Canucks fail to make the NHL Playoffs... Again

Hello darkness, my old friend

Following the Minnesota Wild’s victory over the San Jose Sharks, the Vancouver Canucks will miss the playoffs this season, capping off a disappointing 2024-2025 campaign. With a big offseason ahead, many things are uncertain.

Rogers Arena, home of the Vancouver Canucks, will remain quiet this postseason as the team misses the playoffs. (Photo: Rogers Arena)

Tough right out the gate

Entering the season, the Canucks were generally considered to have a decent forward group, a mediocre defensive unit, and a lock to make the playoffs. However, with injuries towards key players such Thatcher Demko, Derek Forbort, and Elias Pettersson hurt the team from the get go. This led the Canucks to start the season very sluggish and left the team in a precarious position throughout the year. 

Elias Pettersson, one of the Vancouver Canucks' star players, battled with injury from the beginning of the season. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Pettersson-Miller beef

However, if there is one thing this season will be remembered for, it's the beef between star players Elias Pettersson and JT Miller. Miller and Pettersson weren’t considered best buds at all during their tenure together, but things reached a boiling point and eventually, Miller was traded to New York. Pettersson, meanwhile, had a lackluster year by his standards.

The bright spots

That being said, there were definitely some stand out players that made the season at least watchable. Pius Suter reached a career high in points with 24 goals and 45 points, blowing his previous single season point total of 36 points out of the water (get it, 'cause the Canucks logo is an Orca, I’ll see myself out). Quinn Hughes emerged as one of the best players in the entire league with the way he dominated the puck and his playmaking skills. And who could forget Kiefer Sherwood, the man who just hits everything.

Walk it like I Tocchet

The main question surrounding this team is whether head coach Rick Tocchet will return. Contract talks are at an impasse and with Tocchet previously having a career on TV, one can understand why he would want his old, low stress life back. That being said, he did lead the Canucks to the first, non-bubble playoff run in 9 years and Quinn Hughes also says that Tocchet is the best coach he’s ever had. The Canucks would be wise to keep Hughes happy as he's best defenseman in the league (sorry, Makar). 

Current Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Decisions, Decisions

With the Canucks having to make choices not only on whether to bring back Tocchet but Brock Boeser and Pius Suter, GM Patrik Allvin has his work cut out for him. Looming over the team is the situation with Quinn Hughes, who is a free agent in 2027 but could demand a trade early if things do not work out. Canucks fans hope that next year will be different, which also seems to be the unofficial motto of Vancouver Canucks throughout their history.