How the Canucks' Wings Stack Up Against the Rest of the Pacific Division (Part 1)

The Vancouver Canucks should have one of the deepest sets of wingers in the NHL this season. On top of having players like Brock Boeser, Conor Garland and Dakota Joshua, the organization went out and added Jake DeBrusk, Daniel Sprong, Danton Heinen, and Kiefer Sherwood, who should make Vancouver one of the deepest teams in the Pacific Division. To solidify this point, let’s take a look at how high the rest of the division’s wings may fly.

Anaheim Ducks

Dailyfaceoff.com has Anaheim icing a set of wings that relies on more experience over youth, which is expected when your oldest center is only 24. Their group of wingers is led by veteran Alex Killorn and 2024 All-Star Frank Vatrano. They also could see a big boost in offensive production from 20-year-old Cutter Gauthier, who was acquired in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Killorn registered 36 points last season, with 18 goals and assists, while Vatrano notched a career-high 60 points, permeated by an impressive 37 goals. As for Gauthier, he played one game for the Anaheim Ducks the past season but garnered the most attention from his performances in the 2024 World Junior Championships and 65-point season with Boston College in the same year.

Anaheim can also expect to see returning forwards Troy Terry and Ryan Strome flanking their young core of centers (if Strome doesn’t play as a center). The 2023–2024 regular season was a down year for Terry, whose 20 goals and 34 assists were the lowest totals he’d registered since the 2020-2021 season. However, being only 26 years old and playing with centers such as Trevor Zegras (if he does end up playing center) and Mason McTavish means that Terry will likely pick up the production in the coming seasons. Strome, a consistently over 40-point scorer in the past five years, turned 31 over the offseason and is unlikely to repeat his 59-point campaign from the 2019–2020 regular season. However, with his steady contributions, he’s a solid top-nine winger who will likely chip into the Ducks’ offence with another 40 points.

The Ducks’ wings are rounded out by Sam Colangelo (1–0–1, 3 GP), Robby Fabbri (18–14–32, 68 GP), Ross Johnston (1–3–4, 68 GP), Brett Leason (11–11–22, 68 GP), Brock McGinn (1–2–3, 24 GP), and Pavol Regenda (0–0–0, 5 GP).

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames’ offence on the wings will be headlined by the player most looking for a redemption arc, Jonathan Huberdeau. It’s no secret that Huberdeau has had his struggles while in Calgary — his first season in Calgary saw him score 55 points, which he followed up the season after with 12 goals and 40 points. Each of these seasons were the fewest points he’d notched at the time since the 2016–2017 season, which saw him score 26 points in 31 games. As it stands, it may seem as though we’ve seen the best of Huberdeau; however, with a potential youth movement rising in Calgary, there could still be hope for him just yet.

Newcomer Anthony Mantha and former fan-favourite Andrei Kuzmenko will likely round out the Calgary Flames’ top six. Mantha, a speedy winger who can put up 30-to-40 points in a season, signed a one-year deal with the Flames on July 1st. His 44 points last season, split between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights, was his highest total since two 48-point outings in 2017–2018 and 2018–2019. Kuzmenko, a highly sought-after free agent in 2022, lit the Canucks ablaze with 39 goals and 35 assists in his first NHL season. However, his stats dropped the season after, resulting in his trade over to Calgary. While his offensive production has dipped, when surrounded by the right cast of characters, it shouldn’t be hard for Kuzmenko to regain his near-40-goal potential.

The Calgary Flames’ wings are also expected to include Matt Coronato (3–6–9, 34 GP), Walker Duehr (2–5–7, 40 GP), Dryden Hunt (3–5–8, 28 GP), Adam Klapka (1–0–1, 6 GP), Ryan Lomberg (5–2–7, 75 GP), Jakob Pelletier (1–2–3, 13 GP), and Cole Schwindt (0–0–0, 4 GP).

Edmonton Oilers

Star Centres Connor McDavid and recently re-signed Leon Draisaitl will have a steady set of wingers to accompany them in producing offence. New acquisitions such as Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, and former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin could provide the Oilers with another level of scoring. Skinner, a forward typically noted for his $9M price tag, was bought out in the offseason and signed with Edmonton for a third of his past paycheque. While he’s had some down seasons, on average, he can produce around 40 points a season — something that he’s bound to do if slotted alongside the Oilers’ superstars.

After an injury-filled 2023-2024 season, in which he registered 15 points, Viktor Arvidsson is primed to succeed with Edmonton. He signed a two-year, $4M AAV contract with the Oilers and is anticipated to play alongside Leon Draisaitl, which could have him racking up numbers slightly shy of his career-high of 61.

Former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin is expected to slot in on the fourth line, which would have him playing with veterans Derek Ryan and Corey Perry. Once a 26-point scorer, Canucks fans and coaching staff alike were disappointed with Podkolzin’s development, as the former 10th overall draft pick wavered between the AHL and NHL. With a change of scenery, it’s optimistic to ask for a 20-point season from Podkolzin.

Edmonton will also be icing the likes of Connor Brown (4–8–12, 71 GP), James Hamblin (2–1–3, 31 GP), Zach Hyman (54–23–77, 80 GP), and Evander Kane (24–20–44, 77 GP). Centers who could shift to wing are Mattias Janmark (4–8–12, 71 GP) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18–49–67, 80 GP).

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings’ depth on the wings will remain predominantly intact for the upcoming season, with Warren Foegele and Tanner Jeannot coming into their ranks over the offseason. Having hit a career-high in points this past season with 41, Foegele looks to bringoffenceffense to a team that can defensively stifle their competition. However, as Foegele previously benefitted from a high-octane offence in the Edmonton Oilers, it wouldn’t be surprising if his production takes a hit. He’s anticipated to be skating alongside Philip Danault, which will have him taking on heavier defensive responsibilities. Slotted in on the fourth line, Tanner Jeannot will bring a gritty physicality to the Kings that reminds opponents not to mess with the stars. As for offensive production, it’s not unreasonable to expect 10-15 points from him in one full season.

Returning to the Kings is Adrian Kempe, a forward whose offensive production looks to be trending upwards. He finished the 2023-2024 season just two points shy of a point-per-game pace and set a new career high for the third year in a row. Having previously scored 35 and 41 goals in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons, respectively, look for Kempe to record another season with similar production.

Other wingers or centers who may shift to the wings include Quinton Byfield (20–35–55, 80 GP), Samuel Fagemo (1–0–1, 8 GP), Kevin Fiala (29–44–73, 82 GP), Arthur Kaliyev (7–8–15, 51 GP), Alex Laferriere (12–11–23, 81 GP), Trevor Moore (31–26–57, 82 GP), and Akil Thomas (3–1–4, 7 GP).

Keep an eye out for Part 2 previewing the rest of the Pacific Division coming out soon. 

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