Shocking analytics are painting a grim picture: The Vancouver Canucks might just be the worst team in the entire NHL right now. With the Adam Foote era kicking off under a cloud of disappointment, fans are left wondering if there’s any light at the end of this tunnel. But here’s where it gets controversial—could this be the wake-up call the team desperately needs, or is it a sign of deeper, irreparable issues?
Just 15 games into the season, and there’s zero evidence to suggest the Canucks are on an upward trajectory. In fact, the data points to a team that’s regressed, performing even poorer than anticipated. Heading into the year, the big worry was their inability to produce goals and build any kind of offensive momentum. And boy, has that concern proven spot on. Vancouver sits at a dismal 23rd place in the league for shots on goal per game, and they’ve tumbled to 27th when it comes to actual goals scored. For beginners in hockey stats, this means they’re not only failing to create chances but also converting those rare opportunities into points—think of it like a basketball player who can’t get to the hoop or sink a shot when they do.
Now, an offensive funk? That’s been a long-standing issue for the Canucks. But a defence that’s leaking like a sieve? That was supposed to be their strength, not a weakness. So far this year, Vancouver has allowed the third-highest number of scoring chances in the league during 5-on-5 play—trailing only the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. It’s like leaving the back door wide open, inviting opponents to stroll in. Despite the heroic efforts of goalie Thatcher Demko, who has been a standout (and could potentially be the team’s saving grace), the Canucks have still conceded the seventh-most goals overall. This has dragged them down to the absolute bottom of the NHL for expected goals-for (a metric that predicts how many goals a team ‘should’ score based on shot quality) during even-strength situations. In simpler terms, expected goals help us understand if a team is generating high-quality scoring chances—Vancouver isn’t even close.
And this is the part most people miss: The Canucks’ expected goals percentage places them dead last in the league. For those new to advanced stats, this percentage compares the quality of shots a team takes versus those they allow, revealing true puck possession dominance. A top-tier defence featuring Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, and Marcus Pettersson was meant to give Vancouver a major leg up. So, what’s gone wrong? Their offensive struggles mean they’re constantly on the back foot, allowing rivals to launch counter-attacks and dominate possession. But let’s dig deeper—some key defenders have notably declined from last season. Hughes, who has been a defensive stalwart for the last couple of years, is now logging the worst expected goals against per-60 minutes on the team (outside of players like Evander Kane and Victor Mancini). To put that in perspective, it’s like your star defender suddenly forgetting how to tackle in soccer—opponents are exploiting gaps everywhere.
It’s not just Hughes either. Except for Marcus Pettersson, every Canucks defender has seen a significant drop-off in their defensive metrics. Even forwards like Jake DeBrusk and rookie Lukas Reichel are getting pummeled in possession stats, meaning they’re losing puck battles left and right. The only players on the team with an expected goals percentage above 50% (indicating more positive than negative shot quality) are Tom Willander and Filip Chytil. This imbalance is creating a snowball effect, where poor offence leads to worse defence, and vice versa.
But wait, it gets even more intriguing. All this is based on publicly available data. According to insider JFresh, private analytic models suggest the Canucks are even more abysmal than the numbers show. Take a peek at this Twitter thread from November 3, 2025, comparing expected goals differentials across models like SportLogiq and TopDown: ‘A quick look at all situations xGoals differential in the SportLogiq vs. TopDown model. Common for there to be a decent bit of deviation early on, esp thanks to special teams. Biggest takeaway is that public models think the Canucks are bad, but SL thinks they’re BAD bad.’ It’s a stark reminder that early-season stats can fluctuate, especially with power plays and penalties, but the consensus is clear—they’re in trouble.
All in all, the Canucks seem pretty lucky to even have a 7-8 record so far, which has them scraping the bottom at 26th in the NHL standings. Is this a temporary slump that coaching and roster tweaks can fix, or does it point to systemic problems under the new regime? And here’s a controversial thought: Maybe the team’s reliance on young talent and high expectations has blinded them to these glaring flaws—could trading away pieces or overhauling the strategy be the answer? What do you think, fans? Do you believe in a comeback, or is it time to face the music? Drop your opinions in the comments below—let’s debate!