Ex-Canucks coach lashes out at players with 'character issues'

The Vancouver Canucks have struggled in recent seasons. They failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for a second consecutive year. Altogether, the Canucks have missed the playoffs 16 times since the NHL draft lottery began in 2025.

Addressing the issues in Vancouver, former Skills and Development coach Chris Higgins emphasized the need to remove players with character problems. In a discussion with Jamie Dodd and Randip Janda on Sportsnet 650, Higgins pointed out that the team lacks a drive to improve.

“That obsession to get better has been missing in this organization for a long time. It’s been one of my biggest critiques over the last number of years is our best players aren’t obsessed with getting better. We need to reestablish that culture of obsession of getting better every day, and being challenged, and not taking it personally… I feel like that hasn’t been around here for a very long time,” Higgins said.

Higgins, a seasoned NHL player, also added:

“If we’re into year four, five, six, seven, and we’re still talking about preparation and your practice habits, it’s time to get rid of those guys. Like, straight up. That’s too long. Now that’s a character issue.”

Higgins has been closely associated with the Vancouver Canucks for many years. He not only played several seasons for the team but also served as the Assistant Director of Player Development and later as the Skills and Development coach.

Chris Higgins on the Players Vancouver Canucks Need

Following their repeated failures, the Vancouver Canucks are aiming to rebuild to secure a playoff spot in the upcoming season. In his conversation with Jamie Dodd and Randip Janda on Sportsnet 650, Higgins expressed that the team should seek players with “predator eyes.”

He stated:

“I’ve looked at players in the lights of their eyes — I didn’t see it with a lot of guys. I didn’t see the fierceness. It’s hard to describe, when you look into somebody’s eyes as a competitor, you know what those predator eyes look like… Those are hard to get, but those are the guys we need to find.”

As part of their rebuilding efforts, the Vancouver Canucks have recently appointed Ryan Johnson as the new General Manager. Johnson, who played for Vancouver from 2008 to 2010, brings his experience to the organization.