Iain MacIntyre on his chat with Jim Rutherford, the rebuild and EP40’s play
Sportsnet Senior Canucks Writer Iain MacIntyre joined the guys and talked about his article with Jim Rutherford on the rebuild and future in Vancouver and EP40’s play coming off an injury.
It’s so tiring hearing media talk about Horvat and Miller. Like this was 5 years ago. Just shows how little content and production they produce. Same old tiring topic. No wonder the public has tuned them out and they’ve been relegated to podcasting.
Most Nuck fans I know think EP needs to be moved. Everyone knew for at least a year that Demko is now an injury machine. It is mind-blowing that the management didn't. He has played 23 games, and Foote noted the other day that Demko is dealing with 'multiple' medical issues. Owners need to fire the management and sell the team. Imagine if Gaglardi had owned this team. Personally, my suspicions started when they let Tanev go, and then Horvat. Especially Horvat.
Was very fortunate to get to the Bell Centre in 1998 and 1999. It was fairly new then was in Montreal for the weekend and happen to be hockey day in Canada weekends both times and you always hear of the magic but you don’t quite get it until you’re actually there and experience it. Ian is right, put it on your bucket list as I must do
His employment with SN and affiliation with the Canucks prevents him from asking the hard questions. The necessary ones that every fan who's supported this team deserves to hear. Like, how does head coach AF still have a job? How does Alvinn and Rutherford?
why tank and try to get one of the top three draft picks when they're just going to "Quinn Hughes" them in the future and sell them off. how about keeping some of the talent, but i guess the canucks don't like doing that, and their history seems to prove that. sad. Go Habs Go!
As much as EP40 is the source of why the Canucks are last. You don’t trade him. When the Canucks “may”be good again in 3-4 years he’s your 2nd line centre, slightly overpaid based on projections where the cap will be at that time.
EP40 is not performing—-he has many games when all he can do is not even get a shot on goal—-and he is eating 20 minutes a game! add in the fact that he is pulling in a 11.6 million dollar contract!Trade him? who wants him with that contract. So Horvat,Miller,Lindholm,Suter go and EP40 stays—and the replacement centers are Cootes 18 and back in junior,Chytil injured for ever,Rossi small Euro center injured now and probably most of the time Blueger another injured Euro for a while the Canucks #1 center was Kamph a player that started the season with-out a team!Get some Canadian players that 1)want to play in Canada2) tough enough to actually play in the games.
To build a team you need an owner who can provide a solid foundation. Aqualini is not that owner. The team was a throw in. All he cared about was the value of the land the arena sits on. His ownership was rewarded by the courts. That's not a good start. In hindsight we would have been better off if the court awarded the team to Gaglardi's group.
Trading Horvat turned into Hronek, trading Miller and Hughes were forced trades. Other than the Miller and Hughes trades it’s hard to find fault. Perhaps they trade Pettersen instead…..overly rich contracts is where I find fault.
Foote will be gone at the end of the year. Team will start all over again. What the hell are you guys doing? Move Myers and Joseph. At least you will get 4rd pick and 5 rd pick.Move Kampf is not doing a thing with Canucks.
Trading for EP40 has one positive impact: it helps reduce the toxic locker room culture. Similarly, Boeser’s career hasn’t been particularly successful, and he seems to be carrying a losing mentality. A fresh start elsewhere would be beneficial for him.
After collecting all the Petterssons and bringing in all the wrong alumni from Pittsburgh, Rutherford's only remaining way to troll the fan base would be to bring in Jack Hughes.
Ep40 takes so much of the fan angst. Personally I think he’s a very good #2 forward. Either as a 2C or 1C with elite winger. He just never was that #1 guy. He’s had long stretches of inconsistency in almost every season, and also stretches of elite play…
Agree with iMac on most things but he is dead wrong about EP 40. He is washed. He was no good at the start of the season either. Trying hard doesn’t cut it. He is paid huge money To. Get. Points.
Trade the second first rounder. Look at the historical 20 to 32 picks taken. The odds are terrible for finding even a serviceable player. Unless Jim Nill is your GM.
26 Comments
Cootes will be in PA next year.
It’s so tiring hearing media talk about Horvat and Miller. Like this was 5 years ago. Just shows how little content and production they produce. Same old tiring topic. No wonder the public has tuned them out and they’ve been relegated to podcasting.
