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What Went Wrong in Vancouver? Inside the Canucks’ GM Firing
The Canucks fire GM Patrik Allvin after missing playoffs since 2024 and finishing last. What went wrong and who could replace him?
The Vancouver Canucks have officially moved on from their general manager, signaling the end of a tenure that ultimately failed to deliver consistent results or a clear long-term direction. While the decision may feel abrupt on the surface, the warning signs had been building for quite some time.
What Went Wrong
For the Canucks, the decision to move on from Patrik Allvin ultimately came down to results—or the lack of them. The team has failed to make the playoffs since 2024, a stretch that exposed deeper structural issues within the organization. What made matters worse was their current position at the bottom of the NHL standings, which gave them the best odds of landing the first overall pick. That reality served as the final blow and the clearest indication that change was necessary.
After five seasons at the helm, Allvin’s tenure will be defined by inconsistency and missed opportunities. While there were moments where the Canucks appeared to be trending in the right direction, those flashes were never sustained. Instead, the team regressed into one of the league’s weakest clubs, highlighting flaws in both roster construction and long-term planning.
There were also instances where key situations were mishandled. Whether it was questionable roster decisions, timing of trades, or an inability to build around the team’s core effectively, those missteps compounded over time. The lack of a clear identity and direction left the Canucks stuck in limbo before ultimately bottoming out this season.
In the end, missing the playoffs repeatedly and finishing dead last in the league made the decision inevitable. For a franchise looking to reset and build toward the future, moving on from Allvin became the only logical step forward.
What Comes Next
With the GM position now open, Vancouver faces a critical decision: promote from within or bring in a fresh voice. Internal promotion would offer continuity and familiarity with the current roster, but given how things have unfolded, ownership may lean toward a clean break.
If the Canucks choose to look externally, several experienced names immediately stand out.
Brad Treliving is one of the most intriguing candidates. Known for his work with the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs, he has a reputation for being aggressive and willing to make bold moves. His ability to reshape a roster quickly could appeal to a Canucks team looking to pivot.
Bill Scott is another interesting option, particularly given his strong background in salary cap management. For a team like Vancouver, which has struggled financially under the cap, Scott could bring much-needed structure and discipline.
Rob Blake, previously with the Los Angeles Kings, offers a blend of experience and recent success in building a competitive roster. His ability to balance veteran leadership with young talent could be exactly what Vancouver needs.
Then there’s Brett Peterson, a rising executive who represents a more modern, progressive approach to team building. If the Canucks want to embrace a new way of thinking, Peterson could be a bold but exciting choice.
A Defining Moment
This hire will define the Canucks’ trajectory for years to come. Whether they choose stability or a complete reset, the next GM must establish a clear vision—something that has been missing for far too long.
If Vancouver gets this decision right, it could finally pull the franchise out of mediocrity and into sustained contention. If not, they risk falling further behind in an already competitive Western Conference.
Next: Vancouver Canucks Fire GM Patrik Allvin
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Kerry Dunn
April 17, 2026 at 6:42 pm
What went wrong ? EVERYTHING.
Starting with hiring 2 FAILED former Pittsburgh Penguins management who owed their loyalty, first and foremost – to their OLD team and NOT to Vancouver.
Which was evident from Day 1 when they tried to fire Boudreau – who had JUST been hired by owners themselves – because they wanted to do a full rebuild and bring in “their guy” as the coach.
Then at their 1st Trade Deadline, their old team was in danger of missing the playoffs for the 1st time in 16 years.
So what did Allvin and Rutherford TRY to do ?
They TRIED to trade newly re-signed JT Miller (80 pts at the time) to their old team in exchange for soon-to-be-a UFA and underperforming Jason Zucker (40 pts at the time).
It was BLATANT COLLUSION to use Vancouver assets to help their old team out – at Vancouver’s expense – and they KNEW IT.
They SHOULD have been FIRED immediately for that !
So they tried to find a team they could flip Zucker to so they could pretend what they got in return was equal to losing Miller – but no other team wanted Zucker so the deal fell through and – bummer – Pittsburgh missed the playoffs.
I’m sure many tears were shed over that in the Canuck’s management offices.
And while Boudreau turned the team around it was too little, too late to make the playoffs that year so what did Allvin and Rutherford do ?
They – being the people in charge of ALL the team’s contracts – TRIED again to fire Boudreau – only to discover he had a 2 year deal ! HOW did THEY not know that ? (Incompetence perhaps ?)
