A new interview with former Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar has brought to light new details on last season's drama. The Vancouver Canucks had an incredibly turbulent season in 2024-25 that ultimately led them to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The drama began with reported locker room issues and <a href='https://www.nhl.com/news/jt-miller-elias-petterson-issue-impacting-vancouver' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>personal problems between stars J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.</a> Things got so bad that Miller was eventually traded to the New York Rangers. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/espn/status/1885499710888100119'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> After the season concluded the drama ramped back up again as issues began with head coach Rick Tocchet and the front office. These issues led <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/vancouver-canucks/rick-tocchet-will-not-be-returning-as-canucks-head-coach-per-elliotte-friedman' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Tocchet to step down from his position as head coach</a> to be replaced by Adam Foote. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/nhl/status/1922702514706690353'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> In a new interview with RG Media, former assistant coach Sergei Gonchar addressed all of these issues and how they plagued the team throughout the year. <h3>Sergei Gonchar Pulls Back The Curtain On Drama Filled Season In Vancouver</h3> First, Gonchar spoke about the early season issues with J.T. Miller and how the constant trade rumors impacted the team. I think the big factor was the whole trade situation. There was a long buildup, lots of uncertainty, and everyone lived with that question hanging over the season. That had a huge impact on the team. Not even the trade itself, but the preparation for it. When these things drag on, of course it affects the group. Gonchar then continues and admits that the trade involving Miller was one that ended up being a mistake when it comes to straight up player for player value. Miller is a top-level player; you don't just trade someone like that without getting equal value. For the GM, making that call wasn't easy, and it took time. Gonchar then moved on to the parting of ways with Rick Tocchet by Patrik Allvin, Jim Rutherford, and the Canucks. Gonchar was not surprised by the move revealing that a change seemed to be inevitable with how things were going in the locker room. It was surprising and not surprising at the same time. Being inside, seeing how things were going, I can't say it was completely out of the blue. I had a feeling it might happen. The season was tough, a lot of things piled up, and Rick also wanted to be closer to his family. That all played a role. As an assistant I could fly back home sometimes, but a head coach can't just leave in the middle of the season. This is the first time a reason was given outside of Tocchet wanting to be closer to family for what went wrong in extension talks. It was always speculated that poor team performance and chemistry led to Tocchet's decision but this has now at least in part been confirmed by Gonchar. Either way, these issues are now in the past and new head coach Adam Foote will set out to get the organization back on track heading toward a Stanley Cup Playoff berth in 2025-26.