7 things we learned at Vancouver Canucks season-opening press conference
Jim Rutherford echoed the sentiments of Vancouver Canucks fans to kick off the 2025-26 NHL season.
“We’ll say the obvious, we’re happy that the book’s been closed on last year,” Rutherford said to the assembled media at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.
With last year’s disaster in the rear-view mirror, here’s what Rutherford, general manager Patrik Allvin, and head coach Adam Foote revealed at their season-opening press conference.
1. Why the Canucks didn’t upgrade at centre
Last April, Canucks management stated that their top priority was to find another centre to add to this group.
That didn’t happen, leaving the Canucks centre group looking thin heading into the season.
“Patrik was on the phone, almost on a daily basis, and either players weren’t available that he wanted or prices were sky high,” Rutherford said.
“The first thing Patrik hears when he calls somebody about a player is ‘okay, no problem, we want a first-round pick, or a couple of first-round picks, or your top prospects.'”
Clearly, the Canucks have been unwilling to pay that price so far. Allvin did mention that their analytics staff may have unearthed some players that they could acquire at a later date.
2. Planning with Hughes decision looming
Quinn Hughes’ uncertain future in Vancouver sounds like it’s factoring into how this management team makes decisions.
“We’re a little bit caught in between,” Rutherford said. “How many draft picks do you want to trade? How many of the futures do you want to trade? Because you could do that, and he could make a decision to go elsewhere.”
Rutherford went on to mention that with the Pittsburgh Penguins, they made the decision to go all-in. While that worked out for him, there seems to be hesitancy for this management group to do the same in Vancouver.
3. Foote compared to Brind’Amour
Hiring a rookie head coach could be viewed as a risk, but it’s worked out for Rutherford before, with Rod Brind’Amour.
“I view [Foote] as taking the same pathway that Rod Brind’Amour did,” Rutherford said. “I know Rod Brind’Amour very well. I’m the one that hired him after he retired as a player. I knew he was going to be a good head coach, and I feel the same way about Adam.”
The Carolina Hurricanes have the third-most wins in the NHL since Brind’Amour took over as head coach in 2018-19.
4. Pettersson gets vote of confidence
There isn’t a player who wants to put last season behind them more than Elias Pettersson. Based on what the Canucks said about him, he’s been trying his best to do so.
“I know he’s put the work in, and I think we also know he didn’t a year ago,” Rutherford said.
“Success comes with preparation. I believe all of our players, especially Petey, have worked very hard this summer.”
Foote was also impressed with the fact that Pettersson “dropped everything,” flying from Sweden to Detroit in a matter of days to meet with his new head coach, Hughes, and Thatcher Demko.
5. Strongest “goalie pipeline” in the NHL
Based on save percentage, the Canucks had received bottom-10 goaltending from their netminders last season (.885 team save percentage ranked 25th in the league).
That did nothing to dissuade Allvin’s confidence in his goaltenders.
“[Kevin] Lankinen and [Thatcher] Demko, they’re the best goalie tandem in the league, which gives us a chance to win every night,” Allvin said.
“I think it just calms the whole team down.”
Allvin was also excited about drafting Alexei Medvedev in the second round this year and has major faith in the goaltending depth, even after Calder Cup MVP Arturs Silovs was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Our goalie pipeline is probably the strongest one in the National Hockey League,” Allvin said.
6. Practice facility update
In what has almost become a running gag at these press conferences, Rutherford was asked by Daily Hive for an update on the practice facility.
“We are closer,” he said. “We do have a few legitimate options now, and we should be able to get this done at this point.”
The Canucks and Calgary Flames remain the only teams in the NHL without a designated practice facility, but the Flames are at least in the process of getting one built.
7. Canucks reveal injuries to three players
Allvin mentioned that three players, who are expected to suit up for the Abbotsford Canucks this season, are currently injured.
Jett Woo had an unspecified surgery for something upper-body related. Allvin called it month-to-month, and that November is a likely timeline for him to return.
Centre Ty Mueller was supposed to play in the Canucks prospect showcase last weekend, but missed it due to injury. The team expects he will resume skating in the next week.
Anri Ravinskis, a 22-year-old Latvian whom the Canucks signed in May, also had surgery earlier in the summer. Allvin said he’s been rehabbing for about a month and that he’s close to returning.