Drew O'Connor enters the 2025-26 season with heightened expectations after a decent but not overwhelming debut with the Vancouver Canucks in the previous season. Acquired in a late January trade from Pittsburgh, O'Connor showcased flashes of his potential, scoring four goals and five assists in 31 games while also becoming a key penalty-killing option. This performance earned him a two-year contract extension worth $2.5 million per season, signaling that the Canucks' management believes in his ability to contribute.

O'Connor's 2024-25 Season

O'Connor's arrival in Vancouver was part of a trade that also brought Marcus Pettersson to the Canucks. Due to the timing of the trade, O'Connor ended up playing more than 82 games in the 2024-25 season, a unique feat in franchise history. Overall, he finished with 10 goals and 15 assists in 84 games between Pittsburgh and Vancouver. Canucks fans were quickly impressed by his speed and aggressive forechecking. Despite not putting up huge point totals, O'Connor demonstrated good hands and a decent shot. He also maintained a strong Corsi For percentage (52.53%), indicating his positive impact on puck possession. The Hockey News gave O'Connor a "C" grade for his 2024-25 performance, acknowledging his solid play as a bottom-six winger while noting the need for him to step up further.

Expectations for 2025-26

For O'Connor to meet expectations in the 2025-26 season, he should aim for double-digit goals and around 25 points while maintaining his defensive responsibility. Becoming a more valuable penalty killer is also crucial, with the potential for him to be among the top shorthanded forwards. To exceed expectations, O'Connor will need to surpass his previous career highs of 16 goals and 33 points. This requires improving his finishing ability and putting more shots on net. A disappointment would be failing to reach double-digit goals or score fewer than 25 points. A negative goal differential at 5-on-5 or a decline in his penalty-killing effectiveness would also be considered a setback.

Role and Potential

O'Connor's versatility to play either wing is a valuable asset. However, with players like Jake DeBrusk, Evander Kane, and Nils Höglander potentially ahead of him on the left side, he might find more opportunities on the right wing. Regardless of where he plays, O'Connor is expected to fill a bottom-six role and establish a clear identity to help the team. He needs to be more physical and utilize his size (6'4", 209 lbs) to his advantage. Some analysts believe O'Connor could emerge as one of the Canucks' best middle-six forwards, citing his speed, size, and ability to be used in various situations. While not necessarily a top-end talent, his versatility makes him a useful option for the Canucks.

With Dakota Joshua's departure, O'Connor has an opportunity to take on a more significant role. If the pieces fall into place, O'Connor and his linemates could replicate the success of the Joshua, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland line from 2023-24.