Breadcrumb Trail Links
Talking about the finish, the youth, the coach and how agents see the Canucks.
Published Apr 13, 2026 • Last updated 46 minutes ago • 6 minute read
You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
Curtis Douglas fights Jeffrey Viel #28 of the Anaheim Ducks Photo by Sean M. Haffey /Getty ImagesArticle content
Welcome to Canucks Live. Here, we’ll highlight some of the news that drops daily about the Canucks. Come back throughout the day as we update with all the news you need to know. If you haven’t done so already, sign up for our Canucks Report to get our stories delivered to your inbox every day.
Advertisement 2
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
The Canucks won back-to-back games for the first time since that weird post-Quinn Hughes trade spike in December. They showed fight, resilience and some of the prospects actually played well. Is this a sign of hope? Or just a random thing that happens when you play 82 games and your opponents look at you like it’s a guaranteed win night? Ben Kuzma took a look at the Canucks effort in Anaheim.
Article content
Article content
Coach Adam Foote channelled his best Francesco Aquilini impression post-game, offering up everything but a ‘Man, so tight, almost like a playoff game’ quote that came from the owner on social media and lives on in Canucks lore.
“It was a good effort,” said Canucks head coach Adam Foote. “It was a playoff atmosphere and we showed up early, especially on a back-to-back and it’s been a great road trip. Good resilience and we regained our emotions and played a good game. You saw us fight for each other tonight. You could feel the energy.”
As for the players, here’s how some of the prospects played according to Ben.
Liam Ohgren (C+)
Speed caught Ducks’ attention, fed Blueger tip chance off rush.
Advertisement 3
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Marco Rossi (C+)
Little line chemistry but pulled trigger in OT to salvage his day.
Zeev Buium (C+)
Had that quickness to transition pucks, three shots, two blocks.
Tom Willander (C)
Great wheels but needs better awareness with trio of giveaways.
Late bounce or not, if the Canucks are going to keep Foote they’re going to have a tremendously tough sell with the fans. The hockey and the results have cast a serious pall over Vancouver’s first-year coach. Change may be needed and the rumours are rife with the Canucks having one of the NHL’s most oft-named outside candidates in Manny Malhotra, head coach of the AHL team in Abbotsford. Ben also wrote a piece this morning about Malhotra and the benefits of giving him a shot.
As for Vancouver, the noise is getting louder because of where the Canucks are positioned and need to go. Especially after finishing last overall and setting several franchise records for futility — including the worst home record to create fan apathy — and speculation on what becomes of the management team and coaching staff. A plethora of injuries and nine players sidelined at one point didn’t help anyone on or off the ice.
Canucks Report
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Advertisement 4
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
And if this is a true commitment to a roster rebuild, the teaching, patience and purpose of Malhotra’s mantra could play a major role in how ownership approaches next season. Malhotra’s coaching door is always open and so are his eyes and ears. He formed a partnership with players in Abbotsford, not a dictatorship.
That’s the kind of stuff that matters.
Malhotra guided seven players last season who will be on the parent club’s roster next fall and they endured growing pains and gains to advance their careers. Abbotsford had a mediocre 14-15-1-1 in January of 2025 before a club record 13-game win streak and finishing the regular season on a 16-1-1 run and winning it all.
It’s an interesting contrast to look at former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. Two years ago he was leading his Pacific Division champs into the playoffs and was about to win the Jack Adams as the NHL’s Coach of the Year. Much like Quinn Hughes, he bailed on Vancouver, wary of what he saw ahead for the franchise and has found moderate success in Philadelphia. The focus in Philly is on how Tocchet is developing their young players, something that you could say is the biggest question mark hanging over Foote.
Advertisement 5
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Rick Tocchet isn’t just the coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. He is a Philadelphia Flyer.
“I bleed orange and black,” said Tocchet, who was hired as Flyers coach last summer after playing 621 games with Philly during his 21-season career as a rugged NHL winger. “I love this city. I know what the city’s about, having played here. Obviously, you’ve got to have thick skin.”
His focus was on Philadelphia’s long-term planning and a young foundation rather than a return to the post-season in Year 1.
“I didn’t think playoffs. I honestly was trying to … I know it’s the most overused word in hockey, but the ‘culture’ part. What it is to be a Flyer,” he said. “That was my biggest thing. I lived here, I played here. I knew what it was to be a Flyer, and I wanted to see if I could be part of the solution for identifying what being a Flyer is, if that makes any sense.”
The franchise’s path to getting back to the “Flyer Way” has been to populate the hockey operations department with as many ex-Flyers as possible.
Since the Olympic break, the Flyers have been a different team, owning the league’s seventh-best points percentage (. 674) in its past 23 games.
Advertisement 6
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Tocchet made some changes to the Flyers’ defensive system to reduce the decision-making for his young team.
The Flyers started the season with the fourth-youngest roster in the NHL. Tocchet said those slow starts were a byproduct of that.
“You’re a young guy. You’ve never played in Edmonton in their building. You’ve never gone into Madison Square Garden. So, you’re wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and you’re like, ‘What’s going on here?’” he said. “It was a bit of a problem. But on the flip side, we were one of the better teams in comeback wins.”
There’s no denying the young Flyers have shown a tantalizing glimpse of the future. Forwards Tippett and Noah Cates, who has had an outstanding defensive season, are 26. Tyson Foerster (24), Trevor Zegras (24), Drysdale (23), Alex Bump (22), Michkov (21), Denver Barkey (20) and Martone (19) are all contributing now.
Tocchet loves what some of them give him off the ice, too.
Foerster has been a key for the Flyers. The fourth-year winger has dealt with injury concerns this season, but the Flyers are 15-9-2 when he has played. Tocchet said he’s a key player for the team’s chemistry.
Advertisement 7
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“It’s a very close-knit team. One of the closest I’ve ever seen,” Tocchet said. “It reminds me back in the day when I played, and Tyson’s one of those guys that leads the charge. He’s just a really humble kid.”
The Athletic has polled player agents on the state of the NHL and there’s some really damning news in there for owner Aquilini and President Jim Rutherford. According to the agents the Canucks are the worst-run team in the NHL.
The last-place Vancouver Canucks were a frequent target here after an absolutely awful season, with agents criticizing the franchise’s lack of direction in particular.
The New York Rangers, who have also crashed into their conference’s basement this season, received similar complaints.
On the Canucks: “They’re a mess,” one agent said, simply. “I don’t know what their plan is,” groused another.
“They really don’t have the infrastructure that the players need to remove excuses,” added a third agent. “It just seems there’s a lot of soap opera stuff going on around there. I just think management needs to do a better job of keeping things in-house.”
Advertisement 8
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
And the agents deem the Canucks the second-worst front office to deal with, with Anaheim being noted as the worst.
On the Canucks: “No alignment with what’s happening in the organization. It just can’t get going anywhere. Just a discombobulation. Good people, nice guys, but it’s just not working. So it makes it difficult for you to manage to bring a free agent there, hypothetically.”
“Vancouver’s hard because they have no plan. How do you sell players on an organization where you can’t get a grasp of what they’re actually trying to do?”
Article content
Check back for more Canucks news throughout the day.
Read More
Canucks Player Grades: Marco Rossi delivers in 4-3 OT win to spoil Ducks playoff party
Canucks Coffee: Why well-prepared Manny Malhotra is ready to run an NHL bench
Article content
Share this article in your social network