Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
Nucks Fan Rebuild & Retool Center - Come For The Banter - Stay For The Disappointment
NHL Entry Draft - May 5, 2026
Are you ready for #3?
Join our almost live coverage of another draft where the Nucks almost pick first!
Your or their Vancouver Canucks pick:
Leave your snarky comments below...
As designed, Canucks pick 3rd. NHL lotto luck goes to CoTU and SJ. Because... reasons.
There is something happening in Canuckland, something that is challenging my well-earned, deep-seated, omnipresent sense of dread.
The team is apparently interviewing multiple GM candidates, and some of them are actually not old, retread dinosaurs.
Included in the list of not-retread dinosaurs:
What's fascinating is that each of these, along with others who were apparently told "thank you for your time, the successful candidate will be contacted shortly [and you ain't it]" ( like Patrick Burke, from the NHL's Department of Player Endangerment) is that ... these are new faces. First time faces, but with actual credibility.
It almost makes one think that maybe the Canucks won't bungle this, but there's that part of "of course Jay Beagle" part of me that is confident they'll find a way to do just that. So instead of any of those new, intelligent, forward-thinking people, expect Rutherford to select an old, retread dinosaur (Kevyn Adams, Pierre Dorion). Because it's not too late to frig things up.
Next up, we'll debate who will be the total bust the Canucks choose with the third overall pick, because if you think anything else will happen.... you haven't watched this mess long enough.
Tuesday, May 5th, is the Day of Reckoning.
Or a day of reckoning, anyway. Possibly a day that could lead to reckoning somewhere down the line in another 8-10 years, maybe. Should be an interesting one, anyway.
It seems unlikely that the Vancouver Canucks will announce a shiny new general manager hours before Tuesday's draft lottery. It seems like they want to make two hires: the GM and an "assistant to the president" or some similar title. It wouldn't be a surprise if both ot those are announced at the same time, at which point we can probably start a timer on Adam Foote's remaining time with the team.
By the sounds of it, the team has narrowed their search, culling a half-dozen names from their list. By the end of the week, they may have their choices, but there's no need for a full programme to watch lotto balls drop. They've got the Sedins for that. Everything they do immediately after the main event, however, needs a proper management team.
Let's make something completely clear, first: I am not a scout. Yes, I look at some videos, but I'm not looking at thirty videos of one CHL player. I'm not in the rinks live, I'm not paid to interview scouts. I don't have a scouting channel or website or a file folder with proprietary statistics painfully collected. All I'm doing here is reading, watching, and listening to actual specialists in the public domain and compiling it for myself.
I'm also forming opinions. THOSE I have.
While some depend on where the lottery balls land, that only involves the first few picks. It's pretty easy to form a blanket statement to cover the results, whichever direction luck takes us. And most likely, that's to the third overall pick.
Officially, Vancouver has an 18.5% chance of winning the lottery for first overall. But if you add in all of the teams that might win but can't move into first, that jumps to 25.5%. Far and away the best chance in the league, but still only happening a quarter of the time, give or take a groat or two.
If they don't win first overall, their odds of finishing with the second pick depend on who won first. Their number combinations are struck from the roll, and another draw is performed. If the team that won was over 11th overall and left Vancouver in first, or below it and bumped them to second, it makes a difference, but all told, their odds are around 19%. Don't think about it too hard.
Take Gavin McKenna. It's not complicated. Yes, there is a good argument for Ivar Stenberg, but I think the higher upside is McKenna's, and upside is what the Canucks should be aiming for. Stenberg likely has the higher floor, and that's great, but Vancouver needs a star, and McKenna has the best chance of that.
Source: Gavin McKenna @ Elite Prospects
Take the other one. Whichever of McKenna or Steinberg didn't get drafted first, take the other. If both are available, see the previous section.
Source: Ivar Stenberg @ Elite Prospects
Now things get interesting! There has been a big push for Caleb Malhotra as a semi-local favourite. Hey, if we couldn't get Macklin Celebrini or Connor Bedard, let's go for Matty's kid! That makes for a great story, but I don't think it's their best choice, because I don't think he's the best player.
Look, I have nothing against Malhotra. He sounds like an amazing guy: fantastic work ethic on the ice, polite and considerate off it. Good with kids, loves puppies, etc. But his projections are for a middle-six centre. A good one, certainly, but a middle-six centre. Is that the guy to spend a third overall pick on? He has rocketed up the rankings lately, and his reputation has only improved in the CHL playoffs. I'm a little paranoid of late surges, but these are 17-year-old kids, and sudden improvement over the course of a year isn't impossible.
Judging from opinions around the (publicly available) scouting world, though, there are likely at least two top-pair defencemen waiting. Both Chase Reid and Keaton Verhoff are thought of very highly this season. Reid for his offence and skill, Verhoff for his size and intelligence. I like Verhoff a bit more of the two, given his handedness and his league. The NCAA is not an easy league, and he's playing in it at 17.
But if the Canucks are determined to take a centre, Malhotra's fine. Or they could drop down in the draft, assuming a willing partner.
It's one of those things that never happens, but we love to play with it. Heck, the last time Vancouver made a move in the first round, they got Bo Horvat, and that worked out pretty well. It cost them the excellent Cory Schneider to get that pick, but still worth it. Maybe dropping down a few - NOT trading it away - can produce a similar result?
