The Vancouver Canucks are in a weird spot this season. On one hand, they’re “rebuilding” in the sense that a deep playoff push is probably off the table. Losses this season could help them secure a good draft position, which in theory should excite fans. On the other hand, the team seems intent on holding onto a lot of its veteran pieces — guys like Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, and even their goalies. And that has a lot of people wondering what’s going on with this team.
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Jason Brough, joined by guest host Josh Elliott-Wolfe, dug into the logic behind this approach. They called it a “hybrid rebuild.” The Canucks want to slowly phase out some veterans while keeping a core of older players around. But why?
The official line is about mentoring younger players, maintaining a stable locker room culture, and avoiding a complete teardown that could leave the team hollow. But here’s the problem: the veterans they’re keeping are already past their prime or at risk of depreciating in value. Why not cash in on them now while they still have trade value?
Brock Boeser Is a Case in Point for the Canucks
Take Boeser, for instance. He’s been around a lot of line changes this season and hasn’t found consistent chemistry with any of his centres. He hasn’t been the scoring threat that he’s been in other seasons. Perhaps that will change with Marco Rossi added to the lineup.
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Boeser is a solid guy and a good teammate, but will he drive this team forward over the next few years? Fans remember last season, when it seemed like Boeser might walk in free agency. The Canucks ended up re-signing him, not out of desperation, but because the alternative options didn’t pan out. Now, as Brough notes, the team might be stuck. Holding onto him makes sense for mentorship, maybe. But what about on-ice production? That’s the real question.
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Then there’s DeBrusk, who was healthy scratched against the Seattle Kraken last night. It’s another example of veterans being shuffled in a team that’s struggling to find a rhythm. Experienced players can help teach the young guys how to handle the grind of an NHL season, but at what cost?
The Canucks are losing home games to teams like the San Jose Sharks, and holding onto underperforming veterans doesn’t seem like a recipe for improvement.
Is There a Canucks Culture That’s Worth Preserving?
The larger question is: what culture are the Canucks trying to preserve? Is it really worth keeping players who might not elevate the team’s performance to maintain a sense of stability? Could the Canucks instead bring in short-term veterans on one- or two-year contracts who are cheaper, still provide mentorship, and leave the team more flexibility?
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Ultimately, the Canucks are trying to thread the needle: maintain a competitive core, keep key mentors in the room, and still push toward a proper rebuild. But the hybrid model creates tension between winning now and building for the future. Boeser, DeBrusk, and the other veterans are nice to have, but if they can’t contribute meaningfully, the Canucks might have to make some tough calls.
Are the Canucks Veterans Adding to the Team, Or Should They Be Moved?
For now, fans are left wondering: are these veteran holdovers really helping, or are they just slowing down the process of turning this team into something better? It’s a question the organization will have to answer soon, because the longer they hang onto players past their prime, the steeper the mountain becomes for the next generation of Canucks.
