months is too much to overcome. Focusing on the drama between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, Thatcher Demko‘s injury, and the absence of Filip Hronek, how will the Canucks fare and will they make the postseason after a fantastic 2023/24 season? Here are the three most defining moments from the Vancouver Canucks 2024 year.

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Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller Drama

The minute Elliotte Friedman threw out the idea that Pettersson could be someone that Canucks move and wondered if the Buffalo Sabres would be a fit, the snowball started rolling downhill. Since that podcast, it’s gotten bigger and bigger and many are wondering if that same snowball is stoppable.

Both players deny the rumors of friction, but current and past coaches have admitted these two players aren’t friends. Now that the talk has gotten so loud, the issues have spilled over onto the ice and the Canucks have gone 3-7 since Dec 3rd.

Is a trade happening that will shed the team of this soap opera and get the Canucks back on track?

Thatcher Demko’s Injury and Future

Another big storyline in 2024 was the injury to Thatcher Demko and how the Canucks managed his playing time, potentially making his issues worse by allowing him to play just before the 2024 postseason. He aggravated something, which took him out of the 2023/24 playoffs, and the Canucks eventually lost to the Edmonton Oilers.

Then, what was believed to be something that wouldn’t be incredibly long turned into a unique and mysterious injury that no one could quite figure out. It wasn’t until the end of 2024 that Demko returned to the lineup. He has played six games this season and has a .879 save percentage and 3.43 goals against. Will Demko ever be the same? Can the Canucks play him regular minutes like they would any NHL starter?

Canucks Lose Filip Hronek

The loss of defenseman Filip Hronek started a domino effect of issues that the Canucks haven’t been able to manage since. Not only is losing someone like Hronek a huge loss, but it adds incredible pressure onto someone like Quinn Hughes. As per @Hughes4Norris, Quinn Hughes ice-time since Hronek went out: 24:45 (game-time decision), 26:20, 26:11, 26:19, 25:14, 27:38, 22:27, 29:50, 20:18, 26:25, 27:00, 31:04, 28:31.

As good as Hughes is, that’s a lot of playing time and a huge responsibility for one player. The fact that they haven’t been able to find him the right playing partner doesn’t help matters. Now, Hughes is out week-to-week, which almost felt inevitable considering the load he was being asked to carry.

Next: McLellan Wins 1st with Wings: NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup Dec. 30