Thing is, the centres in this draft frankly aren't great. Good players and good prospects, but if a star emerges, it will be a surprise. NEXT year's pool looks kind of incredible from this far out, with maybe a dozen primed to go in the first round. This year, the defencemen are just better (though I'm still going for one of the Big Two wingers first). If they want a centre, pick up the phone and see if one of the teams with a second first-round pick has their sights set on some Can't-Miss Charlie.
The Seattle Kraken are feeling the pressure, so maybe they want to climb from 6th (or 7th, or 8th) to third. Or Boston, after Toronto has some bad luck and gives up their fifth, really, REALLY wants Oscar Hemming and doesn't want to risk losing him. Well, then the surrendered pick doesn't need to be this season. I don't even mind a protected one from 2027 if they're willing to pay.
Even if crowd favourite Malhotra is snatched up before the Canucks can get him in their new spot, that's okay. There are a LOT of players who seem to be in a 5th-through-8th mix. That sounds contradictory, but after the top four, it gets a bit wild out there. Heck, if Malhotra's gone, they might go for a brother play with Viggo Björk. Put him in the system that already has Wilson. Speaking of which...
Things always get blurry after the first consensus picks. If Vancouver doesn't add - or lose - any more picks, then there is still plenty to talk about. Their pick from Minnesota would be a fine place to get a(nother?) centre, with a pile of them likely available. Brooks Rogowski might be gone just by virtue of his size, but the slightly older Ryan Roobroeck or Maddox Dagenais could be available. Heck, draft Alexander Command for his name alone and see if he's actually captain material.
In the second round, I would have no qualms about using both picks on the Ruck twins. I think that would be fun, and they have piled on the points this year in Medicine Hat. But there are some warning flags, and if another team wants to take one or the other earlier, let them. They are not the stockiest dudes, and their scoring is coming in a year when several of the best CHL players went to the NCAA.
Still, Vancouver's had good luck with twins, and getting a couple guys from Osoyoos? How doesn't that sell tickets, even when they're in Abbotsford, a mere four-hour drive away?
Beyond that, it becomes a case of "who caught your eye this week" for us amateurs. Filip Ruzicka - the goaltender with Brandon - looks interesting. And gigantic. And frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing what else comes up between now and June 26th. It sounds like the teams really miss having everyone in the same room together instead of the goofy Zoom calls, and so do I. It's weirdly exciting to see a middle-aged guy stand up from a table and totter his way across the floor while a clock ticks down.
But until they restore the drama of 200 teenaged athletes and their families herded together like it's a cattle auction, our drama will have to come from four ping pong balls and fluorescent lighting. Can't wait!
The most Canuckian Canuck ever to speak in colourful words has died, suddenly.
He was the most beloved Nucks broadcaster - in this century. While the Canucks have been mediocre to terrible the past couple decades, we could take comfort that each miserable game would be covered by the best tandem in TV broadcasting, John Shorthouse and John Garrett.
Our NM contributors try to pay tribute to Cheech - we don't have enough ketchup.
jimmi:
Cheech brought so much fun to every Nucks game. Funny, thoughtful and above all, a kind and humble Canucks fan. It was a blow when he stopped regular season Canucks coverage. This is worse.
How can we pay tribute to the man who made watching the Canucks lose on TV, better than watching the Canucks live and losing in the rink? What a career - other than the goalie part. A wonderful person. A Canucks legend! Even the goalie part. Thanks, Cheech!
Thursday:
The radio is my favourite medium for Canucks games, and we've been blessed with some of the best to ever do it. John Shorthouse had a hard act to follow when Jim Robson retired from broadcasting the Canucks in 1999. Robson carried the position with dignity and warmth, and his voice was beloved through good times and bad. Shorty's articulate descriptions are different, but have carried the day well ever since.
Tom Larscheid, on the other hand, was a straight-up force of chaos. A colour man who was just as wildly hued as anyone on the ice - or field, when he broadcast the BC Lions. He was a great counter to Robson, but to my ears, despite their decade together, he never worked as well with Shorthouse as he did with Robson.
By the time John Garrett took the colour role, first with Jim Hughson, then Shorthouse, he was a veteran broadcaster. He had a dozen years pro experience on the ice with the WHA and NHL, but it felt like he had a century's worth of stories.
"Cheech" - yes, he got the nickname because someone thought he looked like one of the world's most famous stoners - would add the weirdest tales to any pauses in the game. At any moment, you could hear about the value of ketchup, eating hot dogs on the bench during a game, and dinners in every city across the league.
He was comfortable with fans, outraged with bad refereeing, and an unrepentant homer in the worst seasons. He was always one of us, and so clearly loved the team, loved his job, and loved needling Shorty with wild digressions between plays. He is missed.
Westy:
I moved out of Canada back in 2001 and for the first few years in Latin America I forgot all about hockey. It was probably due to the fact that you couldn't get a game on the t.v. anywhere and the internet was not as available. It wasn't until 2009 that I was able to stream NHL.com and could finally watch the Canucks again. What a time to rejoin the fandom. the Canucks-Hawks rivalry was at a fever pitch and the Sedins had hit their stride. I knew John Shorthouse from his babyface days on Sportspage (Ch 13) in Vancouver and John Garrett was already spinning yarns on the broadcast. People like to talk about how hometown broadcasters are homers and since I had the ability to watch any NHL online, I got to see a lot of different broadcasters in different cities, and I can say that Shorty and Cheech are definitely homers for the Canucks. But Cheech was honest when it came to players screwing the pooch. He called plays like he saw it and while he never put a player down, he would question "What the heck was he thinking?" at least once a game. I always enjoyed when Cheech would talk about food on the road and his love of ketchup and Kraft Mac and Cheese. I never meet Cheech in person, but every story I hear reinforces the idea of him in my head. A kind, funny, hard-working man, who loved his family and his job and had time for anyone that asked. We need more John Garretts in this world.
