Ryan Johnson has preached that Vancouver Canucks players will have a clean slate entering training camp.<\/p>\n
Ironically, Johnson himself also has a clean slate to build the roster he wants.<\/p>\n
The 49-year-old is taking over a Canucks team that\u2019s about to embark on a potentially lengthy rebuild. While Johnson wisely hasn\u2019t put a timeline on it, he has stressed that wins and losses don\u2019t matter until the culture and processes are set.<\/p>\n
But which players will be around to set the culture?<\/p>\n
As of now, the Canucks don\u2019t have many pressure points to turn over their roster. Most of the team is locked in for next year contractually, and there aren\u2019t many can\u2019t-miss prospects who are looking to make their debut next season. Unless the third overall pick can step into the lineup.<\/p>\n
However, as Johnson slowly builds the new and improved version of the Canucks, he\u2019s at least dropped a hint about a prerequisite for players that he could be looking to acquire, whether that\u2019s through the draft, trade, or free agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cI rely heavily on leadership,\u201d Johnson said on the 100% Canucks podcast.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s no secret that a lot of guys that I brought in, whether AHL contracts or NHL two-way contracts, if you look at it, I bet you 80 per cent of them were captains somewhere. I always check: have they worn a letter on their jersey?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re nothing if you don\u2019t have leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n This certainly matters to a Canucks team where leadership and culture were discussed ad nauseam amidst the ongoing locker room struggles<\/a> of the floundering franchise.<\/p>\n But one thing of note: don\u2019t say the word culture around Johnson.<\/p>\n \u201cI tend not to use the word because I feel it\u2019s very used and seldom executed,\u201d he told hosts John Shannon and Landon Ferarro.<\/p>\n