If the building blocks crumble, it's time for Vancouver Canucks to rebuild
It’s been a few years since Vancouver Canucks fans were clamouring for a rebuild in large numbers.
But here we are.
Patrik Allvin’s appearance on After Hours last weekend drew a flood of rebuild questions from Canucks fans.
We may not be back to the heyday of the team-tank movement when Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna were everyday players, but the Canucks are trending in a worrisome direction.
As we near the quarter mark of the season, the Canucks are near the bottom of the NHL standings. Their 8-9-1 record gives them the fifth-worst points percentage (.472) in the league following Tuesday night’s game.
You know the ole NHL adage of "see where you are at US Thanksgiving"? Well that's not the same this season. Last year the Canucks played 21 games by US thanks giving. They'll hit that mark on Monday. Day of reckoning is kinda here
— Blake Price (@justBlakePrice) November 12, 2025
That’s not an insurmountable record by any means, but it’s hard to see a path to the playoffs without a second-line centre and a starting goalie.
Everyone wishes the best for Filip Chytil, whose hockey-playing future could be in doubt after he picked up another concussion in the sixth game of the season.
Fans are pulling for Thatcher Demko, too, following his latest ailment. While Demko’s injury reportedly isn’t to his knee, the concern is that he may never be able to stay healthy for a prolonged period of time.
Elias Pettersson, meanwhile, turned 27 today. He’s tied for the team lead in points (13) but hasn’t looked like a certified No. 1 centre in 20 months. Pettersson has been good defensively, but is on pace for just 14 goals and 59 points.
It begs the question, why would Quinn Hughes stick around for this?
Should the Canucks just tear it down?
It’s no surprise that Allvin shot down the idea of rebuilding when asked, and perhaps that’s a defensible plan if you can convince Hughes to re-sign.
But what happens if the building blocks crumble?
If they’re forced to move Hughes, if Pettersson doesn’t return to form, and if Demko can’t reliably be counted on, what choice will the team have?
The Canucks have been reluctant to rebuild in the past, signing players like Loui Eriksson and trading for the Erik Gudbransons of the world in an attempt to fast-track the process during the Jim Benning years.
Needless to say, it didn’t go well.
But even if those players performed as well as Benning hoped, all it would have done was push the Canucks into mediocrity. They needed top-10 picks to land Pettersson and Hughes, who were selected in back-to-back drafts in 2017 and 2018.
There is still time to turn this around, at least as it pertains to squeaking into the playoffs this season. But it’s going to require Hughes, Pettersson, and Demko leading the way.
But is there a path to Stanley Cup contention in the coming years?
There could be, if their young players turn into difference makers, in conjunction with Hughes staying, Pettersson improving, and Demko proving he can stay healthy. May not be likely, but it’s possible.
How good will young blueliners like Tom Willander, Elias Pettersson, and Victor Mancini become? Can Jonathan Lekkerimäki be an elite goal scorer? Braeden Cootes looks like a good prospect at centre.
Problem is, most teams in the league can point to their prospects and hope for the best.
Things can change, but right now it’s looking bleak.