Vancouver Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson discussed the team’s first five games and his approach to building structure during the first intermission of Saturday’s matchup against the New Jersey Devils.
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Vancouver Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson was interviewed during the first intermission of Saturday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, providing an assessment of the team’s start to the 2026-27 season.
Johnson said the Canucks are still working to implement changes quickly, adding that the group has competed hard for each other. “Well, we’re trying to implement a lot in a short amount of time,” Johnson said. “But you’ve seen the changes. Some of the structure that’s been put in place. Obviously, the guys have competed extremely hard for each other, so there’s some positives. We’re taking it bit by bit here. But I think, you know, it’s an exciting group.”
Through the first five games of the Ryan Johnson era, Vancouver has started the 2026-27 campaign with a 2-3-0 record and a goal differential of -4, and Johnson said the team has focused on simplifying while continuing to put the structure in place. He added: “We found a way to create offence in many different ways. Still a long ways to go for the group. We’ve tried to simplify it as much as we can, but we’re trying to implement some things as we move around.”
One of the main storylines heading into the season was what sort of play the team would get from centre Elias Pettersson. Johnson said Pettersson, 27, came prepared and has been competing physically while producing offence. “Well, proud of him. He came in prepared. A lot of good conversations of just putting him in an environment to be comfortable,” Johnson said. “When I think you do that, you allow a player to get uncomfortable in his own way. And I think you see Petey, the way he’s competing, the physicality, and obviously he’s been able to produce some offence.”
Johnson pointed to Pettersson’s output over the opening stretch, saying the centre has “played excellent through five games,” after starting the season with eight points in five games.
With the Canucks described as in a rebuild, Johnson said the emphasis remains on process rather than results. “Well, we’re all naturally competitive. We all want to win hockey games,” he said. “I think what we focused on with this group is, right from day one at training camp, is let’s not get result-based. If we get so focused on the result, we’re gonna lose what we’re trying to get here in the structure and compete and get that in place.”
Johnson said practices and day-to-day intensity are meant to drive eventual wins. “We’ve challenged them to take their eyes off that. To focus on the practices and how intense we can be on the day-to-day. That will roll into the games, and if we do it consistently enough, eventually the wins will come.”
Johnson also discussed how the team is creating an environment for players to learn from mistakes without losing ice time. “Absolutely, we want guys to be able to make mistakes, learn from them, address them the next day, and then not continue to make them again and again,” he said. “Some of that falls within them trusting the structure and learning everything that is going into place.”
He said the coaching staff, including Manny Malhotra, is looking at pacing what players are asked to absorb and helping them avoid repeating errors. “Sometimes we can’t throw too much at them too quickly. We’ve got to get the first step figured out. Then we’ll take the next step,” Johnson said. “But obviously, I want guys to not be squeezing their sticks and feel like, hey, I’ve got the ability to try some things. The coaching staff will teach them through it in hopes that we don’t continue to make the same mistakes again and again.”
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