Kent:
What, you didn't think I would come back for this?
In a season that felt like watching this team was akin to getting hit repeatedly in the face with a shovel, we've had to deal with a lot as a collective fan base. Having to come to terms, in a rather short period of time, that Quinn Hughes was not actually going to be part of the future, was not easy. The loss of the original voice of the Canucks, the one and only Jim Robson, was a cruel blow to fans who were already struggling with all this. And now, the sudden loss of someone who was universally loved and admired, who was the quintessential Canuck. Cruel doesn't even begin to describe it. Talk about kicking us when we're down.
John Garrett was a damn good goaltender in an era where genuinely good goalies were rare. His transition from player to broadcaster should be studied by those who follow in his footsteps, though so much of it was simply his massive personality. Along with John Shorthouse, they made it feel like you were watching a game with friends. Their personal interactions, glimpses into their personas away from the rink, and willingness to take fun pokes at each other helped us through some rough nights watching the Canucks, and they were even more entertaining when the team was playing well. While it's been awesome having Ray Ferraro part time, and Dave Tomlinson continues to get better, the absence of Cheech from Canucks broadcasts was felt immediately. And knowing we'll never get one more night of the best play by play duo in the biz is a genuinely sad thing. We were absolutely blessed to have him as part of this organization. I hope he knew how much we loved him.
"Say, do you know what the secret of good comedy is?"
"No. What is the se-"
"Timing."
-Very old joke I still do when I'm drunk enough
When last we left our intrepid heroes, they were on a Holy Quest for We're Not Quite Sure What. Lists of names have emerged, rumours have abounded (if that's a word), and the Merry Band of Misfit Toys has packed up and gone home. Or off to the World Championships, as the case may be. And the fans are left to speculate.
Some very interesting names have cropped up, most of which we riffled through last week. But we're still not clear on what positions are being hired for. Could be that only one hire is made in this round, that being a general manager to go through their rolodex and think of the future. But maybe not.
On a guess, Adam Foote isn't long for the world of bench-bossing, at least not here. That Jim Rutherford has said he'd leave the decision to the general manager is a positive sign for us, the fans. Less so for Foote, the coach. But whether it was because his plans were bad or his communication of them was, his coaching simply didn't work. Sure, the team changed what the objective was halfway through the season, but I'm agreeing with Vern on this one.
But found GM or not, there is more to this white-collar hiring spree than meets the eye.
Rutherford hasn't said, but has certainly implied, that he doesn't really want the job for much longer than he's had it. Fair enough, given his age and years at the job. Heck, when he was first hired, he brought along the one who would have taken over by now if things had gone to plan. But this is Vancouver, and Vancouver feasts on hubris. Patrik Allvine is gone, and the job title of Once and Future Manager remains.
The most interesting name to crop up last week was probably Shane Doan. He has an excellent reputation among hockey folk, even if his Curriculum Vitae is a bit thin. He's mentioned a disinterest in being a general manager, per se, but the Canucks aren't only looking for a GM. They are also looking for who can take over for Rutherford himself, and relatively soon. He has a local-ish interest as part-owner of the Kamloops Blazers, his old WHL team.
Anyone the team gets as an Assistant to the President (or whatever title they go with) will have a year or two with Rutherford to get their feet wet. That seems like a better plan than someone assuming the title of general manager only to get promoted when Rutherford decides to retire. The president has a different role from the general manager, and keeping the two distinct from the start is the best idea. Doubly so if Rutherford plans to leave soon.
The big empty space is still the GM's role. While the draft is still some ways away - June 26th, to be exact - there is plenty to do between now and then. The draft lottery is on May 5th, but that's hardly a vital moment. The team doesn't need a general manager in place to watch lottery balls fall into place. But somewhere soon after would be good.
Unlike most teams, Vancouver has few restricted free agents coming up on July 1st. Pierre-Olivier Joseph is the only one on the playing roster, and his best role is as a veteran 7-8 defenceman. Good to have around, but not the most important signing of the day. Danilla Klimovich is coming due as well, and there's a decision to be made there, but probably not a huge one. You get the point.
On the other hand, the Canucks have several other players they need to make decisions on. The trade deadline may have passed, but trades can be made year-round. Even as teams are eliminated from the playoffs, the opportunity is there to ask them if, hey, maybe if you had one of our guys, you would have made it a wee bit further? Strike while the iron is still crying from a lack of home game revenue, as they always say.
So yes, while the team doesn't strictly need a general manager to be named before the draft lottery, having one in place wouldn't go amiss. At the very least, interested teams should know who to call.
Jim Rutherford is staying in place as the Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations. He just won't say for how long, possibly because he doesn't know. Welcome to a New Era of Stability!(tm)
It's unsurprising that the Canucks removed their general manager when the disastrous 2025-26 season concluded. It is something of a surprise that they kept Adam Foote on as coach and Rutherford as the administration's top dog. What's that say about the future?
Nobody does anything that doesn't make sense to them. There is a logic to every person's actions, even if it's incomprehensible to most of us. Rutherford's explanation for Foote's continued employment is that the new general manager will be free to make that decision as they please. On one hand, it shows a willingness to give whoever that is enough responsibility to guide the direction of the team. On the other, it's the strained logic of someone searching for an excuse for their employer's behaviour.