So what did they do instead ? FIRED ALL his assistant coaches. Brought in former Penguin Mike Yeo to be his assistant. Traded for FIVE former Penguins (De Smith, Lafferty, Cole, Friedman and Blueger). Told the team that expect for 3 “untouchables” – everyone else could be traded at any time.
Then started turning the team against Boudreau and disparaging him PUBLICLY – even while he was on the bench coaching games !
And it worked. Despite his success the previous season, with the new players and coaches Allvin and Rutherford brought in – the team floundered and ended up giving them the excuse they’d been waiting for to fire Boudreau.
And they ANNOUNCED that he’d been replaced – ON AIR – WHILE he was coaching a game. Even the annoucers and commentators noted they’d NEVER – EVER – heard management treat a coach so shamefully the way Allvin and Rutherford treated Boudreau.
THAT should have gotten them FIRED immediately.
Instead, they got their wish and brought in Tocchet. Former Penguin of course (amongst other teams) in need of a job after being fired from his 2 previous head coaching jobs and only making the playoffs once and then only because in the “Covid” year they let 12 teams in each Conference play a “qualifying” round of 5 games to see which ones would be in the playoffs and Tocchet’s team was 11th. In a regular year they wouldn’t have even been close to a Wild card slot.
Tocchet did get things turned around. Helps when your assistant coaches and players know which side of their toast is buttered.
And despite the success of the Lotto Line, guess what Tocchet did literally immediately after taking over ?
Yeah, he broke up that line because he didn’t like “their process” and some obscure stat suggested they “should” be giving up more scoring opportunities – even if they were still outscoring their opponents.
Here’s a clue. There was NO turmoil in the dressing room BEFORE Tocchet was hired.
And we know what happened the next year. 2023/24 the team ROARED to the top of the standings and led the league for most of the season. Right up to 25 Mar 2024. But Demko got injured (again).
Allvin and Rutherford traded away a whack of Vancouver players, prospects and draft picks to bring in “rental” players Lindholm and Zadorov.
And they promised to “reward” the team for their efforts – but remember what that “reward” was going to be ?
They TRIED to bring in has-been Phil Kessel (former Penguin of course) in the hopes the team made it to the Finals and he could suit up for ONE game and get his name on the Cup again (if Vancouver won it).
Because THAT is ALL you need to do – play ONE game in the Final Series – and if your team wins – your name goes on the Cup.
That nonsense stopped when they couldn’t reach an agreement with Kessel thankfully.
And the team got knocked out by the Oilers thanks to some very, very suspect officiating (Sutherland and Furlatt SHOULD have been investigated for match-fixing after that series).
And shocker – Allvin and Rutherford couldn’t resign Lindholm or Zadorov and didn’t even trade their “rights” before 1 July so they got to walk away for free and Vancouver got NOTHING in return.
And that was also when Pettersson entered his “contract year”. A time when – normally – management would reach out to one of their star players and start discussing an extension.
But Allvin and Rutherford decided to just ignore him. They even stated there was “no rush” to resign him because he was under contract until the end of the next season.
And then, when Pettersson was asked about the snub and said he’d “weigh his decisions” – Allvin/Rutherford (one of them) called him DISLOYAL in the MEDIA !!
First you snub him and THEN you slap him in the face ?
And they did IGNORE him – right up to the trade deadline when – shocker – Pittsburgh came calling. Guentzel was at the end of his contract and Pittsburgh didn’t want to pay what he was asking.
Allvin and Rutherford to the rescue !!! Suddenly they signed Pettersson to a new deal and make up a BS story about how they “had to do it” because “other teams were calling about him”.
B.S. !!
They signed him so they could trade him (plus additional players, prospects and draft picks) to their old team and take Guentzel off their hands.
But it fell through because it would have been cheaper for Pittsburgh to just re-sign Guentzel.
(Who went to Carolina instead and at the end of the year when they couldn’t resign him – they traded his rights to Tampa for a 3rd round draft pick – which was WAY better than the absolutely NOTHING Allvin and Rutherford got when Lindholm and Zadorov walked away and signed with Boston minutes after they became free agents.)
And shocker – team missed the playoffs and on 1 July it was the start of Boeser’s “contract year”.
And shocker – they literally gave him the same treatment they’d given Pettersson the year before.
And shocker – at the start of the next season, problems started. On the ice and in the dressing room. Suddenly there was “turmoil” and “dissension” where there hadn’t been any before and that led to Miller being traded to the Rangers.
For a career FOURTH LINER who’d ONLY ever score more than 23 points in a season ONCE and then only because in a “contract year” when he needed a new deal he put some extra effort into his game and score 45 points. To go along with his FOUR concussions.
