Filip Hronek isn’t sounding like a player ready to pack his bags.
As the Vancouver Canucks keep reshaping their roster around a younger core, the 28-year-old defenseman made it clear he still feels tied to the organization, the city, and the contract he signed after the team’s 2023-24 run.
“We like the city, and obviously the fans are great in Vancouver. They were supporting us even though we didn’t have a good year last year, and they still are showing up to the games, and it was sold out," Hronek told THN's David Alter.
That loyalty matters because Vancouver has already started moving in a very different direction. The Canucks are now building around a new wave of prospects that includes Braeden Cootes, Caleb Malhotra, and Zeev Buium, and the roster around Hronek looks nothing like the one that pushed to the brink of the Conference Finals not long ago.
Hronek, though, remains one of the clearest constants. Acquired by Vancouver in 2023 for a first- and second-round pick in that year’s draft, he found immediate success next to Quinn Hughes and then cashed that in with an eight-year extension that runs through 2031-32. Even after the Canucks’ path shifted sharply following their Game 7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Hronek stayed put.
The organization has since moved on from Hughes, J.T. Miller, Tyler Myers, Conor Garland, and others as it works toward a longer-term contention plan. That has naturally led to speculation that Hronek could become another trade chip as Vancouver looks to stockpile more future assets.
Hronek doesn’t sound interested in going that route.
“Just like it overall in Vancouver, and that’s why I signed there for eight years.”
He added that the pull isn’t just about the city or the fan base. It’s also about staying committed to the deal he already made.
“I think it’s part of it, but it’s more about the commitment to the deal.”
That commitment has only become more important now that Hronek is entering year three of the contract and has taken on a larger leadership role. Vancouver has also lost more veteran presence, with Teddy Blueger departing in free agency and Marcus Pettersson moving on via trade. The club’s offseason additions - Luke Schenn, Brendan Gallagher, Jamie Oleksiak, and Paul Cotter - are the main new faces around him heading into 2026-27.
“There’s been a lot of changes over the summer, and I hope we’re going the right direction, and we’re gonna be way better than last year.”
Hronek also sees himself as part of the bridge between the established players and the next wave. That includes Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, and Elias Pettersson, players he says are making the job easier by how they approach development.
“He’s listening and he wants to get better every day, and it’s the same for [Tom Willander] and [defenceman Elias Pettersson]. It’s easy to deal with them or mentor them because they’re listening and you know they’re trying to get better and want to be better players.”
The Canucks have also undergone major change behind the bench and in the front office. Patrik Allvin and Adam Foote were fired after the season, Jim Rutherford moved into an advising role, Ryan Johnson came in from Abbotsford to serve as GM, Manny Malhotra took over as head coach, and Daniel and Henrik Sedin were elevated from player development roles to Co-Presidents.
Hronek has had only a limited look at Malhotra, but what he has seen has left an impression.
“I don’t know much, I’m not gonna lie,” he said of working with his new Head Coach. “I met him at a couple training camps, and I’d been skating in Abby for like a week when I was injured, so it was fun practices there, and I think it’s really detailed.”
He also believes the Sedins will remain the same people they’ve always been, even with new titles attached to their names.
“They’re great people, and they’re always trying to help with anything, and so I think they will stay the same.”
The Canucks have spent the past few seasons changing shape, and more turnover still appears to be coming as the rebuild continues. Hronek’s view is simple: if he has his way, he’ll be part of whatever comes next.
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