NHL EDGE stats 2026-27 season outlook for Vancouver Canucks 

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key NHL EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2026-27 season. Today, we look at three advanced metrics trends surrounding the Vancouver Canucks:

1. Shot speed for Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson

Boeser, who is a seven-time 20-goal scorer, ranked among the forward leaders in hardest shot (96.40 mph; 98th percentile) and average shot speed (57.68 mph; 83rd percentile) last season. He ranked highly at his position in 90-100 mph shot attempts (seven; 98th percentile), 70-80 mph shot attempts (75; 93rd percentile) and 80-90 mph shot attempts (25; 88th percentile). The 29-year-old also finished highly among forwards in mid-range shots on goal (69; 91st percentile), mid-range goals (seven; 84th percentile) and long-range shots on goal (18; 88th percentile).

Pettersson ranked among forward leaders in hardest shot (91.81 mph; 90th percentile) and average shot speed (59.47 mph; 89th percentile) last season. The five-time 20-goal scorer also finished highly at his position in 70-80 mph shot attempts (79; 93rd percentile), 80-90 mph shot attempts (30; 91st percentile) and 90-100 mph shot attempts (two; 91st percentile). Pettersson, who ranked in the 92nd percentile among forwards in skating distance on the power play (33.79 miles) last season, also finished highly at his position in mid-range shots on goal (49; 82nd percentile) and long-range shots on goal (15; 82nd percentile). Pettersson leads active players in points for the Canucks (508 in 545 games) and Boeser ranks first in goals (226 in 629 games).

2. Jake DeBrusk’s high-danger prowess, skating metrics

DeBrusk, who has been elite from high-danger locations since the Canucks signed him to a seven-year contract July 1, 2024, led the NHL in high-danger shots on goal (121) and was tied for 10th in high-danger goals (22) last season. In 2024-25, DeBrusk was tied for fifth in high-danger goals (24) and ranked in the 98th percentile among forwards in high-danger shots on goal (89). DeBrusk also ranked highly at his position last season in long-range shots on goal (16; 84th percentile).

DeBrusk, who leads the Canucks in goals (51) and power-play goals (33; tied for second in NHL) since the start of the 2024-25 season, ranked among the forward leaders last season in max skating speed (23.53 mph; 95th percentile), 20-plus mph speed bursts (168; 89th percentile), 22-plus mph bursts (nine; 87th percentile) and skating distance on the power play (30.62 miles; 88th percentile). The five-time 20-goal scorer has taken on a significant role on the Canucks' first power-play unit in his two seasons with them.

3.  Filip Hronek's shot, skating speed, distance metrics

Hronek, who had an NHL career-high 49 points (eight goals, 41 assists) and averaged 25:00 in ice time in 82 games last season, ranked 10th in the NHL in skating distance at all strengths (292.32 miles) and ninth at even strength (246.40 miles). Hronek also ranked highly at his position in total miles skated on the power play (24.12 miles; 89th percentile) and on the penalty kill (21.80 miles; 89th percentile) last season. The 28-year-old skated 4.14 miles at even strength against the Nashville Predators on March 12, which ranked in the 97th percentile at his position for skating distance in a game last season.

Hronek ranked among the defenseman leaders last season in hardest shot (95.60 mph; 83rd percentile), 90-100 mph shot attempts (18; 93rd percentile), 70-80 mph shot attempts (108; 91st percentile) and 80-90 mph shot attempts (54; 89th percentile). Hronek, who ranked in the 97th percentile among defensemen in 18-20 mph speed bursts (471) last season, also finished highly at his position in long-range shots on goal (74; 91st percentile), mid-range shots on goal (25; 82nd percentile), high-danger goals (three; 92nd percentile) and mid-range goals (three; 78th percentile). Hronek was a workhorse for the Canucks after defenseman Quinn Hughes was traded to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12, and it's expected that he’ll take on an equally heavy workload this season.