Tag Archives: #VancouverCanucks

Askarov makes 32 saves in Sharks win against Canucks

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SAN JOSE, Calif.  — Yaroslav Askarov made 32 saves for the San Jose Sharks in a 3-2 victory against the Vancouver Canucks at SAP Center on Friday.

Sharks defensive man Dmitry Orlov (9) battles Canuck forward Evander Kane (91) for the puck behind the net – Photo by Jack Lima

Will Smith, William Eklund, and Adam Gaudette scored, and Macklin Celebrini had two assists for the Sharks (12-10-3), who are 4-2-0 in their past six games.

“It was a good response,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We played better. Competed a little bit harder, did some things that we’ve talked about. Keep moving forward.”

Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro reaches up to catch the puck – Photo by Jack Lima

Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks (10-13-2), who have lost seven of nine (2-5-2). Nikita Tolopilo made 21 saves.

“We seemed a little bit out of sorts,” Vancouver coach Adam Foote said. “It looked like the emotions involved, and we were just out of sync. You’ve got to reel that back in. It’s a game to win.”

Boeser gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead at 4:28 of the first period. Conor Garland fed Boeser from the right boards into the slot, and his wrist shot beat Askarov’s blocker.

Canucks defenseman Tom Willander attempts to control the loose puck – Photo by Jack Lima

“Some good looks. It’s obviously very fresh here when you lose by one,” Boeser said. “I got some good looks there, even in the second period, back-to-back looks. Those are ones that I wish I could put in the net.”

Smith’s power-play goal tied it 1-1 at 9:25. Alexander Wennberg attempted to pass the puck across the front of the net, but it was blocked by Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek. However, the second attempt made it through, and Smith’s one-timer beat Tolopilo by the blocker.

Canuks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) checks Sharks forward Colin Graf (51) into his goalie Nikita Tolopilo – Photo by Jack Lima

Pettersson put the Canucks back ahead 2-1 at 3:04 of the second period. After tapping the puck out of midair to himself and falling at the left of the net, Pettersson swept the puck backwards towards the net, and it deflected off Askarov’s right pad and in.

Eklund tied it 2-2 during a 5-on-3 power play at 14:03. Celebrini slid a pass to his right, and Eklund’s one-timer from the bottom of the right circle beat Tolopilo through the five-hole.

Canuks center Elias Pettersson (40) scores on a shot from his back beating Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov – Photo by Jack Lima

“It’s always nice scoring,” Eklund said. “Good power plays, they shoot a lot of pucks and get a lot of chances out of that. We’ve been better at retrieving pucks after we shoot and helping each other.”

Gaudette gave San Jose a 3-2 lead 1:14 later at 15:17.

Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo stops a shot from Sharks forward Alexander Wennberg (21) – Photo by Jack Lima

Tolopilo gloved Gaudette’s backhand wraparound attempt, which was initially ruled no goal on the ice. Following a review initiated by the NHL Situation Room, however, it was determined that the puck completely crossed the goal line while in the glove, and the play was overturned.

“I thought I saw it go in,” Gaudette said. “It was tough to see, and thankfully, Toronto, I think, called in and said it looked like it went across the line. You could see it in the goalie’s netting of his glove. I was just praying that they call that a goal after a lot of chances.”

Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo stops a shot from Sharks center Will Smith (2) – Photo by Jack Lima

NOTES: Boeser’s goal was his 450th NHL point (213 goals, 237 assists), passing Todd Bertuzzi (449 points) for 10th place on the Canucks’ all-time list. … Pettersson scored his 193rd career goal, tying Alexandre Burrows for 11th place on Vancouver’s all-time list. … Celebrini, playing in his 95th NHL game, pulled within one point of 100 in his career (39 goals, 60 assists).

Canucks forward Lukas Reichel takes a shot on goal – Photo by Jack Lima

Canucks forward Evander Kane argues a penalty call by referee Garrett Rank – Photo by Jack Lima

Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) forechecks Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren (37) as he attempts to move the puck – Photo by Jack Lima

Canucks center David Kampf takes a shot on goal – Photo by Jack Lima

Cogliano retires after 17 NHL seasons, to join Avalanche front office

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Andrew Cogliano announced his retirement Friday after 17 NHL seasons and will join the Colorado Avalanche front office.

Andrew Cogliano COL retires

© Christian Petersen/Getty Images

“The game of hockey has given me and my family so much and I am grateful for every moment,” Cogliano said. “I am blessed to have played for so long with some great organizations and amazing teammates. I will miss being with the guys in the dressing room and battling for each other on the ice every night but it’s time to move on. Thank you to everyone I ever played with, played for and all the great fans for all of their support. I am excited to start my new chapter in the front office.”

