It was hard to blame the Vancouver Canucks for their last-place finish in 2020-21.

The Canucks were out of action for nearly a month during the middle of the season because of a COVID-19 outbreak that swept through the team, infecting much of the roster and coaching staff. Some 22 players and four staff members tested positive, forcing the NHL to postpone eight games stretching from the end of March until April 18.

The Canucks were forced to play 19 games during the final 31 days of the regular season and understandably limped to the finish line with their lowest points percentage since 2017-18.

But this off-season was supposed to bring new hope, especially after a massive draft-day deal with the Arizona Coyotes, bringing in winger Conor Garland and veteran defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Canucks also reached deals with restricted free agents Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes in time to get the duo into the lineup on opening night.

Except things haven’t been better on the ice for the Canucks this season. In fact, they’ve been much worse.

On the heels of Vancouver’s fifth straight loss Wednesday night, TSN.ca looks back at their tumultuous start to the 2021-22 season.

 

May 21 – Green signs extension

Head coach Travis Green went into the 2020-21 season with an expiring contract. Speculation swirled about a possible coaching change after the end of the season came and went without a new deal, but the Canucks and their head coach eventually worked out a two-year extension.

“I wouldn’t have signed back here if I didn’t believe in what we’re doing and what we’re capable of doing and where we’re going. I want to win and that’s why I signed back here,” Green said.

But general manager Jim Benning made it clear bringing back their head coach was only the start of a long list of things to do over the summer.

“We have lots of work to do," Benning said. "I’m not going to sit here and say it’s going to be an easy summer. We’ve got lots of work to do and we’ve already started in on all that work.” 

 

June 23 – Blockbuster deal

Benning wasn’t kidding when he hinted changes were on the way a month earlier.

On draft night, the Canucks pulled off a major deal with the Arizona Coyotes to acquire Ekman-Larsson and Garland. Headed back to the desert was the ninth-overall selection, a 2022 second-rounder and a 2021 seventh-rounder. Forwards Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle and Loui Eriksson, all set to be free agents at the end of the 2021-22 season, also headed to the Coyotes in the deal.

The trade was interesting for several reasons.

First, the Coyotes were forced to forfeit their No. 11 overall selection for testing players in violation of the NHL’s combine policy. Not only were they able to replace their first-rounder, but they also moved up two spots in the deal. It also meant that Vancouver would not own a first-round pick coming off a last-place season.

And then there was the risk of what they were getting back.

Once a very effective puck-moving defenceman, Ekman-Larsson was less than a month away from turning 30 and had six years remaining on his contract at $8.25 million per season. While the Coyotes agreed to eat about $1.2 million per year, it was still a hefty payday for a player who might have been already past his prime.

“We think he’s going to be our No. 1 defenceman,” Benning said during a call with reporters after the trade.

On July 27, the Canucks announced they had signed Garland to a five-year, $24.75 million extension.

 

Oct. 3 – RFA duo signs

Right near the top of Benning’s off-season duties was getting new deals for franchise cornerstones Pettersson and Hughes.

But as summer turned into fall and training camp opened in Abbotsford, B.C., both restricted free agents remained without deals with the clock ticking fast toward their Oct. 13 regular season opener with the Edmonton Oilers.

With 11 days to go until the start of the season, the Canucks officially announced deals for their two stars. Pettersson signed a three-year agreement with a cap hit of $7.35 while Hughes opted for a longer deal, signing for six years at $7.85 million per.

"They're two important guys in our group. They're still young players. I think they can still get better. So, we're happy to get them signed and get them in camp," Benning said.

 

Oct. 15 – Uplifting first win

After a shootout loss to begin the season two days earlier, things were looking good for the Canucks up 4-2 late into the third period against the Flyers in Philadelphia. All four of their goals came in the second period, silencing a normally energetic Philly crowd.

Except Vancouver gave up two goals over the final 2:17 and the game went to overtime with nearly all the momentum on the Flyers’ side.

The Canucks regrouped during intermission and got things to the shootout, where Pettersson and J.T. Miller netted goals to give the Canucks their first win of the season.

"I don’t think we felt like they took the life back," Miller said. “Anything can happen once you get to overtime. We did it to a team two nights ago. It’s part of the game."

 

Oct. 26 – Home sweet home

It had been nearly 600 days since the Canucks last played in front of fans at home due to COVID-19.

A quirk in the schedule meant Vancouver started the season on the road for their first six games, but the team held their own, returning to Rogers Arena with seven points.

"I know everyone’s excited about it, we’ve been talking about it. We were getting a little itchy on the road there, wanting to get home and play some home games here,” goaltender Thatcher Demko told reporters.

But the Minnesota Wild were in no mood to give the home fans what they came to see as they escaped with a 3-2 victory behind goals from Matt Dumba, Mats Zuccarello, and Jonas Brodin. 

 

Oct. 30 – Struggles set in

The Canucks held their own during their lengthy road trip to begin the season, but things started to go wrong in a hurry once they finally returned home.

After the loss to the Wild, Vancouver dropped its second in a row to Philadelphia two days later and it didn’t get any easier as Connor McDavid and the 5-1-0 Edmonton Oilers came to town.

While the Canucks held McDavid to one assist in the contest, they struggled to find the net once again and lost their third in a row.

Vancouver managed just four goals in three games since returning home and captain Bo Horvat lamented the team’s offensive struggles after the loss.

“When you do hold a team like Edmonton to two goals, you've got to figure out a way to score three.” 

Nov. 17 – Canucks in freefall, drop fifth straight

By mid-November, things turned from bad to ugly for the Canucks.

Leading 2-1 into the third period, Vancouver conceded three straight markers to the Colorado Avalanche, who went on to win 4-2 and hand the Canucks their fifth straight loss.

They allowed three power-play goals and saw their penalty kill success drop to a league-worst 62.3 per cent.

Frustration began to show.

“It’s a bit of a broken record, I’m sure," defenceman Tucker Poolman said. "Just every game it’s a play here or there and it happens to be on special teams one way or another. But we’ve got to stick with it as a group here, play hard for each other and just keep grinding.”

But Green was encouraged by the team’s effort level, calling it one of the better five-on-five games of the year.

“Frustrating to lose, especially with an effort like that," the head coach said. "Five on five was one of our better games of the year. Obviously, the penalty kill let us down.”

 

Nov. 18 – Benning meets with media

With the Canucks in disarray, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported earlier in the week that Benning and Canucks ownership met to discuss “early season challenges and how the group can be better.” Dreger added drastic off-ice changes were not expected just yet and the team would continue to be patient. For now.

That brings us to Thursday.

With the Canucks a dismal 5-10-2 and second-last in the Pacific Division ahead of only the expansion Kraken, Benning met with reporters to explain his team’s struggles and chart a plan for the rest of the season.

"This is wearing on all of us, from ownership through the management team to the coaching staff to the players," Benning said. "We're a fragile team right now."

"Some of our players need to regain their confidence to play up to their potential," he said. "We’re going to need to string a bunch of wins together to get back in it.”

The Canucks will try again to snap their current skid on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets and complete their current three-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.