Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tom Willander said his approach to the rebuilding season is grounded in evaluating his overall game and competing more consistently, following last year’s home-ice struggles.
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Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tom Willander is framing the start of the team’s rebuild as a matter of competitiveness and accountability, not cosmetic improvements, as the 2023 NHL first-round pick works toward a stronger second NHL season. At 21, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound blueliner said he wants to measure progress by how he performs across key areas of the game rather than relying on selective numbers or a readiness to “seem better than it is.”
Willander, a Stockholm native, acknowledged that last season’s results left little room for moral victories. Vancouver posted a franchise-worst 9-27-5 record at home and, in Willander’s view, the problem was not simply losing but losing in ways that removed the competitive edge. He pointed to a contrast between being down and disconnected versus remaining engaged in close moments, including the intensity of late-game play.
“Honestly, that’s a good question, and I’ve thought a lot about it,” Willander said when asked what would constitute a “good season” even if losses continued to occur. He said there is no single statistic that can summarize improvement, stressing instead an evaluation of the full game: how well he handles his defensive responsibilities, breakouts and the neutral zone, whether he shuts down plays, and whether he is positioned to create offence.
That method of assessment is informed by the competitive environments Willander has already experienced beyond the NHL. The defenceman said he “got a taste” of pushing the competitive envelope in the NCAA, when he took his game to another level with Boston University. His college run culminated in the Terriers reaching the national Frozen Four final in 2025, where they lost 6-2 to Western Michigan.
Willander’s individual production in that NCAA stretch included 24 points (2-22) across 39 games during the 2024-25 season, and he has also carried international experience into his development. He was part of Sweden’s fourth-place finish at the world junior tournament in Ottawa, where he recorded five points (2-3) in seven games.
With a rebuilding roster, Willander said he wants to understand what competitive losses look like. He specifically referenced the need to find a way to play tightly even when outcomes are still going against the team, suggesting that staying in the “zone” in late periods is central to his concept of meaningful progress.
Willander also tied his current mindset to concrete preparation and mentorship within Vancouver’s defensive group. Five AHL games with Abbotsford to open last season, under Manny Malhotra, gave him a glimpse of the coaching style now guiding the Canucks after Malhotra was named Vancouver’s bench boss on June 1. Willander said of Malhotra that he had “only good things to say,” describing him as well-spoken and easy to understand.
Training camp in Penticton offered a further step. According to Willander, he was paired with Luke Schenn and then with Jamie Oleksiak, learning the “rudiments of the game and preparation.” Willander characterized the process as an intensive learning period, adding that Schenn and Oleksiak brought experience, a clear voice in the locker-room and personalities he enjoyed being around.
The timing of that camp work matters for Vancouver’s opening stretch. Willander is scheduled to begin the regular season with the Canucks’ season opener on Sept. 29 in Edmonton. The defenceman said the preparation he has received through camp is something he expects to carry into that opener.
Role expectations could include more defensive-specialist pairings, but Willander suggested that playing alongside Oleksiak could be a vehicle for him to do more offensively. He said conditioning limited him at points last season, but believes it feels better now after an off-season focus. He also noted that his workload priorities included managing longer shifts and handling more minutes efficiently, pointing to a season-high 23:04 in Nashville on March 12 and calling his stride stronger at camp.
Willander’s comments also touched on the tactical texture of Vancouver’s defensive approach. He referenced playing with a 1-1-3 defending structure, describing how it can make it difficult for opponents to gain control, tighten the space and force teams to dump the puck down. In that context, he said Vancouver has to improve breaking the puck out, linking his personal development to a wider team need.
The NHL blueprint for Willander’s next step includes earning trust as a long-term option in the defensive rotation. He said he has drawn comparisons to elite defenders such as Charlie McAvoy and Miro Heiskanen, but he responded by stressing fit and fundamentals. He said the key is whether the tools exist to play that style, while acknowledging that there are multiple top-tier D-men who can be out on the ice for extended minutes.
Willander singled out Rasmus Dahlin as an example of a defenceman who combines impact in both ends and earns trust, adding that Dahlin’s poise is part of what makes him effective. For Willander, the goal is similar: being dependable at both ends of the ice and being trusted enough to play regularly.
As preseason readiness continues, Willander’s stated focus remains consistent with the team’s broader transition. He said he wants to get better in the areas that affect breakouts, defending, and neutral-zone play, while also improving conditioning so he can sustain competitive hockey through long shifts. In his framing, the measure of progress is not only the scoreboard, but the quality and engagement of the effort—especially in close, late moments—when Vancouver is still building toward “better days.”
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