Vancouver Canucks GM answered questions about a potential rebuild during his "After Hours" interview on Saturday night.
The idea of a rebuild continues to dominate the conversation regarding the Vancouver Canucks. After starting the season 8-8-0, many fans believe it is finally time to embark on a full rebuild that will set the franchise up for future success. Ultimately, this will be a storyline to keep track of as the season progresses, with rebuild talk only set to get louder if the Canucks continue to be a .500 team.
During his "After Hours" appearance on Saturday night, GM Patrik Allvin was asked if a rebuild was on the table for this season. Host Scott Oake floated the idea multiple times during the interview and even pointed out that most of the questions submitted asked about a rebuild. Despite the calls for a rebuild, it appears that Vancouver still has eyes on the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs based on Allvin's answers.
"Well, I believe in the group we have," said Allvin. "I think we see some of the younger players here getting more reps, and that wasn't planned to have them up in Vancouver here. But I think those guys will only grow here, and I'm sure our team will get better. I think with potentially some additions here, I think our team is very well constructed, and if we can find some extra pieces here as we move along, I think our team is definitely built for a contender."
One of the obstacles in the way of a rebuild is the Canucks current roster. They do have three high-end players, while the majority of their core is signed for at least the next four years. According to Allvin, having these high-end pieces, as well as impressive younger players, would be one reason why the organization feels a rebuild is the wrong choice at this time.
"I don't think you could do that when you have good players in Quinn Hughes, Demko, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and then the next wave of young players in Willander, Pettersson, Mancini, Lekkerimäki. Very excited to have Braeden Cootes playing well in Seattle. I think he had a six-point game tonight against the Giants. Medvedev, the goalie for the London Knights. So I think we're prepared well for it. Obviously, you don't want to put the young players in a position to fail in the National Hockey League, but I do see a lot of growth. And then another guy, Aatu Räty here, is getting big minutes, and then took a key faceoff, saying they end here. He's another guy who's just going to grow."
"I Believe In The Team We Have Here": Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin Speaks To The Media Ahead Of The 2025-26 Regular Season
The 2025-26 regular season is officially here. Over the next few days, all 32 teams will hit the ice and start their quest for the 2026 Stanley Cup. One team that is under a lot of pressure this season is the Vancouver Canucks, who are looking to get back to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
Allvin was also asked about the success of teams that have rebuilt over the past few seasons. Despite some painful years, the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks have built some intriguing rosters, and all currently sit above Vancouver in the standings. Once again, Allvin pointed to his star players as well as the work the scouting staff has done to find young free agents in the past.
"They were probably in a different process than the Canucks were. When you have players like Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Demko, there is no guarantee you're going to find them in the draft again. Our scouts have done a really good job finding guys outside the first round, and I think that's where you're going to set yourself up to be successful as you move forward. Same thing, finding college free agent players in Max Sasson and Arshdeep Baines signing out of Red Deer. I think those are a credit to our scouting staff, and they will continue to find those players."
Rebuild talks are only going to get louder if the Canucks continue to play as they have this season. While injuries have played a factor in the 8-8-0 record, there are also questions regarding how the roster is constructed. Ultimately, Allvin and his staff are in a complicated situation as fans continue to ask the organization to start rebuilding.
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