Canucks News & Rumours: Garrett, Näslund, Cootes & Sasson

If you are a Vancouver Canucks fan, one moment you’re hearing names from the past, both sad and happy, and at the same time, you’re watching the future start to take shape. That’s kind of where things sit right now with the Canucks.

It’s a strange mix. Today, there’s a sense of loss hanging over the fanbase, some intrigue building behind the scenes in the front office, and a couple of young players who started to push their way into relevance. It’s three different threads that, together, somehow say something about where this organization is and maybe where it’s heading.

Item One: Canucks Mourn the Loss of John Garrett

This one hit me personally. The Canucks community lost a familiar and deeply loved voice this week with the passing of John Garrett at 74, and it’s tough to overstate what he meant to this team and its fans.

Garrett wasn’t just part of the broadcast—he was the broadcast. The game ran through him in a way that felt comfortable. His reads were sharp, but never overdone. His humour was self-deprecating, folksy, and perfectly timed. When you paired him with John Shorthouse and Dan Murphy, it never felt like you were just watching hockey. It felt like you were sitting in on a conversation between friends who happened to know the game very well.

Garrett started with Hockey Night in Canada in 1986, but it was his two decades covering the Canucks that cemented his legacy. “Cheech,” as everyone knew him—thanks to the resemblance to Cheech Marin—became part of the fabric of the team. He stepped away from broadcasting after the 2022–23 season.

He was a great goalie from another era. He stood 5-foot-8 and weighed 175 pounds. As of today, Juuse Saros (5-foot-11) is the smallest active NHL goalie. I have his 1979-80 Hartford Whalers O-Pee-Chee hockey card #293 somewhere in my collection.

Item Two: Markus Näslund Emerges in Front Office Talk

Markus Näslund’s name has shown up in connection with the Canucks’ front office search. We’ve already heard names like Roberto Luongo, but this one feels a little different because Näslund has been out of the NHL spotlight for a while. But his connection to the franchise runs deep.

He’s experienced. He spent four years as general manager of MoDo in the Swedish Hockey League, giving him a legitimate management background. The question isn’t whether he understands hockey—it’s where, or even if, he fits into what the Canucks are building right now.

This might not be about the GM role at all. There’s been some talk about a bigger-picture position down the road, maybe even something like president of hockey operations. That depends on how long Jim Rutherford sticks around, and I could be wrong, but I don’t think that will be long. The Canucks have leaned on franchise icons before, so it wouldn’t be a shock.

Näslund’s résumé as a Canuck speaks for itself. He’s third in franchise scoring behind Henrik and Daniel Sedin, second in goals, and his number hangs in the rafters. Now he joins a growing list of names, including Shane Doan, Ray Whitney, and Kevyn Adams, as hockey people the organization is looking at. There’s a clear theme, too—connections to B.C., to the market, to the identity of the team.

Item Three: Braeden Cootes and Max Sasson Hint at the Future

Braeden Cootes and Max Sasson didn’t share the same path this season, but they’ve ended in the same place. Cootes earned an opening-night spot as an 18-year-old and looked like he could handle it. Even in limited minutes, he wasn’t overwhelmed.

Sasson’s route was slower and more typical. He started with the American Hockey League (AHL) Abbotsford Canucks because he didn’t need waivers. But once Cootes went back to the Seattle Thunderbirds, Sasson got his shot, and he didn’t give it back. Thirteen goals over 66 games won’t jump off the page, but he looked good, and he kept his place in the lineup.

Both young players look to be part of the future the team is building. Next season, they should be together on the big club’s roster.

What’s Next with the Canucks?

If you step back, it’s actually a pretty revealing snapshot. The loss of John Garrett is a reminder of how much the voices around a team matter. There’s identity in the Näslund conversation, with the organization looking at its past as it shapes its future. And there’s development in players like Cootes and Sasson. They represent the slow, necessary work of building something sustainable. Put it all together, and the Canucks feel like a team in transition with a sense of direction.