Thomas Drance

🗣️ This city loves this team and this city loves going to hockey games. That should give you a pretty high floor to begin a rebuild... There is something to build off here... 👉 @JamieDodd, @ThomasDrance, & @DonnieandDhali talk about the fan buy-in to the rebuild.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that defenseman Victor Hedman will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. No further details will be shared, and the team asks that his privacy be respected at this time.

From @TheAthletic: From TikTok to the rink, the new generation of NHL stars is disrupting decades of "unwritten rules." Our columnist explores how Gen Z’s confidence and personality are redefining the sport for a louder, more expressive future. nyti.ms/41rMuu8

What I’m seeing from Zeev Buium, Tom Willander and the #Canucks down the stretch: nytimes.com/athletic/71459… via @NYTimes

@EastVan808 @puckerglen @MooseBeSocial @Sportsnet650 @JamieDodd This isn’t done every year, and it’s clear why this year is different. This is a simply comms. recommendation to an organization that will find themselves selling hope/long-term vision + is compromised in so doing by 20 years of history, but should work to change that.

It's dumb. Media just wants to grill him. They do this every year. I don't need Aquilini to tell me they're rebuilding. I don't need to make him look stupid. I have no interest in listening to ______ podcast while they disect every word and trash him for his choice of vocabulary. None of the that matters. Spare me the speech. Just show me. I can connect the dots from there. Also, JR is a much better interview anyway.

🗣️ Maybe I'm not smart enough to interpret the genius messaging that the Canucks have been using... but I see moving goalposts and very muddy water in terms of... what the club thinks they're doing here. 👉 @jamiedodd & @thomasdrance react to the Canucks' letter.

@EastVan808 @Sportsnet650 @JamieDodd It doesn’t even have to be ownership directly btw. Team president or a legitimate ownership proxy can handle the job in some organizations, although in Vancouver’s case they haven’t built up their business-side president as a spokesperson to accomplish this.

Fair enough. If you were to be honest though, do you think most media in attendance would just be looking for headlines and an opportunity to rip Aquilini? I get that you guys want new content to discuss on 650, but I feel like it's a bit of a trap. I don't see any other scenario playing out other than every word of Aquilini's being dissected and him getting absolutely roasted on radio and Twitter afterwards. That's why I don't see it happening.

@EastVan808 @Sportsnet650 @JamieDodd I think once the club knows what’s next - and I’d bet they don’t quite know that just yet, nor do they have to, totally reasonable to take some time to evaluate and plot when a season goes this sideways - they need to communicate their plan clearly from above the hockey ops level

@EastVan808 @Sportsnet650 @JamieDodd Yes it is customary in major Canadian hockey markets for ownership to meet with the media (or at least put out a statement) when significantly shifting the direction of a team. In New York you've had the letters, in Montreal you had the fresh start (globalnews.ca/news/8409748/c…) etc.

Why though? Is it standard for owners to sit in front of a mic and get slaughtered by media? Aquilini writes the cheques. I don't need to see him get ripped by you (Drance), Wyatt, PJ and Farhan. I really don't care what he has to say. JR and Allvin have been on the same page for a while now (after the hybrid retool comment). They're rebuilding. Their team is going to be trash next year. They can't even take a short cut if they wanted to. They're at least 3 years away from being competitive. I think it's pretty obvious what path they're on. Do you want to confront Aquilini about raising ticket prices? If I was him, I'd hang back and let my President and GM handle media obligations. That's their job.

“This town will never support a rebuild.”

Brock Boeser, with his 17th, has tied San Jose Sharks forward Kiefer Sherwood as the #Canucks leading goal scorer for the 2025-26 season.

A very funny sequence as an uncalled trip by a Canucks forward caused Lacombe to fall and trip a second Canucks player. The result is a penalty call against the Ducks.

Beckett Sennecke is exceptionally cool. Unbelievable spin pass in the neutral zone to set up the 1-1 goal.

With Kampf traded, the #Canucks have a new 1C

everything you need to know about tonight’s #Canucks vs Ducks game: Elias Pettersson Elias Pettersson Marcus Pettersson Linus Karlsson Leo Carlsson John Carlson

Anton Frondell is skating with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene on the top line.

#Canucks off-season to do list: - Evaluate current club leadership - Think long-term with Öhgren, Buium extensions - Pitch Vitali Pinchuk - Hope for some lottery luck - Explain the path forward directly of Vancouver fans Via @TheAthleticNHL: nytimes.com/athletic/71397…

Lines at #Canucks practice: O’Connor - Pettersson - Kane Öhgren - Rossi - Boeser Sasson - Blueger - Karlsson DeBrusk - Räty - Douglas E. Pettersson - Joseph (Hronek) M. Pettersson - Willander Buium - Mancini