How the Vancouver Canucks Should Attack the Offseason

The Vancouver Canucks are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

They finished last in the NHL, and at this point, they’ve pretty clearly committed to a full rebuild.

With that in mind, this is easily one of (if not the most) important offseasons in Canucks history.

With that, here’s how I would attack this offseason if I were helping run the Canucks through this situation.

Move 1: Hire Kevyn Adams as General Manager or Some Front Office Role

This might be a hot take for some, because as soon as Kevyn Adams got fired by the Buffalo Sabres in December, the Sabres just automatically became one of the best teams in the league, after years of them being one of the worst teams in the NHL.

Buffalo went on an insane run to end the regular season and not just pushed themselves into the playoff picture, but won the Atlantic Division. So I understand if some fans wouldn’t be interested in bringing in Adams as their general manager.

But there’s no denying, that while the franchise never had any real success while he was there, he did acquire a lot of this young talent, and he clearly has a skill for evaluating talent. He can draft well, and he can make good trade moves to bring in good pieces. That’s specifically what the Canucks need right now. They need legitimate, good young players in the organization.

Just look at some of the guys Adams brought in as Sabres GM. When he was forced to trade Jack Eichel in 2022, he got back Alex Tuch, who’s been excellent for the Sabres, and got Peyton Krebs, who’s been solid.

He signed Tage Thompson to an excellent contract extension, which is one of the better value deals in the NHL right now. He acquired Bowen Byram for Casey Mittelstadt, which people don’t talk about enough, that was an absolute fleecing.

And then even when JJ Peterka requested a trade last summer, he was still able to bring in Josh Doan, who’s been excellent for them.

Obviously, there were years where the Sabres were picking at the top of the draft, and that’s not really skill, it's just what you're going to. But even beyond that, it’s clear Adams can evaluate talent.

And I think more than anything, that’s what the Canucks need right now. They need foundational pieces, and they need a clear, strong talent evaluator in the organization.

Move 2: Fire Adam Foote as Head Coach, Hire Manny Malhotra

I understand the Canucks have had a lot of trouble finding a coach long-term, but I think the worst thing you can do as an organization is double down on a mistake and just waste everyone’s time.

When you bring in a new GM, they’re obviously going to want their own head coach eventually. And Adam Foote just wasn’t good enough last year.

Not everything was his fault, and he was dealt a rough situation, but anytime you watched or listened to him speak, especially early in the season, it just didn’t feel like it was working.

That’s why, since the Canucks are bringing in a new GM, they need to bring in a new head coach. Personally, I think if you’re making a change, you should fully commit to it.

Fire the GM, hire a new one, and let that person bring in their coach right away so the entire organization is on the same wavelength from day one.

If I’m the new GM, I’m making that move immediately. I’m moving on from Foote and bringing in my own guy.

And for me, that guy would be Manny Malhotra.

He’s obviously someone the organization should want to keep around, and I do think he fits what this team needs right now. He’s worked with young players, he understands development, and he can guide a team through a rebuild. We’ve already seen that with what he did with the Abbotsford Canucks, helping them win the Calder Cup last year.

So when you look at potential coaching candidates, Malhotra stands out as someone is familiar with what has gone on with the organization, and if you’re committing to legit rebuild, that’s the kind of hire that actually makes sense.

Move 3: Trade DeBrusk and EP40 (Maybe Even Demko) to Desperate Teams

Obviously, when you’re rebuilding, this is the next logical step, moving out your veterans and trying to bring in assets.

The Canucks are in a weird spot though, because guys like Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk, and Thatcher Demko aren’t exactly seen as super positive assets around the league right now. But I still think, especially with someone like DeBrusk, you’ll be able to find takers.

I also think timing matters here. After this year’s playoffs, with a weaker free agent market, I expect the trade market to be a lot more active, and that plays into Vancouver’s hands.

For someone like Pettersson, I look at a team like the Detroit Red Wings. They haven’t made the playoffs in years, and at some point there has to be a real shake-up. If you’re comfortable moving him within the division, even a team like the Los Angeles Kings could make sense depending on how aggressive they want to get.

With DeBrusk, there are a ton of potential fits. The Edmonton Oilers obviously stand out, but even teams that just need scoring, like the Seattle Kraken who missed the playoffs, or the Ottawa Senators, who could talk themselves into it, especially after they're first round exit to the Carolina Hurricanes where they got swept.

Then there’s Demko, which is the toughest one. When he’s healthy, he’s a great goalie, but he’s just never healthy, that’s the issue.

Still, a team like Edmonton makes a lot of sense again. If Demko is fully recovered, the Oilers are in win-now mode. They can’t keep running things back with uncertainty in net, they need a legitimate starting goalie and could be willing to take the risk.

At the end of the day, I think the Canucks actually have an opportunity here. There are going to be desperate teams this summer, and that’s exactly what you want when you’re trying to move players like this.

