Canucks’ 2024-25 Breakout Candidates
The Vancouver Canucks aim to build on their successful 2023-24 season, where they won the Pacific Division with a 50-23-9 record and pushed the Edmonton Oilers to Game 7 in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To improve further, the team needs contributions from players beyond their core group. Several new additions have joined the roster, and young talent must step up. Here are three breakout candidates for the 2024-25 season:
Vasily Podkolzin
Vasily Podkolzin, a returning breakout candidate, was drafted 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 NHL Draft. After two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, he debuted in the NHL during the 2021-22 season, scoring 14 goals and 26 points in 79 games. However, he struggled to maintain consistency in the NHL, splitting time between the NHL and the AHL in the following seasons. Last season, he played 44 games in Abbotsford and 19 games with Vancouver.
At 23, Podkolzin needs more NHL experience and must earn the trust of head coach Rick Tocchet. With his 6-foot-1, 190-pound power-forward build, combining size and skill could make him a successful player. If he doesn’t break out soon, his future with the Canucks may be in question, although he remains a valuable trade asset.
Danton Heinen
Danton Heinen, one of several former Boston Bruins signed by the Canucks this offseason, inked a two-year deal worth $2.250 million annually. Heinen, from Langley, B.C., has eight years of NHL experience with the Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 87 goals and 212 points in 487 games, including two strong seasons recently: 17 goals and 33 points with the Penguins in 2021-22 and 17 goals and 36 points with the Bruins in 2023-24.
At 29, Heinen could play a larger role as a top-six forward with the Canucks, potentially boosting his stats. He has previously scored 40-50 points in a season and could replicate this with increased ice time, similar to his career-high 15:01 time on ice in the 2017-18 season with Boston.
Daniel Sprong
The Canucks added Daniel Sprong late in free agency, signing him for one year at $775,000. The 2015 second-round pick has notable scoring ability, netting a career-high 21 goals in 66 games with the Seattle Kraken in 2022-23 and 18 goals with the Detroit Red Wings last season. Despite hoping for a bigger contract, Sprong acknowledged the need to improve his game, particularly defensively, to gain the trust of the coaching staff.
With only two right-shot forwards in their top nine, Sprong will likely have a chance to play in the top six alongside elite centers Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller. If he can improve his overall game under coach Tocchet, Sprong could be poised for a breakout season.
Multiple Wingers with an Opportunity to Make Their Mark
The Canucks have three wingers at a critical juncture. Podkolzin needs to prove he belongs in the NHL, or his time with the organization may end. Heinen, returning to his hometown team, has the potential to put up 40-50 points. Sprong, with impressive goal-scoring ability but needing to enhance other aspects of his game, is also a strong breakout candidate.
