The Canucks may be early in the 2026-27 season, but the roster math for 2027-28 is already coming into focus.
That’s the reality of a rebuild: the future starts crowding the present pretty quickly. Vancouver doesn’t have a rookie on its roster right now, but that’s not really the point. The point is that help should start arriving soon, and when it does, the Canucks are going to need places to put it.
A few of those openings could come naturally. Others may take a little more work.
The clearest pressure point is down the middle. Braeden Cootes looks like a real candidate to force his way into the lineup in his third training camp, and he may already have around nine NHL games under his belt by then.
More AHL time is possible, but it doesn’t sound likely. If he lands, the Canucks need a centre spot.
Caleb Malhotra makes the picture even tighter. He doesn’t have to make the team next year, but with his status as the most recent third overall pick, it would be a disappointment if he didn’t at least push hard for it.
There’s even a chance he signs his ELC, finishes this season with Vancouver, and never leaves. If both Cootes and Malhotra are pushing for full-time jobs next year, that means two centre spots would have to open up.
Then there’s Adam Novotny, who was the rookie that made the loudest case in Training Camp ’26 after going 24th overall. He’s back in the OHL now and off to what can only be called a dominant start.
He should be in the mix again next year, and the Canucks are likely to want a path ready for him. If he earns his way in, that means opening a wing spot, at minimum one in the top nine.
Kirill Kudryavtsev looks even more straightforward. By merit, he probably should have made the team this season after clearly outplaying Victor Mancini at camp.
Next year, with his waiver-exempt status about to disappear and Manny Malhotra already trusting him, it’s tough to picture him staying out. He gives the Canucks some flexibility because he can play either side, so they just need a general defensive opening rather than a specific left- or right-side slot.
Leevi Merilainen is a slightly different case, since he’s not technically a rookie and is already on the roster. But he doesn’t really have a true home right now; he’s filling Thatcher Demko’s spot while Demko is on IR.
If Demko isn’t still on IR next season, or ends up back there after returning, Vancouver would need to move a goalie out to keep Merilainen full-time. Based on the early returns, that’s probably something they’d like to do.
There’s also the possibility that another young forward forces the issue. Ty Mueller, Ilya Safonov, Riley Patterson, and Vilmer Alriksson are all names to watch, and with another year of development behind them by Training Camp ’27, at least one of them could look far more NHL-ready. That would put even more pressure on the forward group and could mean one more spot has to be cleared.
And then there’s the big wildcard: the 2027 top pick. Everyone wants Vancouver back near the top of the draft board, maybe even at the very top.
If that happens, there’s a real chance that player jumps straight into the NHL too. Since no one knows what position that prospect will play yet, the safest bet is that the roster has to stay flexible.
So how does Vancouver make room?
A lot of it can happen through contracts expiring. Up front, Filip Chytil, Brendan Gallagher, Drew O’Connor, and Paul Cotter are all set to become UFAs after this season if they aren’t extended.
Arshdeep Bains could join them unless he plays 27 more games this year, which seems likely. On the blue line, Luke Schenn and Guillaume Brisebois will also be UFAs.
That could create enough openings overall, though not necessarily in the right places.
Centre remains the toughest puzzle. The Canucks will have Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, and Max Sasson under contract going into next season, and Aatu Räty will be heading toward restricted free agency.
Keeping one centre slot open for Cootes or Malhotra feels manageable. Keeping two open probably means trading a centre before next season.
Goaltending is murkier, too. Demko and Kevin Lankinen are both under contract beyond next year, while Merilainen will be an RFA after this season. If Vancouver wants to keep Merilainen, that likely means either Demko staying on IR or one of Demko and Lankinen being moved.
Still, none of this runs against the Canucks’ broader direction. Most of the spots they’ll need to create can probably be cleared by moving on from players they were likely to lose eventually anyway. The only real difference may be timing: some of those decisions might have to come a little earlier than planned.
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