Vancouver Canucks reportedly not looking to rebuild

The Vancouver Canucks aren’t looking to rebuild, and they’re not interested in trading their top prospects

Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet: Vancouver Canucks president of hockey ops, Jim Rutherford, said they aren’t interested in going through a rebuild, whether defenseman Quinn Hughes remains with the team long-term or not.

“A rebuild is not something that we’re going to look at doing,” Rutherford told Sportsnet. “Like I said, we’re in transition. But we’re not trading all these players for draft picks that may or may not end up playing someday.”

Rutherford said that GM Patrik Allvin is calling teams all the time in their search for a center, and if he talks to a team about a specific player, the asking price is just too high – Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson (the younger one).

NHL Injuries: Flames, Canes, Blackhawks, Avs, Stars, Wild, Islanders, Penguins, Kraken, and Canucks

He admits that they could pay a high price in trades and still not make the playoffs. They could do nothing, get healthy and make the playoffs. They are also keeping in mind that it’s going to be a good 2026 draft.

There is no plan to trade any of Willander, Pettersson, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Braeden Cootes

Toxic energy is from fans and not within the Nashville Predators locker room

NHL Rumour Report: Frank Seravalli of Bleacher Report on the Nashville Predators: “The vibes are not high; it seems to be a toxic energy that’s there, and they need…to flush that; it’s gonna difficult for Trotz to move some of those veteran contracts; I think they have to just make a change.”

• Emma Lingan: “The “toxic energy” Frank mentions here is referring to the toxic energy coming from the fanbase as they are (understandably) demanding change because the team is bad. There is no locker room feud; everyone put your drama cauldrons away.”

Top undrafted college free agents to watch

Mark Divver of NHL.com: A look at some of the top undrafted college free agents to watch this season.

Joshua Eernisse – University of Michigan – F – 6′ 2″, 217 lbs – Attended the Columbus Blue Jackets development camp this offseason.

Dylan Hrychkowian – Northeastern University – F – 5′ 10″, 180 lbs – Attended the Dallas Stars development camp this offseason.

T.J. Hughes – University of Michigan – F – 6′ 0″, 183 lbs – Attended the New York Rangers development camp this offseason.

Bret Link – Colorado College – W – 6′ 3″, 195 lbs – Attended the Boston Bruins development camp this offseason.

Owen Michaels – Western Michigan University – C – 6′ 3″, 185 – Attended the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp this offseason.

Jack Musa – University of Massachusetts – F – 5′ 10″, 173

Brian Nicholas – Brown University – C – 6′ 2″, 185 – Attended the Rangers development camp this offseason.

Nathan Pilling – St. Thomas College – C – 6′ 4″, 209

Riley Thompson – Ohio State University – C – 6′ 4″, 222

JJ Wiebusch – Penn State – F – 6′ 1″, 180 – Attended the Rangers development camp this offseason.