The person with the real power is the owner, Francesco Aquilini, we all know this. But that power is absolutist, something Rutherford made clear when he was first hired: Let me do my thing, or I'm out. It's not decision-making, it's a kill switch. And, by all appearances, the owner is scared to use it.
The Aquilini does NOT want to deal with the public, that's obvious. But he knows it's there. The big decisions do have to go through him, which is the same as any other sports team. Trading Quinn Hughes, for instance, affected the value of the team in multi-dimensional ways. It's not just the money involved, but the infrastructure changed. The owner's going to want to know what's happening and why.
That being said, they took a lot of heat for backing the last guy too long. There's no way he wants to go through that again. If the GM, president, and coach were all fired on the same day, he would be the only one available to face the microphones. So Rutherford stays in place. For now.
One of the more confusing things about this week is that Ryan Johnson hasn't already been named the Canucks' new general manager. He's done a very good job with Abbotsford, bringing the organization their first national championship of any kind. He signed a four-year deal, apparently at very good money, with the understanding he was the heir apparent. His familiarity with the younger players on the team should be obvious.
Initial reports of the Nashville Predators being denied permission to speak to Johnson for their general manager job were dismissed by Rutherford, saying the reporting was a misunderstanding of some kind. That seems an open-and-shut case that the search wouldn't be performative, quickly handing the job to the obvious frontrunner.
Then local reporter Cam Robinson said that he was told the denial was exactly that - a denial of permission. The team does not want to lose Johnson, and will hold him to his contract. Rumours abound that Johnson is Rutherford's pick, but the owners still need to be convinced. To me, it sounds like they are afraid of more anger from the public about not casting a wide enough net in their search.
Right now, any interviews seem like window dressing, but the conversation of who the team might want is interesting.
We know former NHL player Kevyn Adams has been interviewed and can be considered a front-runner. He spent several years trying to piece the Buffalo Sabres together with pipe cleaners and dreams after the COVID-19 pandemic. He managed a few major deals, had a good enough draft record, and was lousy at being the public face of the team.
It was also his first real job as a white-collar in the NHL, and on Day One he fired pretty much everyone he came into eye contact with. So he has a history of doing unpleasant work as needed, and presumably he's also learned from that first job. For a team looking to do a rebuild, bringing someone in without any ties might be a top priority.
Then again, a smart employer might add someone else to stand between him and anyone in the public eye. Or on the ice, for that matter. A team getting a "new coach bump" is a common enough occurrence that is has a name. The "new GM bump" is unique to Adams' dismissal.
Tom Fitzgerald has a history with Rutherford, working in Pittsburgh as an assistant general manager. His time in the top job with the New Jersey Devils has been relatively successful, but he wedged himself and the team into a corner with high-priced signings. Vancouver fans are familiar with the hazards of a skilled but thin team, and the results show in both cities this season.
Ron Francis was recently let go from the Seattle Kraken. Seattle is feeling a lot more pressure to perform than the Canucks are, especially with the NBA planning their return. Francis guided the expansion club through years of slow, steady growth, but they seem to have hit their ceiling under him. They couldn't take advantage of a weak division this season, and an inability to get real top-end talent to join the club counts against his tenure.
There is an odd bump when he came into conflict with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon. The new majority owner named Francis President of Hockey Operations on March 7, 2018, then terminated his contract less than two months later. Anyone interested in a general manager who can "manage upwards" might want to skip him.
There are more than a few interesting "first-timer" names out there, including Johnson's.
Want a numbers guy? Sam Ventura is a numbers guy. A major part of one the earliest public stats-driven NHL fan sites, WAR-on-Ice, he was hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins for exactly that specialty. He went from consulting with them to a vice-president role with Buffalo, and was a big reason why they have finally broken their playoff-less string. Breaking down analytical data is a vital component for proper talent evaluation, so why not have that skill at the very top?
Like Johnson, Jason Spezza is both an assistant general manager at the NHL level and the general manager of an AHL farm club. While he's only done that job for a few years, he's also been tapped as an assistant with Canada's 2026 World Championship team. He is highly thought of as a future talent, but it's hard to know if that's because of his location or not. His previous job was in Toronto, after all.
Does Spezza bring more than Johnson? The AHL Penguins have been relatively successful in their regular seasons under him. But Johnson has been guiding Abbotsford for longer and has a championship to his name. That's tough to beat.
There are a few interesting names that have cropped up, but it's hard to judge how seriously to take them. Roberto Luongo would absolutely catch some eyes, given his history in Vancouver. It wouldn't entirely be a stunt hire, either, with Luongo working closely with Bill Zito in Florida. Another former player, Shane Doan, is interested in the white collar side of the league, and is currently in Toronto as a special advisor.
Ryan Bowness was the general manager of the Belleville Senators when he was with Ottawa, but last season joined the New York Islanders full time as their director of player personnel. He's only 42, but hardly a newcomer, joining the Atlanta Thrashers as a "team manager" (I don't know, either) in 2009-10. He stayed with the team when they moved to Winnipeg, moving to their pro scouting department. Bowness later became the director of pro scouting with Pittsburgh, then assistant general manager with Ottawa. He's definitely more than Rick Bowness' son.
The most likely hire is still Ryan Johnson, I think. He knows the team, the fans, the media, and the owner, with all the hiccups and foibles that entails. Not moving him into place now would be a massive insult, and it's hard to picture him staying on once his current contract ends. Maybe the team is looking for a fall guy, knowing they have a few hard years ahead. Something to go with another season of Adam Foote, saving the hires they want to make until the worst has passed.
