The Vancouver Canucks' coaching staff saw some significant changes this off-season. Among those who departed was defensive development coach Sergei Gonchar. The Stanley Cup champion had been working with the Canucks on a part-time basis for the past two and half seasons, but has elected not to return to the organization for the 2025-26 season.
In an interview with Daria Tuboltseva of RG.org, Gonchar spoke about his decision to leave the organization this year. According to the interview, Vancouver was looking for a full-time coach, which Gonchar could not commit to being. For now, Gonchar has elected to say in Dallas with his family, which was one of the factors as to why he won't return next season.
"Right now my projects are mostly family-related," said Gonchar during his interview with RG.org. "I've spoken with one NHL team, but there's nothing concrete yet. The main issue is relocation – teams want you around full time, and at the moment that's not possible."
Gonchar was then asked about the 2024-25 season and what went wrong. In the interview, the former NHL defenceman pointed out the feud between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, which concluded with Miller being traded to the New York Rangers. As Gonchar points out, the whole situation was a massive distraction for the entire organization.
"I think the big factor was the whole trade situation. There was a long buildup, lots of uncertainty, and everyone lived with that question hanging over the season. That had a huge impact on the team. Not even the trade itself, but the preparation for it. When these things drag on, of course it affects the group. Miller is a top-level player; you don't just trade someone like that without getting equal value. For the GM, making that call wasn't easy, and it took time."
As mentioned, Vancouver saw significant changes in their coaching staff this off-season. In addition to Gonchar's departure, Rick Tocchet also elected to leave and become the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. When asked about Tocchet's departure, Gonchar gave some insight into what went on in the coaches' room last year.
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"It was surprising and not surprising at the same time. Being inside, seeing how things were going, I can’t say it was completely out of the blue. I had a feeling it might happen. The season was tough, a lot of things piled up, and Rick also wanted to be closer to his family. That all played a role. As an assistant I could fly back home sometimes, but a head coach can’t just leave in the middle of the season."
The last bit of Canucks-related information in the interview came when Gonchar was asked about working with Quinn Hughes. Despite only playing 68 games, Hughes still led Vancouver with 76 points and finished third in Norris Trophy voting. As Gonchar explains, his work with Hughes revolved mostly around the Canucks captain's play in the defensive zone and how Hughes can become a more complete player at both ends of the ice.
"Offense is his biggest strength. His skill level is incredible – he creates so many chances, controls the game, drives play. His talent is phenomenal. Defensively, of course, there was room for growth, but over the last two and a half years he's improved a lot. He's playing better now, though there's still space to grow. That's what we focused on – raising his defensive game while keeping his offensive strengths. We worked individually, focusing on details."
While Gonchar was only with the team part-time, losing someone with his level of experience is not ideal. During his NHL career, the now 51-year-old played over 1,300 NHL regular-season games and sits 18th overall in points by a defenceman. The hope now is that players who worked with him gained some valuable knowledge that will help Vancouver get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season.
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