Cogliano will assist in a variety of front office roles, including player development, professional and amateur scouting, as well as working with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League.

The 37-year-old forward had 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 75 regular-season games and five assists in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Avalanche this season.

Selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round (No. 25) of the 2005 NHL Draft, Cogliano had 464 points (190 goals, 274 assists) in 1,294 games with the Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Avalanche. He made his NHL debut Oct. 4, 2007, and played 830 consecutive games, the eighth-longest streak in NHL history.

Cogliano also had 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 131 postseason games, and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

“On behalf of the Avalanche organization, we would like to congratulate Andrew on a fantastic NHL career,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said. “He is a true pro, a fierce competitor, a great teammate and leader, and a mentor for younger players. He always set the example for the rest of the group with his hard work on and off the ice and his preparation and details. And while we will miss him on the ice, we couldn’t be more excited to have him on board with our organization in this new role. He will be an invaluable resource with his unique knowledge of the game and his many years of experience to help the next generation of Avalanche players.”

Dubois traded to Capitals by Kings for Kuemper

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Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Washington Capitals by the Los Angeles Kings for goalie Darcy Kuemper on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old center had 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 82 regular-season games for the Kings this season and one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. Los Angeles (44-27-11) was eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference First Round.

Dubois was traded to the Kings by the Winnipeg Jets on June 27, 2023, and immediately signed an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) that runs through the 2030-31 season.

“Well, I don’t think I did a good enough job of integrating him in the right roles on the team here this year,” Los Angeles general manager Rob Blake said. “You know, I think it wasn’t a great fit in that aspect for us, and we’ll take responsibility for that.”

Selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Dubois has 342 points (145 goals, 197 assists) in 516 games with the Kings, Jets and Blue Jackets and 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 43 playoff games.

Kuemper was 13-14-3 with a 3.31 goals-against average, .890 save percentage and one shutout in 33 games (30 starts) for the Capitals this season. The 34-year-old was the backup to Charlie Lindgren when Washington (40-31-11) was swept in four straight games by the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference First Round.

This will be Kuemper’s second stint with Los Angeles; he went 10-1-3 with a 2.10 GAA and .932 save percentage in 19 games (15 starts) during the 2017-18 season. He is expected to work in a tandem with David Rittich next season.

“I think the goaltender in return, obviously with Darcy, familiarity with him, our goalie department understanding him and having a relationship with him,” Blake said. “I think the duo with him and David can help stabilize that position here for a few years, which continues our growth with (Erik) Portillo in the American (Hockey) League. We saw some good things out of him this year, but we also project two, three years down the road, and so I think that helps solve an issue here for us.”

Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round (No. 161) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Kuemper is 178-135-46 with a 2.61 GAA, .914 save percentage and 31 shutouts in 389 games (368 starts) with the Capitals, Colorado Avalanche, Arizona Coyotes, Kings and Wild. He is 17-10 with a 2.72 GAA, .908 save percentage and two shutouts in 34 playoff games (30 starts).

Kuemper has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $26.25 million contract ($5.25 million AAV) he signed with Washington on July 13, 2022.

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Pierre-Luc to the Caps organization,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said. “This acquisition brings in a talented 25-year-old with immense potential to become a top-tier center in the NHL. With his size, exceptional skating, and high hockey IQ, we are confident he will thrive in our organization with increased responsibility and opportunity.

“We also thank Darcy for his valuable contributions to our organization on and off the ice and wish him the best in Los Angeles. After witnessing Charlie Lindgren’s performance last season, we believe he deserves a chance to play a more significant role within our team.”

NHL.com independent correspondent Dan Greenspan contributed to this report

Hronek signs 8-year, $58 million contract with Canucks

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Filip Hronek signed an eight-year, $58 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $7.25 million.

van-hronek-contract

© Codie McLachlan/Getty Images

The 26-year-old defenseman had an NHL career-high 48 points (five goals, 43 assists) and was plus-33 in 81 games for the Canucks this season. He also had two points (one goal, one assist) in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Hronek could have become a restricted free agent July 1.

“This was something that we have talked with Filip and his agent Allan Walsh [about] for quite a time here, and I think although we had his rights for another year, I think this was important for our team knowing his contract number leading forward and also a younger defenseman on the right side that we feel that we can continue to work with,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. “I think there is more to come there, so it definitely was important for us to get Filip locked up here, and when he expressed his interest of wanting to stay in Vancouver and be part of this group for long term, we were extremely pleased to get it over the finish line here.”

Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 53) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Hronek has 205 points (35 goals, 170 assists) in 390 regular-season games for the Canucks and Red Wings.