Yes, that's a cynical take. But given the history of this team, with this ownership, it's not something to put past them.
The end of the 2025-26 season has arrived at long, long last. Exit media and player interviews have been had, an evaluation of - Sorry, what's this?
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/canucks-fire-general-manager-patrik-allvin-after-five-seasons/
Well, then. Suppose we should hold off until the President of Hockey Operations gets his notes together and -
Ah. Yes. That. Jim Rutherford's bit starts two hours and four minutes in, and I guess that's where we'll start.
So far, just the general manager has been fired. The reason, Rutherford says, is because the next general manager should decide how the team will react to a disastrous season. That means Coach Adam Foote is still most likely fired, but hasn't been yet.
That's good news. No, really! Rutherford is making a clear demarcation of responsibilities with that decision. Whether he will continue that self-imposed limit, well, that remains to be seen. In theory, the PoHO (there's gotta be a better acronym out there...) chooses the direction of the team, and the general manager executes that vision. But we all know Rutherford stepped in at a few vital points, possibly at the behest of ownership, to take power away from Allvin.
That can complicate any new search. The favourite is Ryan Johnson, who has run the Abbotsford Canucks to an AHL championship and signed a lucrative contract with the understanding he would get promotion to the big club before its term ended. Whether that's to general manager or an assistant GM position is unknown to us.
Rutherford has talked about expanding the search as widely as possible, but whoever comes here will want assurances. How much power will they actually have, what timeline is the team looking at, and what about the Sword of Damocles working an hour down the road? Not many qualified, veteran people would be thrilled with those working conditions.
This is a pretty good question, too. According to Rutherford, he had been thinking about the firing for several weeks, but didn't reach a decision until last night. That it was leaked by a Swedish magazine moved up the announcement, but was otherwise coincidental. Not sure I entirely believe that bit, but it doesn't change much in the big picture.
The first problem is that it delaying the hiring means other decisions will have to wait. That includes signing on scouting staff (or not), finding a new coaching staff (or not), and the amateur draft coming up. Given that Allvin came from the scouting world, that last was entirely in his hands, and he has the Air Miles to prove it.
Other coaches and general managers have been hired already, so another reason my be because the team really does want to have as many options as possible. The longer they wait, the more names are made unavailable. Or it may just be for show before they bring Johnson in and he calls up Manny Malhotra.
Rutherford reiterated that the team is undergoing a rebuild, and any new general manager will need to agree with that. Not a bad thing, but if anyone said differently that would be reason to end the interview early.
The Canucks need to have a rebuild, obviously. Step One is getting over the fear of saying that out loud. The fans in Vancouver aren't idiots. But they're also not made of money. The number of people willing to piss it away on the hobbled creature that appeared early in the season is diminishing. Losing isn't necessarily the thing that turns off fans: losing expensively can.
Whoever's hired as the next general manager is going to have to gain the trust of the fans. That includes having a plan that lasts longer than a few months. Hearing word of a ten-year plan is a bit silly, given the duration of most sports careers. But having a three-year plan to reach one point, then another from there, and another from there, can work for me.
As the team discovered just this season, times change, and so should goals. Vancouver wanted to be competing for a playoff spot as an eventual step to the Stanley Cup. That plan ended in December, and the stated goals soon followed.
Vern's talked about what they want to see from the team ASAP. The team got one thing off the list so far. The rest could take a bit longer.
The draft lottery is coming up in May. Until then? Smile, smile, smile!
Tanking News! Pointless! Just like the season.
Good news... IT'S OVER!
Here's what we learned:
Nucks spent most of the game on the penalty kill. Sometimes 4-on-5, mostly 5-on-5. Didn't matter.
McD and Oil were motivated to get the win to ensure home ice advantage in the 1st round of unpaid NHL hockey. Smart.
Nucks having won their last 3 games, weren't really motivated to take a 4 game win streak onto the golf course. No need to be showoffs.
What a relief! The season is over. It's in the record books. But not at the top (bottom?) of poor records. But still... the best worst season since the early 70s! Impressive work, eh, Footey.
#Canucks bottom five seasons by points percentage
— Adam Kierszenblat (@adamkblat.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 9:15 PM
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Looking For The Summer!
Period 1
Not the best period of road hockey the Nucks played all year. Even if it felt like the Nucks were a road hockey team getting smoked by an actual hockey team.
With that out of the way, McD setup some no-name winger for a hattie. Big whoop.
The most important goal and as it happened only Canucks goal was setup by our offensive-minded Lanky. After being frustrated by his own players inability to clear the zone and go get a goal, Lanky sent the puck out of the zone to Douglas. Who lofted a tall pass into the O-zone for Mueller who dekes out the pointless Oiler goalie for Ty's 1st NHL goal.
Nice to get your first NHL goal in front of the home crowd. 😎
-- Thursday
Better extend Douglas, he's turned into a point machine.
-- Ripper
Period ended with the Nucks down 4-1, getting outshot 13-5.
Altho... it's not all bad news...
#Canucks getting steamrolled tonight is the best scenario. Can't have Allvin twisting a 4 game win streak to end the season into any consideration other than a complete fire sale. Bring on emotion free playoff hockey!
— The King of Blind Bay (@imrealgoode.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Period 2
Nucks haven't featured well in 2nd periods this season. Possibly less featured than 1st and last periods.
On the curse-busting side, Nucks only gave up 1 goal in the entire period. A PP goal, of course.
