‘I just need to continue this’: Canucks winger DeBrusk focused on rebuilding game

Vancouver (16-20-4) fell behind 2-0 midway through the second period before rallying late in the frame and forcing extra time in the third.

Brock Boeser helped DeBrusk get on the board late in the second, slicing the winger a pass from the goal line on the power play. Stationed backdoor, DeBrusk directed the puck in off his skate for his first goal in seven games and cut Seattle’s lead to 3-2.

Kiefer Sherwood and Linus Karlsson also scored for the Canucks, while Thatcher Demko stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced.

Matty Beniers played hero for the Kraken (18-14-7), scoring the lone goal in the shootout.

Cale Fleury, Chandler Stephenson and Ben Meyers all scored for Seattle in regulation, and Joey Daccord made 20 saves.

It’s been a frustrating season for the Canucks, and for DeBrusk.

Vancouver was expected to challenge for a playoff spot. Instead, halfway through the campaign, the squad sits second last in the NHL standings with a 1-3-1 record over their last five games.

DeBrusk, now in his second campaign with the Canucks, is known as a point producer and had a career-high 28 goals last season.

While he has 10 goals and 10 assists in 2025-26, he didn’t have a multi-point performance going into Friday’s contest and was a healthy scratch Tuesday.

Canucks head coach Adam Foote said DeBrusk has responded well to being sidelined, playing defence first and being solid on the forecheck.

“Jake’s a goal scorer and he gets real streaky,” Foote said. “He wants to score, he wants to help his team out, he feels down on himself when he doesn’t.

“And sometimes — I hate using the term — but you guess, maybe. Or you play for hoping a bounce goes your way, you can get the edge or get a step on a guy. And when he plays the right way, he’s going to get his chances with his speed and the guys around him. So I like the way he was playing with more structure and he was able to create.”

As injuries continue to ravage Vancouver’s roster, the team will look to DeBrusk to put pucks in the net.

He’ll have another chance Saturday against his former team, the Boston Bruins.

The veteran NHLer knows what it’ll take to piece together a good run of games.

“I’m just trying to build, trying to get back. Little things. You just try to stick to your ABCs, just try to stay as focused as possible,” DeBrusk said. “Honestly, half of it with me is my own head. So I just need to continue this.”

KARLSSON CASHES IN

Hours after inking a two-year, US$4.5-million extension with the Canucks, Karlsson celebrated with his 10th goal of the season.

“I love to play here. So, I mean, I’m really excited for two more years in the organization,” he said.

The deal comes amid a breakout season for the 26-year-old depth forward.

Karlsson had three goals and three assists over 23 games with Vancouver last season. Over 37 appearances in 2025-26, he has 17 points.

The elevated performance follows a spring in which he helped the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks bring home the Calder Cup.

“I try to be the same player as I’ve always been, bring the game I had in Abbotsford to here,” Karlsson said. “I felt like even the end of last year, I got it a little bit. And I got a lot of confidence from the playoffs in Abbotsford, and then brought it to this season.”

SEATTLE’S SURGE

The Kraken logged just one win over 10 games between Nov. 26 and Dec. 18.

Since then, they’ve been one of the hottest teams in the league, going 6-0-1. Seattle’s lone loss across the stretch was the 3-2 shootout loss to Vancouver on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

‘I just need to continue this’: Canucks winger DeBrusk focused on rebuilding game

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