A tumultuous, disappointing regular season has ended for the Vancouver Canucks. 

However, the intrigue and drama that dogged the Canucks since October could continue during this off-season.

Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford raised eyebrows during the club's end-of-season press conference when he said captain Quinn Hughes hoped to one day play alongside brothers Jack and Luke, who both skate for the New Jersey Devils. 

Rutherford's comment occurred while talking about Hughes' contract, which runs through 2026-27. The Canucks can sign him to an extension next July at the earliest. He indicated they had to ensure they had enough cap space by then to re-sign the 2024 Norris Trophy winner, going on to suggest playing with his brothers could mean more than money to the blueliner. 

“That would be partly out of our control, but within our control if we brought his brothers here,” Rutherford told reporters. He quickly added that he had to be careful about tampering and left it at that. “I probably crossed the line anyway,” he said. 

Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre believes Rutherford was joking about reuniting the Hughes brothers. Nevertheless, his comments may have raised concerns among Canucks followers about their captain's future in Vancouver. 

Rutherford said the Canucks would do everything they could to keep Hughes in Vancouver. The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau believes they must map out a game plan to make it happen. 

Proteau suggests spending the next two off-seasons building up the roster through trades and free agency to improve its depth and performance, making it tougher for Hughes to leave. Acquiring his brothers from the Devils is another option, but Proteau points out they lack the trade capital and cap space to pull it off. 

The Canucks Don't Hold The Leverage In Quinn Hughes' Next Contract, So What's Next? The Vancouver Canucks now have another player’s future to worry about in a year to forget.

Meanwhile, Rutherford said the Canucks weren't picking up the option year on coach Rick Tocchet's current contract. If he returns, it'll be under a new, long-term deal. Tocchet is taking some time to mull over his future and could reach a decision later this week. 

The Canucks aren't giving up on center Elias Pettersson despite his poor play this season. They're hoping that an improved off-season training regimen will help him regain his offensive form.

Pettersson's no-movement clause goes into effect on July 1. GM Patrik Allvin said he's keeping all his options open but claimed the team still had faith in the 26-year-old. 

As for winger Brock Boeser, TSN's Farhan Lalji said the Canucks will let him go to free agency on July 1. Nevertheless, they haven't ruled out revisiting contract discussions if he doesn't find a suitable offer elsewhere. 

Boeser has a history of injuries and inconsistency, but he's only a year removed from a career-best 40-goal season. The 28-year-old right winger could draw interest from teams with cap space in the market for scoring depth.