With the NHL design of 2025 and the first Free Agency Frenzy in the books, we now turn to an example of the 2025-26 season for the Vancouver Canucks. Instead of doing report cards, I thought I would change things and do previews instead. In this current series outside season, I will try to dive into every player who should compete for a selection and a summary of last season, where their expectations go this season, and ultimately predict what their last Stat line could look like.
Related: 3 Bold Vancouver Canucks predictions for 2025-26
In the most recent edition of the series I discussed the newest Canuck, Vitali Kravtsov. Then one of the players who have to bounce back this season: Nils Hoglander.
Nils Hoglander
- Age: 24
- How acquired: Prepared 40th general in 2019
- 2024-25 Statistics: 8 goals and 25 points in 72 games
- Career Statistics: 58 goals and 115 points in 293 games
- 2025-26 Contract status: Year one of a three -year contract worth $ 3 million average annual value (AAV)
2024-25 season Summary
After scoring a career-high 24 goals in 2023-24 and Sign a new three -year contract extensionEveryone expected Hoglander to take a step forward in 2024-25, or at least stay at the same level. Unfortunately that did not happen, and he went back to eight goals and 25 points are lowest full season goal in total since 2021-22, when he had 10. While his average time on ice (Atoi) remained relatively the same, he could not generate the same level of attack and he went several pieces without touching the back of the net. At one point he was drought on a 34-game goals and saw his ice age fall to a few figures, Rock-Bottom on a career-last 6:28 on November 29 against the Buffalo Sabres.
Hoglander still provided his characteristic energy and work ethics on the pre -check, but the goals just seemed to miss him. The good thing is that he started to have success at the end of the season, scored four goals and adds nine assists for 13 points in his last 19 games, so maybe that is a sign of the things that are still coming.
2025-26 Seasonal role and expectations
Hoglander just comes in his prime at the age of 24 and should still have more 20-target seasons in him. Now signed with a lucrative contract, he is expected to produce the very effective attacker and return to the very effective attacker who has one of the Top 5-on-5 target scorers In the competition in 2023-24. I project him to start in the top nine with Aatu Raty and Kiefer Sherwood, who should serve on his powerful pre-check style that has brought him success in the past. He may get more time in the Power Play now that Pius Ster is in St. Louis and JT Miller is in New York, which could also increase his target total.
Hoglander has all the tools to be a consistent top-six scorer in the NHL, and the fact that he did it earlier and has found a way to turn things around at the end of the season is good for a bounce-back campaign. Speak on the Podcast of Canucks InsiderHe thought about that turn and pointed out to develop his game to provide more with the coach’s system as a key to taking the next step in his development.
“The difficult start I had, I have to think back, I am quite proud that I turned it around. It wasn’t that easy to do. It felt like I had a lot of games [where] I had a hard time and [had] No energy, and couldn’t really play my game. I kept sharpening and did small things time and time again, and I didn’t stop. I turned it around at the end, “Hoglander said.” I have to talk to the coach about working on my game system. I have that speed, that grinding in me, but to take the other step for me, it is to be more a system man. Know the system better, know when I have to make a play or not, I think this is the majority for me to continue for next year. “
Hoglander has closed heads with coaches in the past, In particular Bruce Boudreau And sometimes last season, Rick Tocchet. He apparently brought his pass with Tocchet in 2023-24 (just like many Canucks), but in the end fell in his doghouse Last season, or exiled to the press box or enjoy the bank. Hearing him that he must dive in the nuances of his game to reach the next level is a good omen for the future. That is the sign of a ripening player, someone who recognizes that it’s not only turning just to be fast on the pre -check and sharpening shifts; He realizes that it is the decisions that you make, both with and without the Puck, which separate the fourth line sharpening from the top-six scorers. If he can refine that part of his game, he will not only return to the player who surprised everyone a season ago, but also becomes more of a dual-dreat, related to Alex Burrows or Jannik Hansen when they flourished next to Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Final Station Spail
I have a good feeling about Hoglander this season, so I predict a return to his 20-target shape and a career-high 25 goals and 40 points. He will also see consistent time on the second Power-Play unit and stay in the good graten of his head coach, with zero healthy scratches. If he can, the Canucks will be a step closer to returning the play -offs, because he will add a different threat to the top nine that needs all the help it may get to push the team back into the upper layer of the attack in the NHL.
Other Canucks 2025-26 Player Previews
#Canucks #Player #Previews #Nils #Hoglander #Hockey #Writers #Vancouver #Canucks #latest #news #analysis