No one has any answers. The bottom has truly given out with this current nine-game losing streak the Canucks are on. Just three-to-four weeks ago, the vibes were high, with their four-game win streak. In 2024, they were on top of the Pacific Division with 109 points and had a solid Stanley Cup Playoff run. Only a couple of seasons later, Rick Tocchet leaves, and the Canucks traded J.T. Miller as well as captain Quinn Hughes. Furthermore, president Jim Rutherford has declared a rebuild, and all the veterans are on the trade table. “It’s our duty to take calls on everyone,” Rutherford said, in an interview with reporter Patrick Johnston.
Alarming Signs During Losing Streak
During this losing streak, the Canucks went 0-7-2, scoring 17 goals but allowing 39 goals. Their penalty killing rate in this stretch ranked last at 52.6%. In two of their games, in particular against Montréal and Ottawa, they were outshot 81-42. They barely generated anything offensively and were porous defensively. That has been the story for the Canucks throughout the season. Head coach Adam Foote can only say “We were right there” so many times before he himself stops believing in that statement.
The players are, needless to say, distraught about this. Brock Boeser has been cold during the eight-game winless streak. Prior to Thursday’s game against the Blue Jackets, where he finally scored, he had not scored a goal in 21 games. Two short years ago, he scored 40 goals in a season for the first time in his career. His shooting percentage is currently at 9.6%, down from 17.1% last season. He also has had 30 giveaways already this season, and he only had 37 throughout last season. In an interview with Canucks reporter Iain MacIntyre, Boeser said, “It’s really, it’s eating at me a lot, and so I don’t even know. I don’t have the words to describe it right now.” That said, he is still getting chances, a few per game, but many of his shots have gone wide, or he fumbled it somehow, some way.
Boeser fumbling this cross-seam pass on the PP from Pettersson sums up his game right now.
0 goals in his last 18 games. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/yqPh9i0pgL
— Grady Sas (@GradySas) January 11, 2026
He is not the only one without answers. When asked about what the message to the team was after the loss to Ottawa, Elias Pettersson could only sigh and say, “I don’t know”. Jake DeBrusk mentioned in an interview with Iain MacIntyre that he had never gone through this in his life. When most of the veterans are out of things to say, you know that it is wearing on them mentally. It also certainly does not help that the injury list seems to grow every week.
The Big Picture for the Canucks
The consolation prize for the last-place team is the biggest odds to pick first in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. The Canucks are firmly on the path to get that. As they are supposedly in a rebuild, picking first in a draft that is said to be loaded with talent would be ideal. A Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg could go a long way in setting the cornerstone for the rebuild. Apart from their own pick, they also have the Minnesota Wild first-round pick from the Quinn Hughes trade. We also know that the Canucks are seeking a first-round pick in return for Kiefer Sherwood. If the Canucks are truly committed to a rebuild, they will need to ensure that all decisions are future-oriented.
History would tell you, however, that the commitment to rebuilding is something the Canucks have struggled with. In 2018, when president Trevor Linden stepped down from his role, Elliotte Friedman mentioned that Linden and owner Francesco Aquilini did not see eye-to-eye on the rebuild. That was said to be the reason why Linden parted ways with the organization. While current president Jim Rutherford has mentioned that he has full authority to perform a rebuild, fans are understandably skeptical. General manager Patrik Allvin also floated the idea of a “hybrid retool”, which suggested a short-sighted approach to a delicate situation.
What Lies Ahead
This could be one of the darkest times in Canucks history. They are competing most nights, but their talent clearly is not enough to carry them to wins. Many players are injured, and some others have been, or likely will be, traded. Rebuilding is not a fun exercise to carry out, and some fans may not have the patience to sit through one. When the Canucks return to Rogers Arena on Saturday against the Oilers, it will be interesting to see how many empty seats there may be.
We anticipate a plethora of news around the Canucks to break as the Olympic break and trade deadline inch closer. For now, the question is, when will the Canucks win another game? It could be in their next game, or it could be weeks from now.
Main Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
