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All right lets see what everyone thinks to the following:

What is the main reason for the Canucks current standing of being last in the league taking into account games played?

Pick 1 reason and explain.

Mods - started a specific thread for this feel, free to move it if warranted.

I will start, for me it is the defence, in the beginning of the season majority of us thought that the D was strongest part of the team. There were some “ifs” but on paper it looked like a good mixture of young players and vets and the experience was there.

They are 9th worse for SA and that is because they don’t seem to have a strategy in their own end. I do not entirely blame the D as the forwards have a role, but the amount of times I have see really poor positioning by the D or bad pinches is frustrating. Instead of easy chips out they try low % passes.

Instead of blocking a shot they screen the goalie.

I just do not see the expected level from the top 4.

I know there has been injuries but again assumed they had sufficient depth to deal with it.

Jim Rutherford

2Fingers wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 10:57 am I will start, for me it is the defence, in the beginning of the season majority of us thought that the D was strongest part of the team. There were some “ifs” but on paper it looked like a good mixture of young players and vets and the experience was there.

They are 9th worse for SA and that is because they don’t seem to have a strategy in their own end. I do not entirely blame the D as the forwards have a role, but the amount of times I have see really poor positioning by the D or bad pinches is frustrating. Instead of easy chips out they try low % passes.

Instead of blocking a shot they screen the goalie.

I just do not see the expected level from the top 4.

I know there has been injuries but again assumed they had sufficient depth to deal with it.

So since we gutted our center ice (Horvat and Miller) to fix our Defence and have the leagues most expensive goalie tandem and the defence is STILL in shambles, and with a Norris Trophy winner - Hughes, isn’t this an even worse indictment of this management group.

Mr Aquilini and his management team aren't cutting the mustard. They need new personnel in the war room, starting at the top.

All the responses….. and injuries!

I'd say the main reason is that management puts its bets on key players with a history of injuries. This led to us not having a 2C and 1G.

Injuries after that are a fluke part of the game, and to be expected at some point.

There are other contributing factors, but the OP only asked for the main, and that's my 2¢ worth.

Great thread topic, Reef.

Tons of opinions and literally no wrong answers.

I just need to be mindful to take long breaks from this just for my own mental health, otherwise I would not stop ranting.

Can't imagine what Part Deux of this would be if they trade the best player in franchise history.

Canuck Luck.

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 3:40 pm Canuck Luck.

You don't suppose Doc got all up in the faces of the Hockey Gods, do you? I mean... he wouldn't do that.... would he?

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 11:00 am Jim Rutherford

Bingo.

Reason is Rutherford (and Allvin).

Signed Pettersson to an overpayment.

Stuck with Pettersson over Miller when the former announced an unknown injury as an excuse for poor performance, then showed up to camp unprepared, and then sucked ass to start the year and was on the outs with the other top dog in the forward group.....this while EP had no trade protection.

This was the point of no return.....had they traded EP40, even for a lesser return, I think the team is closer to being what we saw in 2023-24 than what we have seen since 2024-25.

Moved Miller out for what became Marcus Pettersson and a 2C with an established glass noggin.

Signed Lankinen to a whopper of a deal because they knew Demko was fragile.

I'd say these things are what led to Tocchet throwing in the towel and heading to Philly.

Then extended Demko to a bigger deal (albeit "short term").....who then proved his fragility.

Flapped his gums in the wrong direction leading to massive speculation about Hughes' future in Vancouver, and does nothing to put that fire out.

Screwed the pooch on the Suter negotiations leaving the 3C spot as a question mark when the 2C was already highly dubious at best.

Cornuck wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 3:48 pm

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 3:40 pm Canuck Luck.

You don't suppose Doc got all up in the faces of the Hockey Gods, do you? I mean... he wouldn't do that.... would he?

Well, I think it probably went something like this.....

(Doc walks into the hockey god hall of justice): "Look here motherfuckers....."

Rest is history.

Mëds trading Miller is turning out to be a blessing in disguise. We definitely got the best of him and his game has tanked this year to the point he isn't even playing center full time for the rags.

The real fuck up , it turns out, was not doing it sooner so we could've hung onto Horvat instead.

Possibly Cuz.

Hard to say though, plenty of players have been excellent for one team and struggled after leaving.

Cousin Strawberry wrote: ↑Thu Dec 11, 2025 4:13 pm The real fuck up , it turns out, was not doing it sooner so we could've hung onto Horvat instead.

Is that the "main reason"? Would Horvat made enough of a difference if he were still here?