Not only that, they managed to get out of their own end on their own PP and got a couple shots too!
Two shots! That's two whole shots in a row! #Canucks
— Ryan avgtraveller (@viewfromtherog.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Late in the period they added another shot! 5-on-5!
#Canucks only give ONE single PP goal and put 3 shots on goal. 2nd period tribulations obviously over for the season. As well as the season.
— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Oilies outshot Nucks 14-3, which is why it was a 'featured' period.
Period 3
To continue with the great defensive news of the 2nd, Nucks continue to pile on the pressure during the 18 minute long Oil 5-on-5 PP.
Only gave up a single goal. And despite trailing 6-1 late 3rd, didn't give up a Footey!
Guess Footey felt that Lanky was one of the few Nucks with a point in the game, why spoil the narrative. Or something.
Just zero push right now. Stuck in the defensive end and holding on to survive. Not auspicious, gotta say.
-- Thursday
Not a great Nucks finish. Or start. Or middle.
But it's over. The game, the season is over. Thus ends our misery.
Assuming, Franny does the outraged owner thing and fire all the (mis)managers and coaches.
The dream of ending the nightmare begins...
Only question I want put to Foote is “what do you plan to do next, now that your time with the #Canucks is over?”
— puck2thehead.bsky.social (@puck2thehead.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 9:27 PM
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But what if continues...
How it’ll feel starting the 2026-27 #Canucks season if they bring the whole crew back
— Ian St. (@ian-st.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 9:57 PM
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Well, Ty Mueller got a highlight out of the game, anyway.
A total of 25 wins this season that was "Win for Quinn". Guess it was an accurate prediction!
-- Thursday
As bad as this season was, nothing was more shocking than seeing Quit out himself as a trump fan, act like a maga jerk, and pull the ol' Mariah Carey "I don't know her" about his former teammates like they were JLo 😂. Boy, you're good but you ain't no Mariah right now, not even close #Canucks
— lady🇨🇦 luck🇨🇦 canuck (@ladyluckcanuck.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 8:54 PM
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At least we won't see Evander Kane in a #Canucks jersey again 🤞
— lady🇨🇦 luck🇨🇦 canuck (@ladyluckcanuck.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 8:56 PM
#Canucks end this dismal season with the same number wins but MORE losses than the 1997-98 Vancouver Canucks, which was the worst Canucks team I had personally ever seen 🫠
— TheDarkCanuck🇨🇦 (@bigherbs.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 8:50 PM
OBSERVATIONS:
This miserable season is over. And it has taken its toll on us all.
If you didn't see his last game thread, Kent is hanging up the tear-stained NM keyboard. Kent has been the scathing voice of NM since 2009. He has contributed so much to our Nucking community.
Whenever we got too high on fake hope or too low on dismal moves, his sage advise:
"It's the Canucks, it can always get worse."
End of an era. Nucks Misconduct era. Kent is retiring from active scathing Nucking heavy metal vitriol. Since 2009, Kent has been a force, possibly for good, at Nucks Misconduct. Thanks, Kent, for all you've done! Kent's final #Canucks game preview: nucksmisconduct.ca/game-day-82-...
— NucksMisconduct (@nucksmisconduct.bsky.social) April 16, 2026 at 2:59 PM
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Thanks, Kent, from all of us at NM for being here, sharing your voice, your metal with us season after dreadful season. Be well, buddy and don't forget to write. Something scathing here, once in awhile.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
No Shortie, sorry. It's Homer Highlights only tonight. Best watched eyes closed, sound on mute.
Let's watch that last winning goal, one more time.
GAME STATS
COMMENTING OUT LOUD
Ty gets his 1st NHL goal and presser.
Footey with his last presser?
Don't feel bad about this terrible, disappointing season.
Be happy it's over. Wooooooooooooooooo!
Thanks to all who joined the game threads and commented all season long. Life in the stinky basement is tough, but we did it.
Have a great summer!
At long last, this torturous experiment, which has felt like near decades, is over. Oh, and it's the last game of this utterly cursed Canucks season, too!
Vancouver Canucks (25-48-8) vs. Edmonton Oilers (40-30-11)
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
6:00 pm PST; 9:00 pm EST
TV: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
This has been exhausting.
It's dragged on and on, and despite claims along the way that things were going to get better, it didn't. So finally, we can be put out of our misery for a couple weeks at least, and say good riddance to the 2025-26 Vancouver Canucks. In a season that started with a simple statement: A lot of things would have to go right for this team to make the playoffs, ended because quite simply, nothing went right at all.
It's going to take some time to perform the post mortem on this team, and go over everything that led to what is going to end up as quite likely the worst season in franchise history, given that they didn't have the expansion excuse from the team's early days. This was a frustrating, embarrassing, and unacceptable year, and you should expect massive, sweeping changes in the days ahead. You should also not get your expectations up for this, as I would be surprised if there were any changes that would impact the team in a positive way. Yeah, that's the level of confidence I have in this organization at the moment.
I do think it's a safe bet that the coaching staff is done here, and rightfully so. Adam Foote was a disastrous choice by the organization, clearly not ready to be an NHL coach, and if he ever could be, definitely not the right fit for this squad. There are a lot of things that need to happen to fix this god-awful mess, but this is absolutely Step One.
A house cleaning is what is needed here. New faces with new ideas and perspectives, because there just doesn't seem to be a plan right now at all, and the damage that has been development-wise up and down the lineup has been devastating. But most of all, it's time for new ownership.
