The Vancouver Canucks Want to Get Younger? Start By Moving on from Jim Rutherford

The latest rumblings around the NHL suggest that the Vancouver Canucks are looking to get younger. Team president Jim Rutherford has openly stated that the organization needs to bring in youth, and on the surface, that makes perfect sense. The Canucks currently sit 30th in the league, their roster is heavy with veterans, and the franchise appears to be sliding nowhere fast.

But if Vancouver is genuinely committed to getting younger, then a difficult question must be asked: Why is a 76-year-old team president, who helped create the current mess, still going to be the one in charge?

To be fair, Jim Rutherford is a hockey legend with multiple Stanley Cup rings and a track record of building strong teams. In fact, he helped construct a very competitive Canucks team in 2024 that was one win away from the Western Conference Final. He made moves like acquiring Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm, and in 2023, flipping the first-round pick from the Bo Horvat trade into Filip Hronek, which were strong pieces of work.

Even the Jake DeBrusk signing in the summer of 2024 was a signing.

But the issue isn’t Rutherford’s résumé, it’s the direction the team has taken since that 2024 peak. Vancouver’s roster construction, asset management, and long-term strategy have all suffered, leaving the Canucks stuck between contending and rebuilding with no clear path forward.

I know the player has been ripped enough in this market, but I fear we don't discuss enough Rutherford’s role in signing Elias Pettersson to a long-term deal worth $11.6 million per season, complete with a full no-movement clause. The pressure from media, the market, and Pettersson’s camp was real, but it doesn’t excuse the lack of leverage he used in negotiations.

Pettersson was heading toward restricted free agency, meaning the team held significant control. Meanwhile, a player like Martin Nečas who has been a more productive player over the previous two seasons was reportedly available in a potential swap with Carolina.

Rutherford didn’t need to get pushed into a corner, but he did, and the Canucks are now tied to a contract that limits flexibility long-term.

Onto the JT Miller drama last season.

Yes, the Canucks needed to trade Miller and his no-trade clause limited destinations, but the centerpiece coming back from the New York Rangers being Filip Chytil was a massive risk.

Chytil was already viewed as one hit away from his career possibly ending due to concussion issues and since arriving in Vancouver, he has suffered two more concussions and remains out with no timetable for return.

Banking on him as a potential 2C was never realistic, and yet the Canucks failed to add meaningful center depth in what was arguably the most important offseason in franchise history this past summer.

Perhaps the most consequential failure lies in how the organization approached Quinn Hughes’ timeline. Hughes, who is perhaps the best player in franchise history and one of the top two defensemen in the NHL right now has made it clear he needed to see the team take major steps forward in the summer to consider committing long-term to Vancouver.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, Vancouver brought in minimal help, doubled down on mediocrity, and now appears destined to lose Hughes. Based on current reporting and recent organizational behavior, Hughes is likely to be traded this season. Most likely whether around the Olympics and right before the trade deadline.

If the Canucks lose Quinn Hughes, they lose not just their present but the centerpiece of any hopeful future.

Even now, Rutherford insists that trading Hughes wouldn’t necessarily mean a rebuild. But that stance defies logic.

The Canucks are already one of the worst teams in the league with Quinn Hughes. Removing him without committing to a full teardown is simply repeating the same cycle of short-sighted decisions that have defined the last decade.

The franchise has spent years ping-ponging between going for it and tearing it down. As a result, they’ve either been stuck in the NHL’s middle tier or languishing at the bottom.

A full rebuild would take years, likely longer than Rutherford intends to remain in hockey. That reality impacts his decision-making. The team needs someone younger, someone who can take full ownership of a long-term plan instead of trying to balance patience with short-term fixes.

If Vancouver is going to trade Quinn Hughes, and all signs point to that outcome, then the only responsible next step is to commit to a full rebuild.

If the Canucks rip off the band-aid and move Hughes, New Jersey stands out as the most logical landing spot. A package including three first-round picks and Simon Nemec—a young, elite defensive prospect—would give Vancouver foundational pieces to build around.

From there, the Canucks would need to engage veterans:

• Brock Boeser: strong trade value

• Elias Pettersson: value resurging

• Conor Garland: useful in the right situation

• Thatcher Demko: difficult but necessary conversation

Some players recently signed might require retention, but that’s part of a real rebuild, cleaning up the mistakes of the past for the sake of a better future.

And make no mistake: in a post-Hughes world, I don't think veterans will want to remain on a bottom-tier team. Moving them now accelerates the return and aligns the roster with a youth-first direction.

The Vancouver Canucks have spent too many years in NHL limbo. If Quinn Hughes is traded, it must mark the true beginning of a new era.

To get there, one step is unavoidable: Move on from Jim Rutherford.

Bring in a younger, forward-thinking executive who can commit to a rebuild and lay the foundation for the next generation of Canucks hockey.

The fans are ready. The roster is ready. The franchise is desperate for direction.

So, start with new leadership so this organization can finally build something sustainable.

If Quinn isn't ready to commit, then the time to start the rebuild is now.