As the Vancouver Canucks rebuild, ice time will be something to watch game after game. Vancouver is no longer fighting for a playoff spot and, based on the current roster, has committed to giving younger players minutes in the NHL. One of those young players is defenseman Tom Willander who, based on his recent play, deserves more ice time.
During this recent stay at home, Willander averaged 13:57 of ice time. He topped the 17-minute mark twice in seven games, but also logged under 14 minutes twice. It is also important to note that Willander, like other members of the team, suffered from illness during part of his stay at home, which is why he only played in seven of the eight games.
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One positive development regarding Willander’s ice time is that he is getting more opportunities on the power play. He played an average of 1:30 with the man advantage in the home game, which ranked second behind Zeev Buium among Canucks defensemen. At the same time, Willander only played an average of 18 seconds per game on the penalty kill, as Vancouver still relies heavily on experienced players on the penalty kill.
Saturday’s match against the Toronto Maple Leafs is a perfect example of the Canucks not using Willander enough. The 20-year-old played 16 minutes, which was the lowest among Vancouver defenders. Willander only playing 16 minutes is very surprising, as not only did he benefit from overtime, but the game itself featured no special teams time.
Another thing to watch outside of ice time is Willander’s shift count per game. In this territory, he averaged 19.6 moves per game, which places him seventh out of the eight defenders who played. At this point, Willander should be at or above 24 teams per game, which has only happened three times in 43 games.
January 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Although every game plays out differently, the Canucks are at a point where they need to give Willander more minutes. Not only has he earned them, but now it’s time to see if the 20-year-old can take on a bigger role at the NHL level. Ultimately, Willander should average at least 18 minutes per game for the rest of the season and should also get more opportunities on the penalty kill.
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