The Vancouver Canucks didn’t exactly flood the market when free agency opened, and they’ve been just as quiet since. Their summer additions are modest: defencemen Jamie Oleksiak and Luke Schenn, bottom-six forward Paul Cotter, plus AHL depth in Akil Thomas, Trey Fix-Wolansky, and Matthew Stienburg.
That restraint makes sense on one level. The Canucks are rebuilding, and the ideal outcome this season would be another last-place finish and, with it, the franchise’s first-ever chance to pick first overall in the NHL draft. Immediate improvement isn’t the mission.
But rebuilds still need movable pieces, and that’s where the conversation gets interesting. Vancouver does have a few pending unrestricted free agents who could become trade bait later on: Filip Chytil, Brendan Gallagher, Drew O’Connor, Paul Cotter, and Luke Schenn.
The problem is obvious. It’s tough to picture any of those players returning a premium draft pick unless Chytil stays healthy all year or O’Connor suddenly takes off.
So the question becomes whether the Canucks should add another free agent before training camp.
There are two obvious tests. First, does the roster have openings that would let a newcomer actually play enough to show well for a contender? Second, can the team add someone without shutting the door on a younger player who needs that ice time?
There are also internal questions Vancouver can’t answer from the outside: how much risk are they willing to take on winning a few extra games, and does ownership want to take on more salary this season?
Looking strictly at the roster, there are places where another body could fit.
At forward, the left side is light. Jake DeBrusk is the only established top-six winger there, though Liam Öhgren showed some promise last season.
Drew O’Connor and Paul Cotter are both potential trade pieces, which means it makes sense to leave room for them to move up the lineup. Behind them, Max Sasson and Arshdeep Bains sit in that awkward middle ground - too old to be treated like prospects, not quite proven enough to be locked in as NHL regulars.
That’s part of why Adam Novotny has buzz as a possible training camp surprise. There’s a path for him to jump past Cotter, Sasson, and Bains and force his way onto the roster.
At the same time, the left side is crowded enough that a veteran winger like Michael Bunting or Jonathan Drouin would have a hard time finding a clear lane.
Down the middle, the Canucks have some depth, but not much in the way of penalty-killing help. That opens a door for Ilya Safonov to grab a bottom-six role.
Braeden Cootes is also in the mix, though he might be better served starting the year in Abbotsford. A case could be made for adding another bottom-six centre, especially with Chytil’s health still uncertain, but the market doesn’t offer much beyond Adam Henrique and David Kämpf.
For now, it probably makes more sense to keep room available for Cootes and Aatu Räty.
Right wing is where the shortage really jumps out.
Linus Karlsson sits in that borderline category because he’s 26 - not really a young prospect anymore, but not established enough to be called a veteran. This shapes up as a big season for him, with a chance to push for a top-six spot alongside Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Brendan Gallagher.
Beyond that, though, the cupboard is thin. Chytil could help there if he shifts over from centre, but otherwise the depth is sparse.
That’s why a winger like Vladimir Tarasenko or Eeli Tolvanen at least makes some sense as a target. Tolvanen, in particular, checks a lot of boxes: he’s 26, can handle himself defensively, and can score.
On defence, the picture is cleaner. Jamie Oleksiak and Luke Schenn give the Canucks veteran support while still leaving room for Zeev Buium, Elias Pettersson, and Tom Willander. Kirill Kudryavtsev, Victor Mancini, and possibly Sawyer Mynio are there to compete for the seventh spot.
Even so, the depth beyond the top names is thin enough that another NHL-level defenceman wouldn’t be a crazy idea. Jimmy Schuldt and Jack Thompson are in the mix, but whether Vancouver is comfortable with them playing actual NHL games is another matter.
In goal, though, the answer seems simple. Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen are set, and the Canucks appear content to use Nikita Tolopilo if injuries hit.
Ty Young is next in line and is due for a look to see whether he can handle NHL action. A third goalie signing feels extremely unlikely.
In Other News...
Canadiens Trade Debate Just Got More Interesting Up Front
The Canucks rebuild has already put plenty of names into circulation, and Jake DeBrusk is now part of that conversation as Montreal continues to search for more finishing touch up front. DeBrusks recent play and contract situation have made him an easy player to connect to the Canadiens, especially with a roster that could use another proven winger who can slide into a top-six role and help drive offense.
For Vancouver, the appeal is obvious in a different way. If the front office is looking to reshape the roster around younger pieces and future flexibility, DeBrusk becomes the sort of player who can draw interest from a team trying to climb faster. The fit makes sense on paper, but for now it remains just that, with no trade or confirmation on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Are Finally Choosing A Direction Fans Have Been Begging For
After years of searching for the right mix, the Canucks have finally started leaning into a direction that looks built for more than a quick fix. Ryan Johnson stepping in as general manager and Manny Malhotra taking over behind the bench signals a clean shift in tone, with the organization now emphasizing a longer rebuild, future assets and a stronger push to develop younger talent like prospect Caleb Malhotra.
That approach also comes with the part fans usually ask for until it arrives: patience. Vancouver is prepared for some difficult decisions on veteran players and their roles in what comes next, including moving names such as Marcus Pettersson as part of the reset, and the team has acknowledged there may be losing seasons along the way before the plan starts paying off. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Rebuild Now Hinges On A New NHL Reality
The NHLs changing economics are reshaping the way teams build, and Vancouvers rebuild sits right in the middle of it. Bigger contracts are becoming more common, the salary cap keeps climbing and clubs are increasingly locking up young players based more on what they expect them to become than on what they have already done. For a Canucks team trying to climb back into contention, that shift matters because roster construction is no longer just about finding value, but about being ready to commit early and bet on the right core.
What makes the new reality even more important is how much player empowerment now shapes those decisions. Elite talent has more leverage than ever, and teams are judged not only on their cap plans but on whether they create an environment players want to stay in. For Vancouver, the rebuild is not just about drafting well and managing money, it is also about making the organization the kind of place that can keep top-end talent in the fold when the next wave of choices arrives. [Read more 🡒]