(Vancouver) Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrick Allvin plans to make changes this summer.
He also asked his players to help him figure out how the team could improve.
“I’m happy with the response from the players,” Allvin said at a press conference during the end-of-season review on Monday.
The Canucks are coming off a tumultuous season on and off the ice.
The team started the season with a 0-5-2 record, even seeing fans throwing jerseys on its rink following a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
The Canucks finished the season with a 38-37-7 record and missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons.
Head coach Bruce Boudreau was fired shortly before All-Star Weekend and was replaced by Rick Tocchet on Jan. 22.
“I give the players a lot of credit,” Tocchet said Monday. It was a difficult situation this season. »
The Canucks went 20-12-4 with Tocchet to end the campaign.
Allvin said more changes will come in the coming weeks.
The team has a young core of stars, including center Elias Pettersson, who had a career-high 102 points this season. The Canucks also have defenseman Quinn Hughes, who surpassed his own record for most points for a Canucks defenseman with 76.
Allvin said the coaching staff and management want to better surround their stars.
Finding a third center will be a priority. Another important issue will be finding a goalie to back up Thatcher Demko, although Allvin has said he doesn’t want to shell out too much for a replacement goalie.