Canucks first NHL team to be officially eliminated from playoff contention
Posted March 23, 2026 7:18 am.
The sad reality of the Vancouver Canucks’ season is now official.
Resigned Canucks fans knew what was coming long before Sunday, but results around the league knocked the team out of playoff contention.
Vancouver was idle on Sunday but has been sitting at the bottom of the standings for most of the season, prompting several trades, including a blockbuster involving former Captain Quinn Hughes.
After the tumultuous season, the Canucks have the worst record in the NHL as the week begins — and they’ll probably stay there, being 15 points behind the second-worst Chicago Blackhawks.
But Vancouver’s standing does come with an advantage, giving it the best chance at winning the draft lottery.
If the Canucks end up first overall, Yukon-native Gavin McKenna could be a game-changer. Ivar Stenberg and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff are also top contenders in what will be a highly contested draft class.
The elimination marks a stark contrast from the Vancouver Canucks of two years ago, who clinched the 2023–24 NHL Pacific Division title, and were just one win away from the Western Conference Final.
Meanwhile, the Abbotsford Canucks have also been knocked out of playing in the post-season.
After losing to the San Jose Barracuda Saturday, the AHL team became the first defending Calder Cup champs to miss the playoffs in almost a decade.
—With files from Sonia Aslam
