Why Canucks' loss to Wild is a microcosm of a disappointing season: 3 takeaways

New York Times

13-04-2025

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks competed hard and put in a solid, professional effort in a 3-2 overtime loss against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night that served as a microcosm of their season.
The game meant nothing for Vancouver, but it was high stakes for a Wild team that would've lost control of their playoff fate with a loss. Given that asymmetry, at the very least the Canucks made their opponent earn it.
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Playing in the second leg of a back-to-back, the Wild looked out of sorts and fatigued in the opening 40 minutes. The Canucks surrendered offensive-zone possession time but little in the way of meaningful scoring opportunities. Meanwhile, they built a 2-0 lead, with Marcus Pettersson beating Filip Gustavsson cleanly to open the scoring in the first period and Jake DeBrusk adding another deflection to his collection of tips this season on the power play in the second frame.
In the third, on tired legs, the Wild found their footing. They took over the game and slowly, but persistently, overwhelmed the Canucks.
The third period contained multitudes. There was some good, like when the Vancouver crowd warmly congratulated Marc-Andre Fleury on the conclusion of his Hall of Fame career in the third period; some bad, like the Canucks surrendering a 2-0 lead in the third period; and some ugly, like when Wild forward Yakov Trenin left Canucks defender Derek Forbort injured in the wake of a fight between the two competitors, delivering an extra blow to a defenceless opponent.
By the time Mats Zuccarello scored on a breakaway in overtime and the final buzzer sounded, it felt like the entire Canucks season contained in one 63-minute stretch of hockey.
It wasn't a poor performance, but it was a loss. The club blew a third-period lead. They lost despite a remarkable effort from Quinn Hughes. And, of course, they lost in 3-on-3 overtime.
How can you sum up what this season has felt like any better than that?
Not that this was a signature Hughes performance. In fact, in some facets of the game, Hughes' mobility looked compromised relative to what we've come to expect from the most impactful defender in hockey.
The Canucks' captain, however, is a remarkable gamer, and Saturday night — a meaningless contest in terms of the stakes for Vancouver — was the latest example.
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Hughes logged huge minutes throughout the contest, cresting 25 total minutes played before overtime even began. And while the Canucks were outshot in those minutes, as you'd expect with Vancouver leading early and the Wild desperately pushing to grind out a point with control of their playoff destiny on the line, the extent to which Vancouver relied on him to generate offensive pressure was astounding.
With Hughes on the ice at five-on-five on Saturday, Vancouver was outshot by the Wild eight to 13. In all other minutes, Vancouver generated just five shots on goal while surrendering 17 against.
We know going into this offseason that Vancouver's greatest area of need is up front. The truth is, however, this club is going to have to find a way to raise its floor in non-Hughes minutes.
Upgrading the forward corps and having a healthier lineup will help, but if games regularly look like Saturday's, the Canucks will be too reliant on Hughes again next season.
In a third-period fight between the Canucks defender and the Wild forward, Forbort got his licks in early as the fight spun violently onto the ice.
Forbort hit the ice, and his head appeared to connect with the ice sheet as his helmet partially fell off during the fall. It was already a pretty dangerous hockey situation, from a concussion-risk perspective.
Then, Trenin crossed the line. With Forbort on his back and completely defenseless, Trenin threw an extra punch at his prone opponent. If you'd permit me to editorialize, it was a despicable sucker punch.
Yakov Trenin received a game misconduct after landing a late punch on Derek Forbort while he was on the ice.
Forbort went to the dressing room following the altercation. pic.twitter.com/xuiymKJFLg
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 13, 2025
Forbort remained on the ice after the fight concluded and left the game with an apparent head injury. Trenin, meanwhile, was tossed from the game after a lengthy review. He should be hearing from the Department of Player Safety after this one. This particular punch went well beyond reckless.
This was a strange game for Vancouver.
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On the one hand, fans always want to see their team do well. The dominance of the post-elimination Canucks might be an annoying rite of spring in the Vancouver market. But it's better — especially with low lottery stakes on the table — than watching the Canucks mail it in at the end of an unsuccessful regular season.
On Saturday night, with the opportunity to play spoiler against a Wild team that had a lot to lose, Vancouver was up to the task. It built an early lead and defended well, at least until the third period.
Ultimately, Vancouver lost in overtime. Kirill Kaprizov is just too dominant with the sort of space and time on offer in 3-on-3 situations.
As disappointing as that is, on the other hand, it's probably not the worst outcome. After all, a Vancouver win would've significantly enhanced Calgary's odds of qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. And if the Flames play beyond Game 82, well, that would leave the Canucks as the only Canadian team not invited to this years Stanley Cup playoff party.
On some level, then, Saturday night's disappointment will at least make it more likely that the Canucks have some company on the sidelines north of the 49th parallel when the playoffs begin next weekend.
(Photo of Quinn Hughes: Bob Frid / Imagn Images)