Vancouver Canucks fined $50,000 for violating offseason training rules

Daily Faceoff’s Frank Servalli has reported that the Vancouver Canucks have been fined $50,000 by the NHL for violating offseason training rules.

The team was fined for holding on-ice skating sessions with players after the season ended in mid-April, which goes against the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA.

Teams are unable to have official sessions with coaches or other hockey operations personnel after the NHL season. According to Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks were warned of bigger fines if the practices were to happen again.

It was a difficult season for the Canucks, who finished 22nd in the league with a 38-37-7 record. The Canucks have made it to the postseason just once since 2014-15, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round in 2020 after knocking off Minnesota in the play-in round and St. Louis in the first round.

Vancouver made some big moves this season, trading captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders over a month before the NHL Trade Deadline. The team also fired coach Bruce Boudreau and hired Rick Tocchet, who posted a 20-12-4 record through 36 games.

They have a 3.0 percent chance of landing the first overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft, the lowest odds of any eligible team. Connor Bedard, the top prospect, is from the Vancouver area, as is 2024 top prospect Macklin Celebrini.

In 2016, the Canucks were fined $50,000 for violating the league’s tampering role when then-GM Jim Benning talked about the team’s interest in Steven Stamkos and P.K. Subban.