The season started with high hopes, but the Vancouver Canucks found out how quickly things can turn in the NHL. After sitting at the top of the Pacific Division in 2023-24, they slipped to fifth place in the 2024-25 campaign. The buzz and confidence from one of the best seasons in franchise history faded fast, and the momentum just couldn’t carry over.

How Did Injuries and Team Drama Derail the Vancouver Canucks in 2024-25?

Injuries hammered the Canucks all year. Thatcher Demko, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser never quite looked like themselves, spending too much time on the shelf or playing through pain. On top of that, the locker room had its own headaches. The feud between J.T. Miller and Pettersson took on a life of its own, and eventually, the front office had seen enough: Miller was shipped off to the New York Rangers.

Amid all that, the Canucks tried to stay focused. Players put in the work all season, grinding through practice after practice. Still, those off-ice problems and constant bumps and bruises piled up, and it showed on the ice with mistakes and missed opportunities.

How Does Quinn Hughes Feel About the Vancouver Canucks’ 2024-25 Campaign?

Meanwhile, if anyone tried to put the team on his back, it was defenseman Quinn Hughes. He gutted it out through multiple injuries– a hand injury in January and an oblique issue that forced him off the ice for a month, causing him to miss the 4 Nations Face-Off. The 2023-24 Norris Memorial Trophy winner still managed to lead the team, scoring 76 points in 68 regular-season games.

Hughes showed his mettle even as things got messy for the Canucks.

Speaking with Sportsnet.ca’s Iain MacIntyre, Hughes did not sugarcoat his thoughts about the Canucks’ rocky year. The twenty-five-year-old said the 2024-25 campaign was anything but fun. But he made it clear that he is locked in for next season, determined to help his team get back into the playoffs.

“I will say last year was not fun; it just wasn’t. But I’m a really competitive guy … and last year was a failure, so I’m trying to bring my best. Try to be a great leader and help my team get in the playoffs. Who knows what we can do and who knows how I’ll be feeling this time next year? It’s still a year away.”

What Did Rick Tocchet’s Departure Mean for Hughes and the Canucks?

Adding to all that turbulence, the Canucks lost head coach Rick Tocchet, who left to join the Philadelphia Flyers. This happened just a few weeks after Hughes publicly said he wanted Tocchet to stay in Vancouver. The move felt like the final blow for a team already battered by injuries and locker-room drama.

When discussing Tocchet leaving, Hughes said he would have liked his coach to stay, but also respected Tocchet’s decision to move on. “He was a great person that cared about his players. But a lot of things that were exhausting for me (last season) were probably twice as exhausting for him. He had a lot on his plate. It was tough to see him go. But saying that, he earned the right to go where he wanted to.”

Even while dealing with injuries– his hand, oblique, and even a groin tweak– Hughes landed second on the 2025 NHL list of the Top 20 Defensemen. The 2024-25 campaign was not what the Canucks pictured, but with someone like Hughes leading the way, there is always hope for a turnaround.