Luke Schenn seems to really care about the Vancouver Canucks
What a breath of fresh air it was to listen to Luke Schenn speak on Wednesday.
Signed in free agency for his third tour of duty with the Vancouver Canucks, Schenn couldn’t have been more pleased.
This could be Schenn’s final stop in the NHL. He’s 36 years old now, after all.
But the rugged rearguard made it crystal clear that he didn’t sign with the Canucks just to collect an NHL paycheque. He seems to genuinely care about this team.
Schenn last played for the Canucks three years ago. Remarkably, only three players he played with are still here: Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko. He does have familiarity with Manny Malhotra, who was an assistant coach with Vancouver and Toronto during Schenn’s stops there.
“I’m excited to come back,” Schenn said from his offseason home in Kelowna.
“I think Vancouver to me isn’t just a place where you’re going to put another year in the NHL. I care about the organization, I care about what they’re doing right now in terms of the rebuild and where they’re going. I want to be a part of that. I’m looking forward to it.”
It’s hard to imagine a better fit for this Canucks team to help repair their broken culture.
“Culture” has been the most used buzzword by Canucks management since the season ended, but it’s a term that Schenn had no trouble explaining.
“It’s not just one thing,” he said, before rattling off many examples. “It starts with the little habits, which are big habits at the end of the day. Practice habits, like every day. Simple things. Doing it correctly, putting the pass on the tape. Battling in practice. Not taking shortcuts off the ice in the gym.
“In a game, doing the correct thing shift after shift, no matter what the circumstance is… There’s so many different things. It’s not being negative when things are going wrong. It’s continuing to be positive and having fun. There’s a lot of different things.”
“You can’t be taking shortcuts when you’re trying to build something.”
Bingo.
Schenn is as respected as they come in the NHL. He’s older, he’s slower, but he’s a pro. And he’s ready to mentor the next generation.
“I care and want to make things better, and help out in the room and on the ice,” Schenn said. “I really care about the organization and want to get this place… in the room and help out with the culture to where it has been in the past. I’m fired up and really excited when this opportunity came up.”
"I care about the organization. I care about what they're doing right now with the rebuild. I want to be a part of that."
🗣️ Hear from Luke Schenn after signing with Vancouver #Canucks. pic.twitter.com/RbQSeBOfAG
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 1, 2026
It seems like a bonus that Vancouver appears to have extra meaning for the Saskatoon-born blueliner.
“The biggest thing for me, it’s not like I’m just signing here… I actually truly care about what’s taking place here and obviously who’s running the ship, in terms of management and coaches. I really care about the Canucks and the direction they’re going in.”