A Canucks jersey was thrown onto the ice in Toronto after Vancouver's 5-0 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Night in and night out, it's almost not a surprise anymore when Kane leads Vancouver Canucks forwards in five-on-five ice time.

NOTE: Rank for fantasy most valuable player is based on standard-category production to date.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out.

What’s occurred over the past decade and a half in Western New York defies such precious, parochial explanation as “rebuilding doesn’t work.” The correlation of forces that have led to Buffalo’s repeated and prolonged failure is multi-faceted and complex, and begins, as these things so often do, in the ownership suite.

Kane, who also became the 50th player in NHL history to reach the mark, scored his 499th career goal at 19:31 of the first period with the Red Wings on a 5-on-3 power play before scoring into an empty net at 16:07 of the third for No. 500.

Most Capitals players brought their dads on the mentors trip, but, thankfully, ex-Canucks forward Nic Dowd brought his brother instead.

Vancouver is now one of the league’s worst teams on a true talent basis. The Canucks will close the 2025 calendar year having amassed a 37-39-6 record, good for the 27th spot in the NHL by point percentage over the past 12 months.

The Vancouver Canucks could help two former first-round draft picks a fresh start, potentially rekindling their careers.