It’s been a difficult month and a half for Vancouver Canucks fans.
Following an impressive first month of the season, the Canucks had an 8-3-1 record, and fans had every reason to believe they were coming out of the darkness of four consecutive years missing the playoffs.
But that was then, and this is now.
Desperate for a win, the Canucks dropped a 3-1 decision at home to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday — Vancouver’s third loss in a row during a four-day span. With three games against difficult opponents coming up before the Christmas break, it’s beginning to feel a lot like last year.
And the year before. And the year before that… Well, you get the idea.
After a sub-par November and December, the Canucks now sit with a 16-15-4 record — eerily similar to their record after 35 games last year: 15-16-4.
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They’re only four points back of a playoff spot, but they’re also just four points up on last place in the Western Conference.
The bright side is there’s plenty of time to turn things around this season, but when you’ve been through what Canucks fans have been through in recent years, you can understand the panic.
Fans voiced their displeasure in great numbers on sports radio, as well as Twitter, where the hashtags #FireBenning and #FireGreen were trending in Vancouver. At one point, #FireBenning was the top trending topic Canada-wide.
A large segment of fans have been calling for GM Jim Benning to be fired for years, though the heat on head coach Travis Green from some is new.
Here’s a sample of the fan reaction:
The third period of this Canucks game. š¬ pic.twitter.com/ma3mBuULXG
— Nick Routley (@Phanyxx) December 18, 2019
That traditional #Canucks holiday falling out of playoff contention feeling. #FireBenning
— W. Ron Sweeney (@wronsweeney) December 18, 2019
yeah ok, let's get this trending again #fireBenning pic.twitter.com/SjhTHiK8fG
— jenny kwanzaa from the block (@BoringBortHova) December 18, 2019
1st line, 13 million.
2nd line, 10 million.
3rd line, 6.5 million.
4th line and press box, ~20 million.Someone help me budget my team is dying. #Canucks #FireBenning
— CanadianAdam (@Adam_Pyde) December 18, 2019
The team that #FireBenning built pic.twitter.com/2wqLBnhGQ6
— Ottokickeditin (@ottokickeditin) December 18, 2019
Boeser to Hughes to Pettersson to Hughes to Boeser to Pettersson to Boeser to Hughes to Boeser to Hughes to Pettersson to Boeser to Hughes to Pettersson Boeser to Hughes to Pettersson to Hughes to Boeser to Pettersson to Boeser to Hughes to SHOOT THE DAMN PUCK #Canucks #Jesus
— Dylan (@Dillinger604) December 18, 2019
The Canucks will not make the playoffs as long Travis green remains coach all Iām going to say Iām going to say firegreen everyday till he is. #firegreen #canucks
— Canucks_News (@canucksbaby) December 18, 2019
I love this #FireBenning #FireGreen pic.twitter.com/dtyOLxK0Ow
— Laurel (@laureleliza40) December 18, 2019
So not only did the GM put the #Canucks in cap hell but he also gave the fans a terrible on-ice productā¦ #FireBenning
— Steven Pearlstein (@StevenZP2) December 18, 2019
#Canucks with 5 wins in regulation in their last 23 š
— Mike Martignago (@MikeMartignago) December 18, 2019
Jim Benning is a joke and I can't believe @fr_aquilini has let this guy run the show for so long. #FIREBENNING #Canucks
— Jason (@bionichockey) December 18, 2019
If @fr_aquilini and the @Canucks don't kick benning and his pal weisbrod to the curb, we clearly are the dumbest organization in the NHL. #firebenning #Canucks
— Daniel (@sweetdekesbro) December 18, 2019
LMAO @Canucks are a capped out bottom feeder team, what a joke! it's gonna get worse if we don't fire benning… do the right thing @fr_aquilini and kick benning and rest of his pals to the curb. if we don't #firebenning we're doomed as an organization.
— Jordan (@EPForty) December 18, 2019
A #FireBenning chant may have been possible at Rogers Arena tonight if any Canucks fans had actually been in attendance.
— narc zuckerberg (@Sedingangbang) December 18, 2019
Itās been 56 months since the last #Canucks playoff game…but whoās counting.
— Chris Conte (@ChrisConte79) December 18, 2019
We think itās time to go watch a #Canucks game to solve all these problems.
— Singh Brothers (@SinghBrosWWE) December 18, 2019
#FireBenning is trending number 1 in Canada @fr_aquilini pic.twitter.com/IJyUYDVhTr
— Taj (@taj1944) December 18, 2019
How about we fire the guy whose constructed the worst team in the league over the past 5 years. #FireBenning
— dim jim (@dimjim10) December 18, 2019
This was Bennings 5 year plan… something has to give, the on ice product versus the mouthwork done behind the scenes does NOT add up. #firebenning
— Seamus Collins (@CollinsSeamus) December 18, 2019
Remember people thought weāre Canadas best team šššš #FireBenning
— Harman (@harman1569) December 18, 2019
#firebenning – mistake after mistake to make up for mistakes. 5 years down the rabbit hole. We need new leadership, a new direction. #Canucks
— Ghost Ryder (@jd_gun) December 18, 2019