After finishing first in the Pacific Division and reaching the second round of the playoffs in 2023-24, Vancouver entered last season with expectations to contend for the Stanley Cup. But the Canucks struggled with a host of injuries, including to Boeser, Demko and Hughes, and internal turmoil in going 38-30-14 to finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card from the Western Conference.
A reported rift between Pettersson and J.T. Miller, which was confirmed by Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford in a newspaper interview Jan. 28, became a distraction and eventually led to Miller being traded to the New York Rangers.
Coach Rick Tocchet decided not to return after the season (and subsequently was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers) and many wondered who else would leave.
Garland said the talk of unhappiness among the Canucks was overblown, though.
“We just couldn’t get healthy and then, obviously, we had a little bit of a distraction as a group, but we overcame a lot [of] adversity,” Garland said. “But what were we, [six] points out with all those injuries? I think we’re a pretty good hockey club. I think we’ve got a really good coaching staff. I think we’re in a great place to play.
“We have some good pieces coming back and I think the noise is a lot louder than what we feel in the room.”
Garland, who said his new contract, “got done pretty quickly”, was among the Canucks players who called Boeser in the past week to encourage him to return. Boeser also talked to Adam Foote, who was promoted from assistant to replace Tocchet as coach, and the Canucks’ continued dialogue with Boeser and his agent Ben Hankinson kept the door open for his return.
Boeser, who had 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 75 games for the Canucks last season, had the opportunity to talk with other teams after the free agent market opened at noon ET on Tuesday. The Canucks announced at 12:32 p.m. ET that he had re-signed.
“I think that's where the realization of you becoming a UFA (hits) and you start thinking about, you know, 'Should I leave?’” Allvin said. “I also think he had a vacation trip overseas that he got back here the other day, and we got in talking again, but the conversation between me and Ben Hankinson has always been good. … I know probably a couple players reached out and talked to Brock over the time here, and he was aware that we were getting closer on Demko and Garland as well.”
Getting Demko and Garland signed to extensions was a priority, too. The Canucks have seen the impact Demko can have when healthy. The 29-year-old was 10-8-3 with a 2.90 goals-against average, .889 save percentage and one shutout in 23 games last season after being a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2023-24, when he was 35-14-2 with a 2.45 GAA, .918 save percentage and five shutouts.
Despite what the Canucks went through last season, Garland, who had 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) in 81 games last season, said it was “a no-brainer” for him to sign the extension. The 29-year-old sees a promising future for the Canucks with those already on their roster and some on the way from Abbotsford, their American Hockey League affiliate that won the Calder Cup last season.
“I believe in our management staff, I believe in our coaches, and I believe in the group we have,” Garland said. “And I think we’re going to continue to get better whether we add players or we have a great group of young guys coming up. So, I was very interested in being on a team in a big market where we had that playoff run (in 2024); you got the taste of what that’s like in a big city.
“It’s an addicting feeling winning a lot and I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to win a Cup in a city like that.”
That remains the Canucks’ goal. Having Boeser, Garland and Demko signed long-term will help.
Of course, winning would quickly make last season’s drama a distant, bad memory, too.
NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report