But Allvin and Rutherford tried to play him up like he was actually a 1st line center equal to Miller but just needed “a chance to show what he could do”.
Lol – he made it 15 games and scored 6 points playing on the TOP lines – which was LESS than he’d been scoring on the 4th line in New York ! And then he suffered his FIFTH concussion.
But they also got a 1st round draft pick in that deal, didn’t they ?
And remember at the trade deadline when they LIED to the media and said that they’d been receiving such amazing offers for the (still unsigned) Boeser that they’d have to “run from the room” if the media learned what they’d turned down ?
And then they STILL didn’t get Boeser signed until literally the last minute before he could have become a free agent and walked away from the team. Literally the – last – minute.
Oh but they did find a way to help their old team out yet again didn’t they ? At the trade deadline Pittsburgh had 2 more pending UFAs they didn’t want to let walk away for nothing.
Allvin and Rutherford to the rescue again ! They traded two Canuck players with term left on their deals for M Pettersson and D O’Connor. M Pettersson was a 2nd round draft pick – 10 years earlier and O’Connor was never drafted at all.
BOTH players were “rentals” (i.e. on contracts that would expire on 1 July) and NEITHER of them warranted a 1st round pick.
But Allvin and Rutherford used that trade to GIFT the 1st round pick they got in the Miller trade to their old team to “help them out” in the draft.
Poor, poor Pittsburgh – they only had THREE picks in the 1st round of that draft.
And what next ? Oh yeah. The farm team wins the AHL’s Calder Cup tournament and “goalie of the future” Arturs Silovs is named tournament MVP.
But ! Pittsburgh was having goaltending problems and needed an upgrade.
Allvin and Rutherford to the rescue yet again !!!
They traded Silovs – for a measely FOURTH ROUND DRAFT PICK.
And then made up ANOTHER BS story about how they were “scared they’d lose him on waivers” if they didn’t trade him.
BULL. Because “waivers” wouldn’t apply until the end of the pre-season and then ONLY if they wanted to send him back to Abbottsford.
But they traded him on 13 JULY. MONTHS before they would have had to worry about “waivers”.
You do NOT trade your star goalie prospect THAT early in the off season unless you are trying to bury the trade and hope everyone forgets about it before training camps open in September.
You WAIT until AFTER the training camps and AFTER the pre-season before making a decision like that because THAT is when you might find out that YOU need that goalie.
OR – other teams realize that THEY need a goalie like that – and are willing to pay FAR MORE than a lame 4th round draft pick for him.
But Allvin and Rutherford wanted their old team to have that option instead of Vancouver and THAT is why they traded him so early.
And the team HAD the cap space to keep Silovs on the big club as insurance – which would have been the SMART move given Demko’s injury history and what happened ? 11 games in and Demko was injured – again.
And he comes back and plays 9 games – and is gone for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile Pittsburgh makes Silovs their starting goalie for their first game of the season and then makes the Jarry for Skinner trade with Edmonton.
Silovs – 19-12-8 with 2 shut outs in Pittsburgh.
Sheesh – Silovs had as many wins as Demko AND Lankinen COMBINED !
And of course, they also traded away Joshua on the same day as they gifted Silovs to Pittsburgh – and got a 4th round draft pick for him as well.
Awesome.
At least they got two 2nd round picks and an undrafted AHL player for Sherwood when they dumped yet another fan favourite.
And then of course – they suddenly traded Hughes to Minnesota. Perhaps the best player the Canucks EVER had and that’s including Bure and Linden and Naslund and the Sedins.
But they didn’t stop there, did they ? They also traded away Garland (after just re-signing him last summer) and Myers – who’d actually taken a pay-cut on his last contract so he could stay in Vancouver.
On 25 March 2024 Vancouver was in TOP spot in the league. They had THREE of the Top 10 scorers in the league and the leading Vezina candidate in net. They were contending for their 3rd President’s Trophy and considered a “Cup Contender”.
It has taken Allvin AND Rutherfords INCOMPETENCE and some shady dealings to take THAT team and send it to the very BOTTOM of the league – in LESS THAN 2 YEARS.
And they’ve STATED they aren’t finished trying to ruin the team.
You want to know “what went wrong” ?
EVERYTHING ever since Allvin AND Rutherford joined the team.
THAT is what went wrong.
Kerry Dunn
April 17, 2026 at 6:45 pm
Argh – can’t edit the post to change “expect” to “except”.