The Aqualini family shouldn't be allowed within a thousand kilometers of a hockey franchise. Since the heartbreak of losing Game Seven in 2011, Francesco has been chasing that high, heavily involved in so many operational decisions, and they've all ended up in various incarnations of the flaming hubris we see before us. I realize it's too much to hope for another ownership group like the Canucks had in the Griffiths Family, but change has to come, and it cannot fully be realized under this ownership.
And so, with nothing left but a few possible moral victories tonight, the Canucks head into their final game of the season, and a chance to one last funny thing before they go. The outcome of this game can absolutely affect who the Edmonton Oilers play in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and while it's nowhere near anything that makes this season worth it, it's the least they can do for this fan base, who have suffered so much.
The Oilers could end up playing the Anaheim Ducks, or... with a loss, and a Kings win, face off against Los Angeles again in the first round, which is really a win/win/win, because there's two losers of three in whatever scenario happens here. And if things really go sideways for the Oilers, they'll drop to the WildCard Two slot, which means a date with the Colorado Avalanche. I would so love to see that, because the Avs will absolutely feast on the Oilers defense/goaltending. The Canucks need to do their part, and set the ball rolling for some post-season disappointment in Edmonton.
LINEUPS
From the nhl dot com dealy... here's what to expect tonight:
Canucks projected lineup
Drew O'Connor -- Marco Rossi -- Linus Karlsson
Liam Ohgren -- Teddy Blueger -- Brock Boeser
Jake DeBrusk -- Elias Pettersson -- Nils Hoglander
Curtis Douglas -- Ty Mueller -- Aatu Raty
Zeev Buium -- Filip Hronek
Marcus Pettersson -- Tom Willander
Elias Nils Pettersson -- Kirill Kudryavtsev
Kevin Lankinen
Nikita Tolopilo
Scratched: Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Victor Mancini, Max Sasson
Injured: Filip Chytil (facial fracture), Thatcher Demko (hip surgery), Derek Forbort (undisclosed), Evander Kane (upper body)
Oilers projected lineup
Matthew Savoie -- Connor McDavid -- Zach Hyman
Vasily Podkolzin -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins -- Jack Roslovic
Colton Dach -- Josh Samanski -- Trent Frederic
Curtis Lazar -- Adam Henrique -- Kasperi Kapanen
Mattias Ekholm -- Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse -- Connor Murphy
Jake Walman -- Ty Emberson
Connor Ingram
Tristan Jarry
Scratched: Owen Michaels, Spencer Stastney
Injured: Jason Dickinson (lower body), Leon Draisaitl (lower body), Mattias Janmark (shoulder), Max Jones (lower body)
Looks like no changes for the Canucks tonight, and I wouldn't read too much into Draisaitl being out, but it's telling that the Oilers are gonna be desperate for a win tonight with the lineup they're icing.
GAME DAY CHATTER
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Much to Westy's delight, this will be the last battle hymn that isn't John Tesh adjacent. From their 2020 album 'A Silent Soul Screams Loud', this is PYOGENESIS, with 'Will I Ever Be The Same?'.
Well, this is the end of the road, for both the Canucks, and yours truly.
My journey with Nucks Misconduct is coming to a close, as of this last game preview. When I had first stumbled across the site back in early 2009 I think it was (or maybe 2008) I was doing a podcast called 'We Are All Canuckleheads', and was encouraged to post it in the Fanposts section. Zan and Yankee encouraged me to do a few writeups for the section, and a short time later, invited me to come aboard as a contributor. I had just finished a couple decades of music journalism (A music video show in Kamloops, a number of zines, and later, a radio show at CFBX Radio in Kamloops), so writing about hockey was new-ish for me. I had been around the old CDC boards back in the day, but still, after getting burnt out on music writing, this was a fresh challenge. What I hadn't counted on, was how things would take off the way they did. If you had told me that not long after I started, I would get mentioned in the Province (RIP Botch), get name dropped by Ron MacLean on HNIC, and be in the media scrums at the 2011 Finals, I would have laughed at you.
We've been through a lot, both as Canucks fans, and as the crew keeping this site going. While none of it has ended the way I had hoped, I will be eternally grateful for the chance to express my love and passion for this team, and the game of hockey, and for the incredible support we've received over the years.
I wanna thank Sean and Mike, for seeing something in me I didn't know existed. You took a gamble on me, and I hope it paid off for you. Thanks to Travis Hughes, and Steph Driver for all the amazing support and help as I went from occasional contributor to Editor, and back again.
To all of the folks who have had a cup of coffee and more with us, thank you. We've been an incredible stepping stone to some of the mainstays of coverage for fans in this market, and for that I will always be proud as hell.
I want to thank Trevor, who was amazing in the short time we had him, and who I was proud to share the leadership with. You'll always be a big part of this site's heritage, and we know what happened is not gonna stop you. You're way too talented for that.
Thursday, I feel like I didn't get to know you well enough, but I feel so good knowing that in my absence, there's someone like you putting together the kind of articles we built this site on. All the best, buddy!
And I couldn't wrap things up without thanking my wife Laurie, whose support, critical eye, occasional photoshop and editing advice helped make my contributions better. Love you, baby.
Finally, Jimmi and Westy. I feel like I am letting you guys down, but I suppose trying to keep going with nothing left in the tank could be viewed the same way. It has been an honour getting to know you guys, and I am proud of the way you both became such massive pieces of what makes NM like no other. I know the last few years have been rough, but the way you refused to let this site die, you should be proud as hell. Cheers, my friends. We'll have that beer one day, for sure.
