 Hansen scored his first NHL regular season point on 11 October 2008, an assist on a Ryan Kesler goal against the Calgary Flames. He scored his first NHL goal two games later against goaltender Chris Osgood in a 4 – 3 win against the Detroit Red Wings. Midway through the season, Hansen was briefly sent back to Manitoba for the Canucks to make room on the roster for the recently acquired Mats Sundin. He was, however, recalled within three days. In late-February, he broke his finger and was sidelined for 14 games. He completed the season with 21 points in 55 games, ranking 26th in scoring among NHL rookies. In the off-season, he became a restricted free agent before re-signing with the Canucks to a one-year, two-way contract worth a reported US $ 550,000.
