2024-25 Canucks Season Preview, Predictions, & Odds

While the Vancouver Canucks fell short of their ultimate goal, last season should be considered a success. 

Along with picking up the Jack Adams Award, head coach Rick Tocchet led the team to their first division title since 2012-13. 

The question is whether the Canucks will be able to follow suit in 2024-25 and defend their Pacific Division crown with the Stanley Cup hockey odds favourite Edmonton Oilers ready to pounce. 

Vancouver Canucks Futures Odds

Point Total: 99.5:

Pacific Division: +450

Western Conference: +1000

Stanley Cup: +2200

Vancouver Canucks Offseason Moves

The Canucks saw a few influential players depart in the offseason, including a pair brought in from Calgary last season to bolster their playoff chances. Towering defenceman Nikita Zadorov and centre Elias Lindholm left for the Boston Bruins. 

While fairly significant losses, neither player was around long enough for their departure to negatively impact the franchise in the long term. 

To offset those losses, the Canucks signed Jake DeBrusk from the Bruins and Vincent Desharnais from the Oilers.

DeBrusk has the grit and physicality tailored for the postseason and can contribute offensively. DeBrusk will be a handy addition to a power play that struggled mightily in the playoffs. 

While not a top-two pairing defenceman, Desharnais helped Edmonton advance to last season’s Stanley Cup Final.  

Vancouver Canucks Additions

Vancouver Canucks Departures

Vancouver Canucks 2024-25 Betting Prediction

Prediction: Over 99.5 points (-115)

I predict the Canucks will finish the season with Over 99.5 points but fail to repeat as Pacific Division winners. 

Their -115 NHL odds to secure at least 100 points imply a 53.48% win probability. 

While nobody knows whether Thatcher Demko will return to the crease in time to start the season, the Canucks have enough depth to withstand any long-term absence from their star netminder. 

While largely untested in the regular season, backup Arturs Silovs was sensational in the first round of the playoffs, almost single-handedly lifting his team past the Nashville Predators. 

Silovs’ performance level dropped in the second round against the Oilers, but that’s by no means an indictment on the 23-year-old.

Silovs appeared in only four regular-season contests before being sprung into the spotlight for Game 4 against the Predators. 

Vancouver recently signed goaltender Kevin Lankinen as a contingency in case Thatcher can’t return soon. 

While they should have enough to hit the 100-point mark, the Canucks won’t pose a Stanley Cup threat without Demko steering the ship.  

Defensively, the Canucks have a solid top two pairings but drop off significantly after that. Everything runs through Quinn Hughes, who is coming off a Norris Trophy-winning 2023-24 campaign. 

HUGHES ➡️ PETEY ➡️ DEBRUSK GAME-WINNER pic.twitter.com/Hs6USHXxwa

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 26, 2024

That lack of depth on the blue line is not exclusively an issue on defence.

Led by captain J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, DeBrusk, Conor Garland, and Elias Pettersson, the Canucks have solid top two offensive lines. 

However, like most teams, there is a palpable drop-off for the third and, particularly, the fourth unit. 

Vancouver endured a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde last season, scoring the sixth-most goals per game in the regular season (3.40) but the second-fewest (2.54) of the teams that advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. 

Much of that is down to Pettersson’s inability to raise his level in the postseason. 

However, my best online sportsbook bet focuses on the Canucks’ regular season output, where Pettersson usually thrives.