The Vancouver Canucks went into the summer trying to patch together a team that has already been torn down around its young core, and the result was a mix of veteran additions, one major extension, and not much reason to expect a quick climb out of the basement.
Their biggest move was locking in Zeev Buium, who has already become a centerpiece of the rebuild after just 80 NHL games. The 20-year-old signed an eight-year contract with a $9.38 million annual cap hit, and it starts next season. For a club trying to define its future, that deal is the clearest statement it made.
The draft brought another headline, though this one came with a familiar surname. Before June’s draft, the Canucks hired Manny Malhotra, who spent three seasons with the team from 2010-11 until 2012-13 and helped them reach their second Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2011.
Not long after that, Vancouver used the third overall pick on his son, Caleb. The fit was more about talent than family tree - Caleb Malhotra was viewed as one of the top prospects after putting up 29 goals and 84 points in 67 regular-season games for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, then adding 13 goals and 26 points in 15 playoff games.
He’s headed to Boston University for the 2026-27 season.
After that, the Canucks leaned hard into veteran help. They acquired Brendan Gallagher after 14 seasons with the Montréal Canadiens.
Gallagher was born in Edmonton, but he grew up in the Vancouver metro area and played junior hockey with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. They also brought back Luke Schenn for a second stint, adding another veteran voice on the blue line, and signed Jamie Oleksiak as well.
The smaller additions included Paul Cotter, Akil Thomas, Trey Fix-Wolansky, and Matthew Steinburg.
The departures weren’t as dramatic as the standings might suggest, but there were still some notable exits. Nils Höglander, who had 24 goals and 36 points in 2023-24, was moved after a rough 2025-26 in which he scored just two goals and five points in 38 games. He was dealt for a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft.
Marcus Pettersson also moved on in a trade back to the New York Rangers, who sent a 2030 first-rounder the other way. Pettersson had come to Vancouver in February 2025 from the Rangers in a deal built around a first-round pick, so that was a quick turn.
A few other names from last season are still unresolved or elsewhere. Evander Kane remains a free agent and likely has played his last game for the Canucks.
Jayden Grubbe, also formerly in the Oilers organization, is a free agent too, as is Derek Forbort, who appeared in only two games for Vancouver last season. Teddy Blueger signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
As for the outlook, there isn’t much mystery left.
They’re going to be bad. I don’t think I need to elaborate further.
In Other News...
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Mike Babcock, though, was not interested in celebrating the mood around the arena after the loss. The Oilers coach turned his focus straight to the other end of the ice and made it clear he expected more from his team without the puck, leaving the performance as much a warning as a takeaway for a club that already knows its margin for error can be thin. [Read more 🡒]
Gretzky Just Gave Oilers Fans A Reason To Exhale On McDavid
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Gretzky also said he hopes McDavid eventually gets the Stanley Cup finish that has so far eluded him, pointing to the way the Oilers captain carries himself and his constant drive to win. For a fan base that lives and dies with McDavids decisions, the timing matters too, because he wont be able to sign another extension until July 1, 2027, leaving plenty of runway for the speculation that always follows a player of his stature. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Face A Bigger Nugent-Hopkins Concern Than Fans Expected
The Oilers forward depth took another hit Monday when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was placed on injured reserve after a lower-body injury suffered late in practice. The timing adds another layer of concern for Edmonton, which has already been managing a crowded injury list and now has to navigate a stretch without one of its most reliable two-way centers, with the expectation being that the absence could last about two weeks.
Josh Samanski was recalled under emergency conditions to help fill the gap up front, giving the Oilers another temporary option while the lineup stays in flux. Edmonton also has Matt Savoie and Alec Regula on long-term injured reserve with month-to-month timelines, so Nugent-Hopkins status only sharpens the pressure on a depth chart that is already being tested in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]