It hasn’t worked with Pettersson since the contract extension. DeBrusk doesn’t want to be here, and Demko, while great when healthy, is just too unreliable to build around.

It’s time to rip the band-aid off and move on from some of these pieces.

Move 4: Bring in Veterans to Help Build Up the Culture

The Canucks over the next few years are going to have to make sure they develop and keep their young talent in their lineup on a nightly basis, while also making sure those young players are surrounded by solid veterans in the locker room.

Obviously this matters in any rebuild, but with how much the Canucks’ locker room has been talked about over the past few years, with how toxic and split it’s reportedly been, this is even more important for them specifically.

They need to bring in veterans who aren’t going to demand a ton of ice time, and are really just there to help build the culture back up.

One name I look at is Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens. He’s obviously got that Vancouver connection being from the area, and his time as captain of the Vancouver Giants, and he just feels like the type of guy who could help in a situation like this. The Canadiens have already scratched him in the playoffs, and with only one year left on his deal, they could be looking to move off that contract. Maybe you can even squeeze out a mid-round pick just for taking it on for a year.

Then in free agency, you look at guys like Scott Laughton, someone who can help you down the middle, or a Jaden Schwartz. With a player like Schwartz, maybe you get a strong first half out of him and then flip him at the deadline.

The Canucks need to bring in vets who help clean up the locker room, keep the energy positive, and actually understand the situation. These can’t be guys who are going to get in the way of young players, they need to know their role.

But at the same time, if those veterans play well, they become assets, and you can get something for them.

That’s what smart rebuilding teams do. They bring in the right vets, let them stabilize things, and then if the opportunity is there, flip them at the deadline for more draft capital.

That's exactly what the Canucks need to focus on this offseason, and I think what they will do.

Move 5: Get the Zeev Buium Extension Done ASAP

Obviously, it was tough for the Vancouver Canucks and their fans when they had to trade Quinn Hughes in December to the Minnesota Wild.

The team was struggling, and once it became clear he wasn’t going to re-sign long-term, they did what they had to do, and they got the most they could for their captain at that moment.

And honestly, looking back on the trade, they did fairly well.

Marco Rossi was solid down the stretch. Liam Öhgren showed flashes, and I do think he’s going to develop into a legitimate NHL winger. We’ll see what they do with the first-round pick they got from Minnesota, but obviously the centerpiece, and the best player in that deal was Zeev Buium.

I liked Buium before he even got to Vancouver, but once he actually arrived and I got to watch him consistently, every single time he stood out. From December on, he’s looked like the best player on the Canucks roster.

And right now, he’s the face of the franchise.

He’s eligible for an extension on July 1st, and this is where there’s no thinking involved, you just get it done. You don’t let this drag into the season, you don’t risk another situation where a player gets frustrated with how things are going in Vancouver. You go out and you sign him now.

Lock him in for the longest term possible. Because I really do think he’s the type of player where, even if you’re paying him in that $8–9 million range, that deal is going to age extremely well over time.

So for Vancouver, this is simple.

Get your cornerstone defenseman signed long-term, make him the foundation of what you’re building, and make sure he’s a Canuck for the foreseeable future.

Move 6: If You Win the First Overall Pick... You Take Gavin McKenna

Because the Vancouver Canucks finished with the worst record in the NHL, they’ve got the best odds at the number one overall pick.

And yeah, it’s not a lock, but for the sake of this, I’m just going to assume they get it.

If the Canucks are picking first overall, you don’t overthink this.

You go out and draft Gavin McKenna.

I’ve seen the reports that they like Keaton Verhoeff, Ivar Stenberg, or maybe even Chase Reid.

No. If you have the number one overall pick, you take McKenna.

You make him your premier forward going forward, and you don’t get cute with it. This is not the time to try and outsmart everyone or be different.

Just take the best player, give the fans something to be excited about, and build around him.

Move 7: Don't Name a Captain

I’d understand if the Vancouver Canucks want to name a captain, especially with Quinn Hughes gone and that leadership role now wide open.

But I just don’t think there’s an obvious candidate on this roster right now.

The only guys that really stand out to me are Filip Hronek or Brock Boeser. And even then, I don’t know if those guys are truly long-term pieces here. They’ve said the right things, but at the same time, nobody would blame them if they eventually wanted out considering how far this team is from contending.

That’s why, for me, you don’t force it.

You go into next season with alternate captains. You keep things flexible. You don’t rush into naming someone just because you feel like you need to replace Hughes right away.

Let someone emerge through what are probably going to be some of the toughest years this franchise is about to go through. See who actually grows into that leadership role.

Then you name your captain.

Whether that’s a year from now or two years from now, it doesn’t matter.

Don’t put that pressure on a young player too early. Don’t put it on a veteran who might not even be here long-term. And don’t force someone into being the face of the franchise when they’re not ready for it.

Protect your players, and let things play out naturally.