When the Vancouver Canucks acquired Linus Karlsson on February 25, 2019, fans had mixed feelings. The piece going back to the San Jose Sharks in exchange was Jonathan Dahlén, a player who had previously shown flashes of success alongside franchise cornerstone at the time Elias Pettersson. Some had even referred to the two as the second-coming of the Sedin twins. Still, the 19-year-old Karlsson had the belief of Canucks general manager at the time, Jim Benning, behind him.
“Karlsson is a player our scouts like, he’s strong on the puck, he’s a good two-way player, he’s a good playmaker. He was a guy even last year at the draft that we looked at drafting, so he’s a player that we’ve followed, that we’ve liked,” Benning said after the 2019 Trade Deadline in which the Canucks flipped Dahlén for Karlsson.
Vancouver fans didn’t see Karlsson in Canuck colours until the 2022–23 season, as he signed his two-year entry-level contract on May 26 of 2022. A few months later, he skated in his first game as a member of the Abbotsford Canucks, grabbing two assists in his AHL debut against the Ontario Reign. He finished second in scoring for the AHL Canucks in his rookie season with 24 goals and 25 assists in 72 games played.
The following season was a big one for Karlsson, who was entering the final year of his first NHL deal as well as his sophomore season in the AHL. Not only did he average a point-per game pace throughout the 2023–24 season with 23 goals and 37 assists in 60 games, he also received his first NHL call-up and skated in his first NHL game on November 16, 2023. As well as joining Abbotsford for their 2023–24 playoff run, Karlsson also skated in two of Vancouver’s postseason games against the Edmonton Oilers.
Karlsson made some big steps in his game in 2023–24, but 2024–25 saw him hit another level. He joined Abbotsford for 32 of their regular season games this year, scoring 23 goals and 16 assists in 39 games played. During his time with Abbotsford, he set a new franchise record in career goals scored as an AHL Canuck, beating Sheldon Dries’ 65.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Former Canucks Center Retires & Joins Penguins Coaching Staff
Former Vancouver Canucks Goaltender Roberto Luongo Discusses Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup Win
How Home Ice Has Provided A Big Playoff Advantage For The Abbotsford Canucks
On the NHL side, Karlsson skated in 23 games for Vancouver. He scored his first career NHL goal on January 29 against the Nashville Predators and added two more as well as three assists before the end of the Canucks’ regular season.
“If you want to score in this league, you have to have some natural presence. And I love to be that guy,” Karlsson had said during the Canucks’ regular season in terms of sticking in Vancouver’s lineup. “I just try to find a role that helps the team. And if I can help, it’s getting me a better chance to play up here.”
Canucks Linus Karlsson Is Finding His NHL Role As A Netfront PresenceThe Vancouver Canucks acquired 2018 third-round draft pick, Linus Karlsson, back in 2019. He made his NHL debut on November 16, 2023, and scored his first NHL goal on January 29, 2025 against the Nashville Predators. Now, the forward has 26 total NHL games under his belt as well as two postseason NHL games. Despite finding a goal-scoring home with the Abbotsford Canucks as the franchise’s leading scorer, Karlsson looks to find his role with Vancouver.
Upon the conclusion of Vancouver’s season, Karlsson was sent back down to Abbotsford to help the AHL Canucks’ playoff push. With the team having put together a 13-game win streak towards the end of their regular season, fans were excited about what Abbotsford could do during the Calder Cup Playoffs. Now, nearly two months later, the team has a 2–1 series lead in the 2025 Calder Cup Finals. A big reason for this has been how much Karlsson has stepped up during the postseason.
“The thing that stands out for me with Karly is consistency, and we’ve talked a lot about how all players have their ups and downs, and with him, there’s no real peaks or valleys. He has his good and his bad days, but his ability to stay really consistent and focus on his game is what’s led him to the success this year,” Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra said of how big Karlsson has been for the team throughout the season.
“I play with good players, for sure. That’s helped me,” Karlsson said of his successes this season, particularly in the goal-scoring department. “I try to find the soft areas around the net, and that’s where the goals end up. So I probably score all my goals in the same spots. So yeah, I’m just trying to be there, try to get around the net.”
Karlsson has consistently stayed near the top of the charts in points throughout the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. With 11 goals and 11 assists in 21 games played, he broke an AHL record in Game 3 on Tuesday night for goals scored by a Swedish player in a single postseason. While he notes that this is a “fun” record to break, at the end of the day, his focus is on the same thing as his teammates’ — winning.
“It’s fun for sure, but that’s not why I’m happy now, I’m just happy for the win.”
Make sure you bookmark THN’s Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
Read the full article here
