Canucks Legend Slams Current Management Group

The open feud between two of the top Vancouver Canucks stars rubbed a certain franchise icon the wrong way.

Dec 23, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) talk during a stop in play against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

For a good chunk of the 2024-25 season, the Vancouver Canucks were the center of attention with a documented feud between two of their biggest stars, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.

Their tensions forced the Canucks into trade talks with just about every other team in the NHL, ultimately ending with a deal that sent Miller to the New York Rangers.

With Pettersson still around, the Canucks are hopeful he can find his game again before things get out of hand and his name re-appears on trade boards. The feud forced the Canucks to struggle in the early stages of the season. Currently holding a 26-18-11 record, they hold a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but it’s on thin ice.

The public feud and struggles, however, rubbed certain people the wrong way. Canucks icon Pavel Bure spoke with RG about the current management group and didn’t hold back on his thoughts.

“If you’ve got a talented player who doesn’t fit into the team, that’s a failure of management,” Bure said. “If it gets to the point where you have to trade him, something has already gone wrong.”

Bure stands by the idea that the Canucks management group of president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin should have found a way to handle the issue sooner. Whispers of the feud between Miller and Pettersson had started last season, but the Canucks let it linger into the new year.

Letting tensions stick around falls on management, especially if they were aware of the problems. The Canucks may have tried to let time heal the wounds, but it became clear that the cut was far too deep to be mended.

At one point or another, both Miller and Pettersson were dangled as trade bate. The Canucks held out for the best return possible and ended up landing Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a first-round pick.

The Canucks ended up flipping that first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor.

Things got ugly in the Canucks' room, and while there is hope that the Miller trade solved everything, it’s fair to say things never should have gotten to that point.

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