- The Sedins’ first summer running the Canucks brought in Gallagher, Oleksiak, Schenn and Cotter
- Vancouver finished 31st in the NHL in scoring last season and still has no real finisher
- Read below for video of the new front office’s first days on the job
Henrik and Daniel Sedin spent their first summer running the Canucks collecting veterans.
The twins were named co-presidents of hockey operations on May 14, the same day Vancouver handed Ryan Johnson the general manager job in place of the fired Patrik Allvin. Head coach Adam Foote lasted five days past that.
Manny Malhotra came up from Abbotsford on June 1 to replace him, a year after winning a Calder Cup with the farm club. Watch video of the new group’s first 48 hours on the job:
Brendan Gallagher was the first piece of the roster work. Vancouver acquired him from Montreal on June 29 for future considerations, with the Canadiens eating half his salary.
July 1 brought three more. Jamie Oleksiak signed for two years at $5 million a season, Luke Schenn returned for a third stint in Vancouver at $2.25 million, and Paul Cotter took a one-year deal out of New Jersey.
Oleksiak talked about what he brings to this young Canucks group.
“Coming in now I’m a bit more of a veteran player and I’ve been around the League for a while and I can bring my experiences to the team and just show up every day with a good work ethic and try and help set the standard and work with some of these young players.”
None of the four is a scorer, and scoring is what Vancouver actually needs. The Canucks managed 210 goals last season, 2.56 per game, 31st in the league. Only Calgary put up fewer.
Elias Pettersson led the team with 51 points in 74 games, a tie for 123rd in the NHL. Trading Quinn Hughes to Minnesota in December pulled more offense out of the lineup.
Plenty went out the door after that. Teddy Blueger signed in Toronto, Marcus Pettersson went to the Rangers for a conditional 2030 first-rounder, Nils Hoglander was dealt to Nashville, and Evander Kane is still unsigned.
Jake DeBrusk is the one forward whose numbers point up. He led the NHL in high-danger shots on goal with 121, one clear of Connor McDavid, and tied for 10th in high-danger goals with 22.
Marco Rossi came over in the Hughes deal and Vancouver has talked about him as its top center ahead of Pettersson. The season opens Sept. 29, and the Sedins walk into it with the same scoring problem they inherited in May.
