The Vancouver Canucks' Locker Room is Reportedly Heavily Divided
Heading into 2022-23, the Vancouver Canucks had high-ish expectations for their team, yet their record-setting start has reached levels previously unsuspected. A team that is pinned up tight against the $82.5 million salary cap, the Canucks have now blown four consecutive multi-goal leads to advance to 0-3-1; the only such team to do so in NHL history.
After their third loss, the leaders in the room held a players-only meeting to address the woes in the room. Apparently, given their overtime defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets, that meeting accomplished very little.
Considering the talent on the roster and the team's record under Bruce Boudreau last year, what gives?
The Daily Faceoff's live show from today offered probably the best insight into the situation. Colby Cohen, a former NHLer now staffed by TDF, said there is a lot of dysfunction both in and above the locker room.
''I've heard there's a lot of friction in that dressing room between some of the star players and then the rest of the team,'' said Cohen. ''It's real cliquey in that dressing room. The way that they're promoting players, particularly on their social media channels, and just everything that I hear coming out of that dressing room, it seems really dysfunctional at the moment.''
To add to Cohen's remarks, the scratching of Conor Garland for last night's match was a head scratcher for fans but a possible point of contention for the guys in the room. Scratching Garland, to Cohen, sends the wrong message to the group. Garland is one of the few players on the Canucks who can honestly say he plays the right way every game and battles night in and night out.
''This is the one player who you would never want to take out of your lineup because he plays the right way,'' said Cohen. ''When you watch him, he doesn't cheat, he stops on pucks, he goes to the net, he plays bigger than he is.''
One of the NHL's top insiders, Frank Seravalli, chimed in also, suggesting a major move could be right around the corner for the Canucks. Whether this is a coaching change, a trade, or something else he could not say for certain. Still, with the room stewing like it is, it does feel like something is going to blow.
This is a team which cannot afford to land on the outside looking in, while also spending to the salary cap. Patrik Allvin has some serious decisions to make, but just how big he is willing to go remains to be seen.
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