Hronek, who was acquired in a trade with the Red Wings on March 1, 2023, flourished this season on the first defense pair with Quinn Hughes.

“I believe that he has another level to get to and I believe that he’s capable of getting to another level and finding his consistency more,” Allvin said. “I think he’s a very competitive player, skates well. He moves the puck well and he is a guy that fits well in our dressing room here.”

Hronek helped the Canucks (50-23-9) finish first in the Pacific Division. It was their first division title since 2013 and an improvement of 12 wins and 26 points from 2022-23.

NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report

Canucks take top spot in Pacific

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In Vancouver, Thatcher Demko made his return to the Canucks crease on Tuesday night, and made 39 saves  in a 4-1 win over the visiting Calgary Flames.

The win clinched the Pacific top spot for the Canucks.

“He’s one of the best in the League and it’s different having him,” defenseman Quinn Hughes said of Demko. “[Goalie] Casey [DeSmith] has been great for us and same with [goalie Arturs Silovs], but having but [Demko] back there, it’s a whole new thing.”

Demko had missed 14 games with a knee injury.

“I felt pretty good,” Demko said. “Definitely some stuff I want to clean up, but the important thing is getting back, seeing some game action, and obviously getting the win was great, fan appreciation night and clinching division was great.”

The Canucks improved to 50-22-9, with one game left on the slate.

“Honestly, I’m just happy we won the Pacific Division,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “The guys did a [heck] of a job all year. Let’s face it, nobody really picked us to win the division, so you’ve got to give the players a lot of credit. The game wasn’t a Picasso, obviously but you’ve got to take the positive: we won the Pacific tonight. So, really happy for the guys. It’s a big honor and the guys should enjoy it.”

The Canucks took a 2-0 lead in the opening stanza to take control of the game.

Tyler Myers  staked the Canucks to a 1-0 lead, scoring off a shorthanded strike at

Nils Hoglander pushed the advantage to 2-0 at 13:28.

“That was a nice shot, [Myers] jumping up in the play,” Tocchet said. “It was a big one, got us energized and that tic-tac-toe with [Pettersson’s] line was nice. And then we kind of were just waiting for the clock to go and we stopped playing a little but winning 4-1, locking it down and obviously [Demko] was excellent.”

Calgary dropped to 37-39-5.

“I thought their goalie was really good,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said. “The saves that he made, some of them were harder than he made them look, and he did a good job of controlling his rebounds.”

In the middle frame, Dakota Joshua stretched the lead to 3-0 at 1:58. scoring off an odd man rush.

“We made three mistakes on coming back in our own zone off the rush, we lost people, and then one turnover,” Huska said after praising his team’s effort. “But other than those mistakes, I liked what we did tonight.”

Brayden Pachal  closed the gap to 3-1 at 10:56 of the third period, scoring off a wrister from the left circle.

“It definitely feels good,” Pachal said. “You wish it’s sparked a little bit of a comeback. It still feels nice but would have felt a lot sweeter with the win.”

J.T. Miller made scored at 15:02, scoring from the left circle for a 4-1 lead and final count.

“A couple years ago here, it felt like time was sitting still for the team,” Miller said. “Right now, it feels good. … We have a lot of reasons to be proud right now about how far we’ve come and I feel like in a short amount of time.”
Jacob Markstrom made 27 saves in the loss.

Canucks down Oilers, 3-1, go five points clear atop Pacific

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In Edmonton, the Vancouver Canucks hung a 3-1 loss on the Oilers on Saturday night.

The Oilers might have closed to within one point of the Canucks for first atop the Pacific Division with a victory in regulation.

The Canucks leave town five points clear of the Oilers with two games to go. The Oilers have three games to play.

 Casey DeSmith made 32 saves in the win.

The Canucks improved to 49-22-9.

Vancouver won all four matches with Edmonton this season.

Vancouver moved five points ahead of Edmonton for first in the Pacific Division. Vancouver has two games remaining, Edmonton has three.

The Canucks took a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza on a strike by Sam Lafferty with 16 seconds left in the period. He scored off a shot from the right circle.

In the middle frame, Vancouver’s Pius Suter  pushed the advantage to 2-0 at 11:00, scoring of a deflection.

The Oilers dropped to 48-25-6.

Evander Kane trimmed the deficit to 2-1 when he scored at 17:48 of the second period, scoring off a tip in.

With Edmonton skating with an extra attacker, the Canucks got insurance on an empty-net  strike by Dakota Joshua at 18:13 for the 3-1 final count on the scoreboard.

Stuart Skinner made 24 saves in the loss.

Connor McDavid was a scratch for the third straight game due to a lower-body injury.

He remains listed as day-to-day.