And to all of you, from the beginning, to the end of my chapter. Thank you. It has been an honour to have you take time to hear what I had to say. I have some health challenges that leave me not able to keep doing this, but it's possible there might be an occasion or two where I pop in for a lil rant (if the guys will have me, that is).
Go Canucks Go.
We are finally here at the end of a gawdawful season. As we naturally look back at what went wrong (what didn't?) and, also, naturally look forward with the question “how the blazes does this team improve next year,” there are some obvious things that must be done. Well, obvious the average shmuck who watches this team, whether they are paying … how the frig much? That much? Holy jumpin …. Large sums of money to watch this disaster live or watching from home, and obvious to folks like yours truly, who was once paid to watch hockey games.
I’m staggered at the number of people who still support the guy. Game after game, he has been outcoached in the dynamic adjust-on-the-fly manner, as well as systems. In fact, it’s abundantly clear that Foote and systems go together roughly as well as me and my ex. Marcus Pettersson’s season has been horrible, because Pettersson – a systems guy has no clue where to be, entirely due to bad coaching. How bad a coach do you have to be to turn a perennial plus player into a defensive disaster? Adam Foote bad. I've seen more than a few BCHL teams with better systems than whatever the heck is going on in Vancouver this year. Even if someone can make a convincing argument that Foote was stuck in a bad position this year (You’d best buy me several adult beverages to make that argument stick), there are too many examples where Foote gave too much rope to veterans and failed to provide training and teaching to the youth. Perhaps I'm biased as a retired ink-stained wretch, but Foote is a very poor communicator to media, and in my experience, good coaches are good communicators. Foote is neither.
Examples of poor coaching include
After firing Foote, the next thing is
You can’t have a 32nd place effort without bad coaching on all fronts. This includes all the assistants, including goaltending coach Marko Torenius, who is an example of someone who has been promoted past their level of competence. As local goalie guru Kevin Woodley has aptly pointed out on dozens of occasions, the big club teaches completely different goaltending approaches than the AHL affiliate. That’s just plain stupid, and didn't happen when Ian Clark was on the clock. While we’re giving cardboard boxes to folks who are provided expanded opportunities to seek employment anywhere the frig else, the human performance staff need to be canned, en masse. The string of injuries this year was so significant that several major media outlets chronicled the issues. The team didn’t have as many injuries when Tony Twist made players sweat: correlation isn't causation, but still .... And, one more very important cardboard box:
Whether he’s directly in control, or the puppet at the end of Jim Rutherford’s strings, it makes no sense to keep the man as the team’s General Manager. He has screwed up almost every major decision since coming into control, starting with the bungled “we want to keep J. T. Miller instead of Bo Horvat” mess, and pretty much continuing down the line from there. The last thing we want is this dude picking Viggo Björck with the third pick this year (oh, come, if you don’t know the Canucks will be bounced to third with the draft lottery, you’ve not been a fan long enough) just because of the umlaut in the last name. There’s a long list of other things for the new GM to do, starting with:
The new coach must have the capacity to teach and train the youth. It will be important, as the roster of existing young talent, as well as a year-older Braeden Cootes and top-three draft pick will need guidance and support - something Adam Foote has utterly failed to provide. For the love of Pete (and every other player not named Pete) the guy or gal (let’s be open minded about this) must, must, must be a systems coach. Most of the problems this year result from Foote’s “system” such as it is being such a flustercluck. Get back to basics, teach the kids, and rebuild something. Anything. The key task for the new coach will be to build some culture, some identity. The GM can assist this by:
DeBrusk has been a massive disappointment, and this year, has only been able to score on the powerplay. Trading deBrusk clears the way for a younger player. Jonathan Lekkerimaki needs the chance to show whether he’s a top-six forward or a bottom-six bust. Speaking of busts,
Another of Allvin's bonehead decisions, was a predictable mess from the get-go.
Spending $13 million/year on he and the ever-injured Thatcher Demko makes no sense for a rebuilding team. No sane manager is going to touch Demko, but Lankinen is a competent backup and will fetch something from someone – maybe Edmonton, who always need a goaltender. (Might be able to fetch a decent forward in return and hey, that Podkolzin kid would look good in Canuck col….oh, right.) The primary reason to trade Lankinen is that Nikita Tolopilo, despite being jerked around by a coach who had every reason to play the kid and didn’t, might be very good if you have a competent goalie coach (see #2 above). To test whether that's the reality, the kid is going to need some playing time. Simply put, It takes time to grow netminders, and by the time Vancouver is legitimately looking at playoff contention, Demko will be either done because of injuries or done because of age, or both. Plan for the future, which may include Alexi Medvedev.
At this moment, it’s obvious EP40 is a bust, and everyone is abundantly aware that $11.6 million annually for a second-line centre who can’t score when it matters is going to be the albatross around the team’s neck for a long time. Nobody is going to want to trade for the guy, so the only option is to deal with it. The best way to do that is to take the kid gloves off, and give Pettersson some ultimatums: do the work to get into better shape, spend the summer learning how to skate, and build some kind of central core strength so that bitchy fans like me don’t end up having a collection of screengrabs showing one of the highest-played players in the NHL sprawled on the ice every. damned. game.
Nobody (including Rick Tocchet) has actually held the ever-moody forward to any degree of accountability, and for $11.6 million a year, that has to change. It might well be worth stripping EP40 of his alternate captaincy, because he's not got a drop of leadership in his veins, and benching Pettersson when necessary.
