The Canucks have hit rock bottom this season, but they can get back on top

New year, a fresh pair of legs for the ice, right?

I think that was what all Vancouver Canucks fans were looking forward to — a fresh start after trading away star defenseman Quinn Hughes late last year.

But what we thought would be a fresh start turned out to be a dull one, with the Canucks only registering two wins since 2026 began.

Let’s be real, though. The team has been struggling all season, and while we tend to blame the coaches, the players have to be held accountable — and Hughes is one of them.

Hughes wanted out of Vancouver before the trade, so why keep someone who’s uninterested in staying and dragging the team down?

The Canucks had no choice but to trade Hughes, and honestly, the team is better off without him.

While I was sad to see Kiefer Sherwood go in late January, we needed the second-round picks we received from the San Jose Sharks to build the future of this team.

The organization is committed to a full rebuild, as evidenced by the Hughes and Sherwood trades.

The team is getting younger, and with assets like Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, and Zeev Buium, who are in their early 20s, I would say the Canucks are not playing around when it comes to rebuilding.

I don’t think the rest of the season is about turning it around — I think it’s about giving younger players like Linus Karlsson a chance to keep proving themselves.

Yes, it would be nice to see the organization get the first pick in the first round of the NHL draft this year, but I don’t want them to purposely tank to get it.

If we truly are not a good team — which we are not — and we end up losing more than winning in this last bit of the season, that’s fine. But I would also like to see the work to become a better team start now. The Canucks deserve a positive end to their season, given how the first half went.

So hear me out, Vancouver — play your younger players and give them the ice time they probably haven’t had earlier in the season. Give them a chance to show off their potential and develop while the team is not doing well.

The younger players are the future of the team and it’s time to start thinking about them and getting them on the ice.

It has been hard being a Canucks fan this past year. Losing consistently is never fun. I hope the team finishes the season strong and has a good shot at getting the first-overall pick.

With lots of injuries, trades, and a coaching adjustment this season, it has been one thing after another with the Canucks, so I have to give them some grace since these were things beyond their control.

I will always be here to support the blue and green despite the hardships. Yes, we have had a couple these past few seasons, but you have to really hit rock bottom to get yourself back to the top — and that is where the Canucks are right now.

Let’s do our part as Canucks fans and cheer them on as they work to rise again!