5 most disappointing Vancouver Canucks members after elimination from 2025 NHL playoffs contention feat. Rick Tocchet

The Vancouver Canucks entered this season with expectation, not only to make the 2025 NHL playoffs but to thrive after last season’s second-round appearance.

However, things didn’t go as expected. Internal rifts, lazy efforts, mounting injuries and overall inconsistency doomed the Canucks to miss the playoffs this year.

Now, the club is looking to pick up the pieces and figure out what went wrong in 2024-25. Hopefully, the Canucks can turn the ship around and get back on track next season.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five most disappointing Vancouver Canucks members after their elimination from the 2025 NHL playoffs.

5 most disappointing Vancouver Canucks members following elimination from 2025 NHL playoffs

#5 Thatcher Demko

Thatcher Demko spent much of the year on the shelf, failing to impress when he did play - Source: Imagn

Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko missed most of the season with a knee injury. He worked his way back into the lineup only to go down again. While he did come back, he wasn’t his Vezina-caliber self when playing.

Except for a handful of performances where he was brilliant, such as a 3-0 blanking of the Colorado Avalanche on February 4, Demko failed to live up to expectations. He gave up at least four goals in five of his 23 games, gave up five goals once, and six goals twice.

Of course, those outings weren’t completely on Demko. But then again, a Vezina-caliber goaltender should be able to bail his team out at times, something that Demko did not do.

#4 Brock Boeser

Brock Boeser had a terrible year in what should have been one of his best as he’s set to hit the free agent market this summer. Boeser played in 73 games, scoring 25 goals and 49 points. While that’s not bad by any means, it isn’t anywhere near Boeser’s 40 goals from a year ago.

Boeser’s regression to his career averages suggests that his 40-goal campaign from 2023-24 was an outlier. Perhaps the most concerning number was Boeser’s minus-25 rating, the worst on the team. That minus-25 rating effectively wiped out his 25 goals, leaving him with zero impact on the season.

#3 Elias Pettersson

Elias Pettersson had an underwhelming season marred by personal rifts - Source: Imagn

Elias Pettersson would be higher on the list if it weren’t for the Vancouver Canucks’ deeply flawed management issues. Pettersson’s public rift with J.T. Miller permeated the landscape to the point where Miller left the team.

Once Miller was traded, Pettersson did not step up to lead the team. Down the stretch, he played some solid games before leaving the team due to injury. In total, Pettersson played 64 games, chipping in 15 goals and 45 points, with a minus-10 rating.

Those numbers are a far cry from the 102-point in 2022-23 that prompted the Canucks to sign him to that massive extension. The contract alone makes Pettersson untradeable.

#2 Patrik Allvin

Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin deserves just as much blame as anyone for his team’s debacle this season.

Firstly, his handling of the Miller-Pettersson situation left much to be desired. Allvin played both sides publicly, failing to address the issue. His solution was to ship Miller off to the Rangers in exchange for an underwhelming return.

Then, he failed to trade Pettersson as no one would take him. But perhaps the worst part of all was not trading Brock Boeser, then slighting him by stating that he did not receive any good offers for the free-agent-to-be.

In the end, Allvin did very little to help the team at the trade deadline and failed to address the sinking morale in the clubhouse. However, he does deserve credit for signing Kevin Lankinen.

#1 Rick Tocchet

Rick Tocchet's future is uncertain with the Canucks - Source: Imagn

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet likely bears much of the brunt for his club’s lost season. He did little to address the Miller-Pettersson soap opera. Far from diffusing the issue, he tried to sweep it under the rug.

Gradually, Tocchet lost the room by failing to call out his team’s lack of effort. Moreover, he never really took responsibility for the team’s failures.

In the end, the Canucks quit on Tocchet as seen in the April 2 game against the Seattle Kraken. The Canucks did come back to win two straight against the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche but it was too little too late to make the 2025 NHL playoffs.

The worst part was the media questioning Tocchet’s apparent desire to leave Vancouver and take over the Philadelphia Flyers job after John Tortorella had been fired. Tocchet did not downplay the situation or reassure his allegiance. Instead, he tried to brush it off.

Now, Tocchet is unlikely to be back next season as reports indicate he turned down a short-term offer to remain with the Canucks. As such, the club could be shopping for a new head coach this summer.