Thomas Drance

Canada, Vancouver

Vancouver Canucks Senior Writer at The Athletic

Contributor at The Sports Network (TSN)

Senior Writer @TheAthleticNHL covering the Vancouver Canucks. Co-host #CanucksTalk on @Sportsnet650 catch us 12-2pm M-F. Author, hockey writer, former PR guy.

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Articles

Who stays, who goes?

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

Mercifully, there's just one game remaining in a Vancouver Canucks season that stands out as one of the most odd and disappointing in the mostly sordid history of the franchise. Between injuries and dysfunction and raw bad luck, the Canucks underperformed their true talent level this season. They jettisoned a star centre who had emerged as both an emotional leader for the club and a cult hero locally.
What I'm hearing about Tom Willander and the Canucks: 3 takeaways

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

VANCOUVER - At the tail end of a lost season, the Vancouver Canucks managed a 2-1 comeback victory in overtime Monday night at Rogers Arena. It was a game that didn't matter much. And a game that Vancouver was expected to win given that it was facing the San Jose Sharks, who were winless in their previous nine. The Sharks had surrendered an eye-popping 46 goals during their skid.
A new Tom Willander comparable and the Canucks' bleak 25-game stretch run

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

Only two Vancouver Canucks games remain in this disappointing campaign. The stakes will not be high and the lineups will not be standard NHL regular-season fare. The only suspense that remains this season is whether or not Quinn Hughes will break Alex Edler's franchise record for points by a defenceman in what little time is left before an extended summer begins. By the end of this week, the Canucks will clean out their locker room and go off for the summer.
Why Canucks' loss to Wild is a microcosm of a disappointing season: 3 takeaways

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks competed hard and put in a solid, professional effort in a 3-2 overtime loss against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night that served as a microcosm of their season. The game meant nothing for Vancouver, but it was high stakes for a Wild team that would've lost control of their playoff fate with a loss. Given that asymmetry, at the very least the Canucks made their opponent earn it.
Extending Tocchet, the Pettersson decision, more

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

The Vancouver Canucks endured one of those seasons in which just about anything that could go wrong, seemingly did. On Wednesday night, Vancouver's slim, mathematical path to the playoffs vanished when Kirill Kaprizov scored on a one-time goal to defeat the San Jose Sharks in overtime. Due to NHL tie-breaking protocol, the Canucks can no longer catch either the St. Louis Blues or Wild in the Western Conference standings.
Canucks become first team in NHL history to overcome 3-goal deficit in final minute of game

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

The Vancouver Canucks looked elimination in the face on Tuesday evening and defiantly declared, "Not today!"We're still processing what we just witnessed. Vancouver was cruising toward near-certain mathematical elimination on Tuesday night and trailing the Dallas Stars 3-0 to open the third period. Right off the hop to open the final frame, Vancouver got a goal from Jake DeBrusk off the rush. Then Victor Mancini floated a wrist shot past Casey DeSmith on the power play.
Quinn Hughes' Canucks future, and can Elias Pettersson bounce back? Mailbag, part 2

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

The Vancouver Canucks are in Dallas tonight and mathematical elimination is on the table. If the Canucks fall to the Stars, who you'd expect to be motivated given a run of poor performances over the weekend, their fate as a non-playoff team will be locked in. Realistically, however, it's been locked in for nearly two weeks.
Vancouver Canucks trade targets, and could we see an offer sheet? Mailbag, part 1

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

The stretch run for a probable non-playoff team can be tough on a fan base. Especially a long-suffering fan base that entered the season with high hopes of seeing the Vancouver Canucks build on the success of last season and contend, only to have those hopes dashed over the course of a disappointing, drama-filled, injury-plagued campaign. The Canucks' games this weekend were a reminder of the sorts of games you don't want to see your favourite team playing in.
How Canucks crushed Ducks with franchise-record offensive outburst: 3 takeaways

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks started the game slowly on Saturday afternoon against the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks racked up consecutive heavy shifts after the puck dropped in the first period, and put enough pressure on Vancouver that the Canucks conceded the game opening goal on the second shift when Troy Terry walked unencumbered into the slot and beat Thatcher Demko clean with a glove-side high wrist shot. The Ducks' lead was short-lived, however.
Submit your questions for Thomas Drance

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Thomas Drance

Got a question about the Vancouver Canucks as the end of the regular season approaches? Submit it here and The Athletic 's Thomas Drance will select a few to answer in an upcoming mailbag.