VANCOUVER — If he had remained the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, Rick Tocquet intended to travel to Sweden this summer to meet with Elias Pettersson. His aim was to enhance their bond and establish goals for the upcoming season.
This week, Tocchet’s departure ensured that the situation did not come down to choosing between the coach and the player, whose poor fitness and lack of performance were among several issues that contributed to the team’s downfall.
However, Tocchet agreed to collaborate with Pettersson, and even though it’s challenging to gauge the thoughts of the private center, we feel that Pettersson still held respect for the coach and is committed to improving for the upcoming season.
Although Pettersson didn’t push Tocquet off, the dissatisfaction among the coaching team regarding the Canucks’ most expensive player won’t reduce the stress on Pettersson to step up and deliver performances next year under a new coach.
Several members of the squad expressed dissatisfaction with Pettersson, who must regain considerable trust to complete his eight-year, $92.8 million deal in Vancouver. As General Manager Patrik Allvin mentioned during last month’s end-of-season press briefing—“I suppose it would be foolish not to consider all possibilities”—a potential trade involving Pettersson before July 1 remains an option. While this isn’t considered probable or ideal for the Canucks organization, similar could have been said about trading J.T. Miller.
Tocquet also did not decide to depart.
Coaching candidates
As the newly appointed head coach represents the initial and crucial step in this vital offseason period for the Canucks, hiring a successor to Tocchet at the earliest opportunity will simplify making the multitude of choices confronting the management. However, with an additional six weeks left in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Allvin and team president Jim Rutherford might find themselves unable to move forward as swiftly as desired.
Mike Yeo, an assistant with the Ottawa Senators, would make a suitable coaching contender for Vancouver. Three years back, Yeo, who previously held top coaching roles in Minnesota and St. Louis, was selected by both Allvin and Rutherford to support ex-Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau and aim at instilling more strategic discipline within the team in Vancouver.
The initial part of the 2022-23 season proved disastrous; however, Yeo managed to survive the coaching transition. According to reports, he excelled and made a strong impression as Tocquet’s assistant during their record-breaking 109-point campaign two seasons back. Despite this success, the leadership hesitated about offering him an extended contract longer than just another year, particularly since they were unwilling for the commitment to Yeo to surpass what remained of Tocquet’s own one-year term. Consequently, both parties opted out, leading Yeo to secure a multiple-year agreement to join forces with Travis Green as his aide in Ottawa.
Glen Gulutzan, previously the top coach at teams like Dallas and Calgary and having spent three years aiding Vancouver, is highly regarded for his contributions to the Edmonton Oilers’ team over the past seven years. He might catch the attention of the Canucks too. Given his background, Gulutzan undoubtedly knows how to manage star athletes effectively.
Certainly, there will be additional NHL staff members who are still working and whom both Allvin and Rutherford wish to interview.
The internal contenders for the Canucks position encompass top aide Adam Foote—though he might join Tocquet at another Eastern Conference NHL club—and minor league mentor Manny Malhotra. Recruited one year back under the endorsement of both Canucks deputy chief Ryan Johnson and Rutherford—who previously served as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes and brought aboard Malhotra as a free agent during his tenure there—the ex-centre player enjoyed a remarkable inaugural campaign guiding Abbotsford’s squad and nurturing talent within the American Hockey League system.
Tom turns down Canucks
overshadowed by the Tocchet news, one of the most puzzling aspects of the Canucks’ off-season has been their inability to reach an agreement with top prospect Tom Willander on an entry-level contract. This delay prevents the well-thought-of defenseman from beginning his professional journey.
The young Swedish player, who was selected 11th overall by the Canucks three years back when he was still 18, is looking forward to turning professional following his impressive performances over several seasons at Boston University. However, both the NHL team and the player himself desire this move. Currently, Willander finds himself representing Team Sweden as they prepare for this month’s world championships due to an impasse between him and the Canucks regarding fundamental “Schedule-A” incentive clauses, as reported by CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal.
It makes sense that the Canucks might adhere to their own internal bonus structure and could be hesitant about setting a new standard by catering specifically to a defenseman picked somewhere around mid-first round, unlike how they treat highly touted top-five picks expected to become scorers. Additionally, considering the significant progress made this season by defensive prospect Elias (Jr.) Pettersson and the addition of Victor Mancini, there isn’t the same level of pressure on the Canucks to rush Willander into the NHL lineup quickly as there was last year.
However, considering Willander’s significance to the Canucks as a promising right-shot, top-four defenseman, this situation doesn’t bode well for initiating the kind of positive, enduring partnership both parties aspire to establish. There’s a chance that the potential risks could overshadow the team’s values in this instance.
We have a framework for our draft selections,” Rutherford clarified towards the close of his Tuesday press briefing. “This discussion doesn’t solely revolve around Tom Willander or this particular agreement. It’s also about those selected following him—how they fit into the system, their compensation terms. When handling these deals, consistency is key; you cannot afford randomness or disorganization.
At the end of the day, he’ll eventually face a choice: join the team and turn professional, thereby earning several million dollars over the coming years but potentially wasting one or two seasons before becoming eligible for free agency; or return to college with plans to start his career two years later. The scenario I’ve outlined really doesn’t offer much logic as a basis for making such a decision.
Rutherford claims blame
A highly relatable yet often unnoticed moment for Rutherford was overshadowed amidst the extensive coverage of Tuesday’s announcement and press conference regarding Tocchet stepping down.
Three and a half years ago, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini persuaded Rutherford to come out of retirement, and during his first press conference, he mentioned being attracted to the idea of constructing a squad around promising young talents such as Hughes, Pettersson, Miller, and Thatcher Demko.
In the 2021-22 campaign, following Rutherford’s arrival and when Boudreau took over from Green as the head coach, the Canucks ended up with 92 points. Fast forward three years, and despite seeming to make significant progress during their previous season—completing 51 victories, securing the Pacific Division title, and playing in 13 playoff matches—the team concluded this past April with only 90 points. Notably, Miller was recently traded away, and Tocquet has departed the organization.
When asked about his prospects with the Canucks, the 76-year-old Rutherford stated on Tuesday, “It doesn’t cross my mind much, so I suppose I’m not contemplating departure. My intentions remain unchanged—to secure victories—and honestly, I am not at ease with how things have transpired.”
“A year ago, we were heading in the right direction. This year, we veered off course. I bear significant responsibility for this shift. As the leader of the hockey department, it falls upon me. There’s much work ahead to realign ourselves with our original path. Currently, that is where my efforts are concentrated—to figure out how we can achieve that again.”
