The Vancouver Canucks entered the 2025-26 season expecting to bounce back and compete for the Stanley Cup, but the year spiraled into one of the worst campaigns in franchise history.
Injuries, lack of scoring depth, the trade of captain Quinn Hughes, and major front-office changes pushed the organization into a full-scale reset before the regular season even came close to an end. To add to their troubles, Elias Pettersson’s continued struggles became one of the biggest talking points as Vancouver finished at the bottom of the NHL standings.
This frustration has now extended beyond management circles and into the former player community, where one ex-Canucks forward openly questioned the mentality and preparation habits inside the locker room.
Chris Higgins Questions Elias Pettersson’s Drive as Canucks Begin Organizational Reset
Former Vancouver Canucks forward Chris Higgins delivered a blunt assessment of Elias Pettersson and the culture surrounding the team during a recent appearance on Sportsnet 650.
While discussing player preparation and competitive habits, Higgins suggested the organization has allowed certain issues to continue for far too long without meaningful change.
Higgins explained that development concerns become unacceptable when they continue deep into a player’s career. He said, “If we’re in year 4, 5, 6, or 7, and we’re still talking about preparation and your practice habits, it’s time to get rid of those guys, like straight up.” He added that those concerns eventually become “a character issue” rather than a developmental problem.
The remarks came after another disappointing season for Pettersson, who finished with 51 points and a minus-30 rating in 74 games. Although he crossed the 500-point milestone for his NHL career, his production remained far below the standard expected from a player carrying an $11.6 million cap hit through the 2031-32 season.
Higgins also questioned the competitiveness he saw throughout the roster, saying he did not see enough “fierceness” or the “predator eyes” needed from players expected to lead winning teams. He emphasized that Vancouver’s next phase must focus on finding players obsessed with improving, both through the draft and free agency.
Higgins said, “I don’t know, it’s hard to describe when you look in somebody’s eyes as a competitor. You know what those predator eyes look like, that obsession to get better, those gamer eyes look like. And those are hard to get, but those are the guys we need to find. These are the guys we need to find in the draft and through free agency and all these things, those predator eyes to get better.
“And yeah, I talk like I’m a little despondent right now, but yeah, I finally believe in some of the guys that are making decisions that will find those types of guys. It’s going to be a long process. It’s going to be a roster that turns over a little bit, but finding those guys with the predator eyes is of utmost importance.”
Pettersson’s decline has become one of the central challenges facing Vancouver’s new leadership group. Since posting a 102-point season earlier in his career, injuries and confidence issues have significantly affected his game.
A knee injury during the second half of the 2023-24 season disrupted his offseason preparation, while additional oblique and upper-body injuries continued limiting him over the next two years.
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The effects became visible in several areas of his game. His shot volume dropped dramatically, his skating pace slowed, and coaches repeatedly criticized his hesitation with the puck.
Despite the criticism, Vancouver’s front office still appears committed to helping Pettersson regain his elite form. New management, including Ryan Johnson and the Sedin twins, has already identified offseason preparation as a major focus heading into training camp.