Most Nuck fans I know think EP needs to be moved. Everyone knew for at least a year that Demko is now an injury machine. It is mind-blowing that the management didn't. He has played 23 games, and Foote noted the other day that Demko is dealing with 'multiple' medical issues. Owners need to fire the management and sell the team. Imagine if Gaglardi had owned this team. Personally, my suspicions started when they let Tanev go, and then Horvat. Especially Horvat.
Ty Smoke Meat
EP40 has 11 goals. That's ONE MILLION DOLLARS per goal. With production like that, PLAYOFFS here we come !
Was very fortunate to get to the Bell Centre in 1998 and 1999. It was fairly new then was in Montreal for the weekend and happen to be hockey day in Canada weekends both times and you always hear of the magic but you don’t quite get it until you’re actually there and experience it. Ian is right, put it on your bucket list as I must do
His employment with SN and affiliation with the Canucks prevents him from asking the hard questions. The necessary ones that every fan who's supported this team deserves to hear. Like, how does head coach AF still have a job? How does Alvinn and Rutherford?
why tank and try to get one of the top three draft picks when they're just going to "Quinn Hughes" them in the future and sell them off. how about keeping some of the talent, but i guess the canucks don't like doing that, and their history seems to prove that. sad.
Go Habs Go!
As much as EP40 is the source of why the Canucks are last. You don’t trade him. When the Canucks “may”be good again in 3-4 years he’s your 2nd line centre, slightly overpaid based on projections where the cap will be at that time.
Maybe ep40 would play better if there was a supporting cast of better forwards instead of plugs. Thanks rutherford allvin
Hey Ian, I met you on the train back from the Canucks vs Devils game in March 2025 as we rode to Penn Station. You look great.
Boeser is not killing it either, he should be blamed as much as pedey. Rid of both
EP40 is not performing—-he has many games when all he can do is not even get a shot on goal—-and he is eating 20 minutes a game! add in the fact that he is pulling in a 11.6 million dollar contract!Trade him? who wants him with that contract. So Horvat,Miller,Lindholm,Suter go and EP40 stays—and the replacement centers are Cootes 18 and back in junior,Chytil injured for ever,Rossi small Euro center injured now and probably most of the time Blueger another injured Euro for a while the Canucks #1 center was Kamph a player that started the season with-out a team!Get some Canadian players that 1)want to play in Canada2) tough enough to actually play in the games.
To build a team you need an owner who can provide a solid foundation. Aqualini is not that owner. The team was a throw in. All he cared about was the value of the land the arena sits on. His ownership was rewarded by the courts. That's not a good start. In hindsight we would have been better off if the court awarded the team to Gaglardi's group.
Trading Horvat turned into Hronek, trading Miller and Hughes were forced trades. Other than the Miller and Hughes trades it’s hard to find fault. Perhaps they trade Pettersen instead…..overly rich contracts is where I find fault.
Foote will be gone at the end of the year. Team will start all over again. What the hell are you guys doing? Move Myers and Joseph. At least you will get 4rd pick and 5 rd pick.Move Kampf is not doing a thing with Canucks.
Trading for EP40 has one positive impact: it helps reduce the toxic locker room culture. Similarly, Boeser’s career hasn’t been particularly successful, and he seems to be carrying a losing mentality. A fresh start elsewhere would be beneficial for him.
After collecting all the Petterssons and bringing in all the wrong alumni from Pittsburgh, Rutherford's only remaining way to troll the fan base would be to bring in Jack Hughes.
Ep40 takes so much of the fan angst. Personally I think he’s a very good #2 forward. Either as a 2C or 1C with elite winger. He just never was that #1 guy. He’s had long stretches of inconsistency in almost every season, and also stretches of elite play…
Agree with iMac on most things but he is dead wrong about EP 40. He is washed. He was no good at the start of the season either. Trying hard doesn’t cut it. He is paid huge money To. Get. Points.
Trade the second first rounder. Look at the historical 20 to 32 picks taken. The odds are terrible for finding even a serviceable player. Unless Jim Nill is your GM.
Where are the Rutherford comments? Clic bait
Last place team thinks its a hybrid rebuild. Seriously how bad does it need to get for these clowns to wake up. Last by 20 points?
Why the hell would anyone consider letting the idiots that made this roster and created this shit show stay on to try to fix it????
I heard San Jose was inquiring for EP40. How about Sam Dickinson, William Eklund, and Askarov
jimmy did not build those teams
. B.s.