Two Major Absences in the Canucks’ Current Marketing Campaign
While the absence of Elias Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks’ latest promotional materials has drawn attention, the exclusion of goaltender Thatcher Demko is arguably even more significant.
Despite Kevin Lankinen appearing in the video featured on the team’s website, Demko—still considered the team’s primary goaltender—is notably missing. This omission raises eyebrows and prompts speculation. One NHL insider suggested that Demko might be quietly on the trade block, seeing him as a valuable asset despite his recent injury history. A move involving Demko, they said, could help Vancouver acquire the top-tier second-line center the organization is actively seeking.
Another source indicated that team management may be trying to move away from players perceived as emotionally fragile or problematic, all without undergoing a full-scale rebuild.
This all aligns with broader concerns among fans and insiders. The Canucks’ locker room environment was reportedly troubled last season, and frustrations have lingered since president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin assumed control in 2022. The leadership duo inherited a culture viewed as overly entitled—a culture that, apart from a commendable playoff performance during the 2020 pandemic bubble, hasn’t delivered meaningful results.
At his first end-of-season media briefing, Allvin emphasized a desire for a shift in mentality. He called for greater determination and professionalism—a focus on execution over entitlement.
There have also been murmurs behind the scenes about management’s dissatisfaction with some players’ commitment to recovery and training. Concerns range from how certain athletes approached rehab to their effort levels once cleared to return.
Whether these criticisms are warranted or not, they reflect a broader desire for change.
Rutherford, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, is known for having a clear vision of what a winning team looks like. It’s easy to imagine how disappointed he must have been with the group’s recent performance.
This raises a key question: Can the Canucks pull off a significant reset this offseason? Their resources may be limited, but they do hold a few strong assets.
“They’ve got some trade pieces,” one league executive noted, citing Demko, Nils Höglander, Tom Willander, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and their 14th overall draft pick. “But the real question is—do they actually have a strategy, or are they just rearranging the deck chairs?”
In related news, Yogi Svejkovsky—who served as an assistant coach under Rick Tocchet last season and previously worked as the team’s skills coach—reportedly departed for Philadelphia to rejoin Tocchet’s staff with the Flyers.
