Patrik Allvin admits to being a little surprised at the Vancouver CanucksB次元官网网址� success this NHL season.
Outside expectations were low when Vancouver started the season, but the CanucksB次元官网网址� general manager believed the team had talented players and trusted the leadership of Jim Rutherford, VancouverB次元官网网址檚 president of hockey operations, and head coach Rick Tocchet.
What Allvin didnB次元官网网址檛 anticipate was the Canucks having a 33-11-5 record for 71 points and being tied with the Boston Bruins for first place in the NHL heading into Wednesday nightB次元官网网址檚 games.
B次元官网网址淎m I surprised it went so quick, yes,B次元官网网址� Allvin said after agreeing to a three-year contract extension Wednesday. B次元官网网址淏ut I also think, when we had the opening day of training camp, this team has the potential and quality to be a good team if everything goes right for us.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks, who have points in 11 straight games (9-0-2), have made it look easy, but Allvin knows thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of games left.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely going to get harder,B次元官网网址� said the 49-year-old from Leksand, Sweden. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e starting to get respect from other teams so theyB次元官网网址檙e circling the games against Vancouver because they want to get tested against the best team. We need to be prepared for that.
B次元官网网址淲e know we have a lot of work (ahead) and thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檝e got to prepare ourselves for coming down the stretch.B次元官网网址�
Allvin became the first Swedish born GM in the NHL when he was hired by the Canucks on Jan. 26, 2022, to replace the fired Jim Benning. Rutherford briefly served as the interim general manager before AllvinB次元官网网址檚 hiring.
Allvin worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins for 16 years, helping the team win three Stanley Cups as part of the scouting department before eventually working his way up to the assistant general manager and interim GM roles.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very honoured and proud to be part of the Vancouver Canucks,B次元官网网址� said Allvin. B次元官网网址淛im, giving me an opportunity to be a general manager in the NHL, is nothing I take for granted.
B次元官网网址淚 know itB次元官网网址檚 hard. ItB次元官网网址檚 a very competitive league and I will continue to push forward. We havenB次元官网网址檛 established ourselves yet. We have a lot of work ahead of us to where we need to be, so nothing is going to change.B次元官网网址�
Rutherford called AllvinB次元官网网址檚 new contract B次元官网网址渨ell deserved.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淧atrick is a very knowledgeable hockey man that works very hard,B次元官网网址� said Rutherford, who also signed a three-year extension on Jan. 19. B次元官网网址淗e knows players around the world.B次元官网网址�
The Canucks have missed the playoffs seven of the last eight seasons and have not won a Stanley Cup in their 53-year history.
Last year, in AllvinB次元官网网址檚 first full season as general manager, Vancouver finished with a 38-37-7 record, 11th in the Western Conference and 12 points out of a playoff spot.
Rutherford and Allvin began retooling the Canucks last season. Veteran captain Bo Horvat, a fan favourite, was traded to the New York Islanders. The first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft acquired in that deal was used to acquired defenseman Filip Hronek from the Detroit Red Wings on March 1.
The Canucks bought out the final four seasons of defenceman Oliver Ekman-LarssonB次元官网网址檚 eight-year contract on June 16, and signed defenceman Carson Soucy (three years) and Ian Cole (one year), and forward Teddy Blueger (one year) on the opening day of free agency July 1.
In other moves, Vancouver signed centre Pius Suter on Aug. 11, traded veteran forward Tanner Pearson to the Montreal Canadiens for backup goalie Casey DeSmith on Sept. 19, then acquired Sam Lafferty from the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Oct. 8 trade.
Since the season started, Vancouver dealt forward Anthony Beauvillier, who was part of the Horvat trade, to the Chicago Blackhawks to free up the salary cap space to acquire defenceman Nikita Zadorov from the Calgary Flames.
The Canucks have more decisions to make as the March 8 NHL trade deadline nears. Do they make major deals, maybe trading prospects to bring in veterans for a playoff run, or trust the players that have got them this far?
Allvin said Rutherford is B次元官网网址渁n aggressive bossB次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渁lways ahead of things.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he players have put themselves in a really good position,B次元官网网址� said Allvin. B次元官网网址淒o we go all in or not? ThatB次元官网网址檚 something we always discuss because short-term acquisitions are always going to impact the long-term planning.B次元官网网址�
No matter what happens in the playoffs the Canucks will have a busy summer. The team has eight unrestricted free agents, including forward Dakota Joshua, DeSmith and Zadorov.
A new contract for Elias Pettersson, who becomes a restricted free agent, is also a priority. Pettersson was eighth overall in NHL scoring heading into Wednesday with 64 points (27 goals, 37 assists). Petterson will want a substantial raise from his current annual salary of US$7.35 million and his deal will have an impact on what Vancouver can pay other players.
B次元官网网址淭hose are questions we have on a daily basis, evaluating and taking into consideration what makes your team better and how will that affect s moving forward,B次元官网网址� said Allvin.
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