The Vancouver Canucks have moved on from considering offers only on unrestricted free agents.<\/p>\n
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Published Jan 14, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n The Vancouver Canucks<\/a> are no longer in the soft-launch era of their plan to rebuild.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. 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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.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n 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<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n If you buy what president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford is selling, this NHL team is well and truly open for business when it comes to trades.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s our duty to take calls on everyone,\u201d Rutherford told me flatly Wednesday morning, after a report from TSN\u2019s Darren Dreger that the Canucks would be willing to trade even Elias Pettersson<\/a>.<\/p>\n That is a shift from a couple months ago, the veteran hockey boss acknowledged. In November, Rutherford first said his team needed to get younger and to begin the process the Canucks were ready to trade their unrestricted free agents. They have moved beyond such a small enclosure<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we started the process \u2026 the intent at the start was to not get into any core player. It may very well end up staying that way,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it certainly would not make any sense for Patrik (Allvin) to not listen to anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Allvin\u2019s mention, by the way, came across as very intentional. In the Quinn Hughes<\/a> trade just over a month ago, it was Rutherford who directed the file, who took the calls. That prioritization raised eyebrows. While the Canucks have used an intentionally deliberative process to reach decisions, it has always been Allvin who has stood up to speak on trades, signings and the like.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Canucks are back to a deliberative process from here on, the management team working as a group. Allvin leads the meetings, takes everyone\u2019s input, and then makes the call. Rutherford\u2019s just one voice in the room.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always that way with every organization, everyone\u2019s involved,\u201d Rutherford. \u201cPatrik\u2019s the GM, that\u2019s part of his duty \u2014 to make the changes.\u201d<\/p>\n And so the offers are coming in and everything is being discussed. And when Rutherford says all players are on the table, he means all players. Even guys like Tyler Myers<\/a>, who has a no-movement clause and whose family is well-settled in Vancouver.<\/p>\n \u201cWe may end up saying no to offers, certainly, but we\u2019re not going to say no to having conversations about any player. This is about improving this team without taking shortcuts,\u201d Rutherford went on.<\/p>\n When he says shortcuts, he means holding discipline, not taking side tours on trades or signings that don\u2019t have the long-term in mind.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s trying to do it too quickly. We\u2019ve got to have the patience of living through where we are presently,\u201d he explained. \u201cBeing cautious in what is being moved and what is the return. Continue to stick to either getting young players, 25 or younger, or getting draft picks.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s deals out there that could make our team better today, but does it work for us over a three-year period? I would like to think based on the number of young players that we have, that we\u2019ve been able to pick up over the last few years, with high ceiling, that this rebuild can take two or three years, not six to 10.\u201d<\/p>\n Along the way, there will be opportunities to also add veteran players who would play a developmental role for the team\u2019s younger players. He cited Chicago\u2019s signing of Nick Foligno in 2023 as an example of such a move. The veteran forward is now Chicago\u2019s captain.<\/p>\n \u201cI think signing veteran players is actually necessary,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t just take a bunch of 22-year-olds and throw them to the wolves. It\u2019s a tough, tough league.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, sure, they will take calls on the likes of Myers, Filip Hronek<\/a> or Marcus Pettersson, but there\u2019s no fire sale here. Some of those guys will stay.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can just keep adding to young assets, hopefully we can do this in two or three years. It\u2019s not an easy process. We have to be very methodical,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can\u2019t lose patience because you\u2019re losing some games.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n So for the time being, it\u2019s about watching how the players develop, not what the final score is.<\/p>\n No one enjoys losing.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, no one does. But I don\u2019t think it\u2019s totally a surprise. We have, in most games, we have five to six first-year players in the lineup, three of which are playing defence, which is very hard in this league. But it\u2019s the right thing to do in terms of development; they\u2019re going to be better for it,\u201d Rutherford insists.<\/p>\n \u201cLosing games is one thing, some of the mistakes that are being made that are blowing games wide open, those need to be fixed sooner than later. That\u2019s what we\u2019re watching, who adapts. Obviously some of these guys have been put in tough spots. We have two centres who would be in our top nine forwards out of the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n And let\u2019s be clear here: Rutherford knows they\u2019re going to lose a bunch. It\u2019s been tough to watch his team of late \u2014 doubly so because he\u2019s been stuck at home battling a virus for the last two weeks. But there\u2019s an overall purpose here. Losing does get them into a better draft position, he admitted.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s correct. If we don\u2019t stick to it, the rebuild process will take longer,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd get the people here what they deserve: a championship-calibre team. Our preference is to pick (in the draft) as high as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n pjohnston@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n![\"Elias](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2242031314_299391746-e1760897754227.jpg\")
Vancouver Canucks centre Elias Pettersson celebrates after scoring early against the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Photo by Patrick Smith \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.3.0\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
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Jim Rutherford is always frank in his comments. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO \/PNG<\/p>\n
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