Despite the Vancouver Canucks falling well short of expectations this season, Jim Rutherford remains adamant that the team does not need to go through a rebuild.
Speaking to reporters about the review of Tanner Pearson’s setback with his hand injury, the Canucks president of hockey operations was asked about the team’s future plans with the roster, which has many question marks, including whether a teardown needs to happen.
“We’re not looking towards a rebuild, I rather call it a retool,” Rutherford said. “My preference is when we make deals, it’s not necessarily for draft picks who may come in and help the team four years or five years from now. I would prefer to get younger NHL players that may not have worked out well on the entry-level contracts and bring them in to get a second chance.
“We’ll still look to acquire draft picks but we have to go about this in a way that is not a long-term rebuild and I think we can do that.”
While discussing the position the team finds itself in, Rutherford was rather blunt about the assessment of his performance in his role since joining the organization.
“I’m disappointed in the job I’ve done to this point,” Rutherford said.
When he joined the Canucks he thought a few changes could help elevate this roster. Now, Rutherford believes more significant work needs to be done.
Part of the problem, he said, has been the inability to clear out cap space to help the team’s current core. Rutherford believes that until some contracts expire or the team finds a way to move on from them, it will be tough to make the changes the front office is looking to make.
If the Canucks are not able to trade away players in order to free up money, the team is prepared to consider buying out contracts.
Among the top of the list is pending free agent Bo Horvat, whom the team has tried to get locked down to an extension. Rutherford believes the team is in a tough spot to get a deal done with their captain.
“I believe we’ve taken our best shot. The contract we have on the table for Bo right now is fair value for what he’s done up to this year,” Rutherford said. “It’s certainly under market value for what he’s done this year so we’re in a pickle here. He’s had a career year, and he’s looking for his money. He deserves it. I don’t blame him.
“Even with what we have on the table for him now without any changes … we’re well over the cap on projections. There are ways of moving money around but the fact of the matter is it’s always a tough fit.”
The Canucks don’t believe that major moves involving the core need to be made, but Rutherford did admit that there could be some core players who don’t end up staying with the team.
Through 43 games, the Canucks are 18-22-3 with 39 points and sit sixth in the Pacific Division. They remain 12 points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Rutherford did admit that if there was a year to bottom out for the first-overall pick, it would be this one, what with Connor Bedard the consensus top player in the draft. However, he expects the team to play at their best every night.
