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The Vancouver Canucks are having a fine season so far in 2024-25. However, the Canucks have also had some absolutely brutal performances on the ice. This was the case on Saturday night when Vancouver lost to the Boston Bruins by the score of 5-1. After the game, head coach Rick Tocchet did not mince his words when discussing the loss.
Vancouver did not score until halfway through the third period on Saturday night. And the goal was scored by Max Sasson, who picked up his first career goal against Boston. The Canucks' more regular contributors were a non-factor against the Bruins, which Tocchet made quite known to the media. “Let's face facts, we have four or five guys, they're struggling. They're struggling to get emotionally invested in the game,” the Canucks coach said, via Sportsnet.
Tocchet did not name any specific players who he considered to be struggling. However, there are certainly some candidates who may fit the bill. For instance, Nils Hoglander is pointless through his last 19 games, while Danton Heinen has one point through his last 12. Moreover, fans will jump on star center Elias Pettersson, who has one goal in his last eight games and two in his last 12.
No room for “passengers” on Canucks, per Rick Tocchet
Rick Tocchet spoke to the media again on Sunday about his comments from the night before. The Canucks head coach did not change his tune, though. He mentioned that he is not shy about talking to the players. And while he still did not name specific players, he hopes the players in question understand what's being asked of them.
“I mean, that's what you're hoping, that when guys go home, they're like, ‘Hey, man, I had a tough night, and I'm going to do something about it.' (If they're) driving home saying ‘it wasn't me'… then you're in trouble,” the Canucks head coach said, via Sportsnet.
Tocchet went on to talk about the makeup of his team. The Canucks coach said a team such as the Edmonton Oilers can withstand multiple slumps from skaters in their lineup. Vancouver, however, does not have that luxury.
“We don't have the team to have three or four or five passengers. We just don't have it. Edmonton, they can have four or five guys sleeping, and they've got guys that can win the game for him. We are a team that needs everybody to play,” Tocchet said.
The Canucks are still in good shape despite some recent struggles. Vancouver holds a record of 15-9-5 which is good for 35 points. They are sitting fourth place in the Pacific Division, a division they won in 2023-24. However, only four points separates them from the second-placed Los Angeles Kings. It will be interesting to see if the Canucks can bounce back when they retake the ice against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.
