The Canucks still have room to maneuver this offseason, and GM Ryan Johnson isn’t shutting the door on another addition before camp opens.
Speaking with Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province earlier this week, Johnson said he’s still weighing whether to bring in another player, even though he’s comfortable with the group in place right now.
“I am looking … not in the sense of trying to solve a problem, maybe some insurance, some coverage, or maybe something that supports us. I’m happy right now with the competition, with the groups of players that would be there right now.”
That leaves Vancouver in a familiar spot: not necessarily hunting for a major splash, but still open to a veteran free agent if the fit makes sense. There’s enough cap space to make that happen, too. The Canucks are set to enter camp with nearly $18MM in cap room, according to PuckPedia, and while the expectation is that they won’t spend anywhere near the Upper Limit, there’s still flexibility if they want it.
A possible add could serve a few different purposes. It might give a young player more time in a bigger role with AHL Abbotsford. It could also work as injury insurance or a short-term piece with an eye toward flipping that player for future assets closer to the trade deadline.
The biggest unresolved issue, though, remains Thatcher Demko.
In another column, Johnston passed along Johnson’s update on the goaltender, who is coming back from hip surgery. The message was encouraging in one sense: Johnson said Demko has had a great summer physically and mentally.
But there’s still no firm target for when he’ll actually be back in the lineup. The organization wants to be careful and make sure he gets through the last stages of recovery the right way.
That uncertainty is exactly why Vancouver added veteran Chris Driedger on a PTO deal Thursday. If Demko isn’t ready for the start of the season, Driedger could be in line for a full contract to stay in the organization.
Demko’s situation also affects Nikita Tolopilo. Right now, Tolopilo is the likely backup plan behind Kevin Lankinen if Demko remains out. But once Demko returns, Tolopilo drops back into third-string territory.
That’s not a small detail. Tolopilo is waiver-eligible for the first time, and with more teams willing to carry three goalies, there’s a real possibility he could be claimed. Johnson told NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley that carrying three goaltenders is something the club will consider, though he also made clear it’s not a setup he likes for the goalies or the coaches.
Tolopilo appeared in 21 games with Vancouver last season and posted a .881 SV%. He has one year left on his deal at the league minimum salary of $850K.
Demko’s recovery gives Johnson a little more time to sort out that picture, but eventually the Canucks will have to decide what Tolopilo’s role looks like once their starter is back.
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Cale Makars new eight-year, $163.2 million deal with Colorado is the kind of contract that reshapes the market, and it also helps clarify whats coming next around the NHL. For Vancouver, the bigger takeaway is the timing: the Canucks are set to enter 2027-28 with significant salary-cap room and roster flexibility, a rare position for a team trying to move from rebuilding to contending.
With 17 contracts already on the books and more than $50 million in space, the Canucks could finally be in position to chase elite free agents instead of hoping they emerge through the draft and development pipeline alone. The opportunity is obvious, but so is the challenge, because turning that cap room into meaningful progress will depend on smart planning from general manager Ryan Johnson and ownership long before those players ever reach the market. [Read more 🡒]
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For Vancouver, the ripple effect is worth watching because any change in the Pacific Division race tends to reshape the market around it. The Canucks are already being linked to a rebuild with names such as Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser in the mix, while Montreal prospect Adam Engstrom has also drawn trade interest, which adds another layer to a league that can shift fast once teams start looking for short-term fixes and longer-term answers. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Face A Bigger Bet Than Fans Might Expect This Season
The Canucks enter the season with a couple of quieter benchmarks attached to players whose roles could shape plenty of nights in Vancouver. Kevin Lankinens path to 20 wins depends on both opportunity and stability in net, especially with Thatcher Demkos health still a lingering variable, while Aatu Rtys case rests more on whether his offense can take another step after showing enough promise in earlier seasons.
Rty may not be the headline name in this discussion, but the logic behind his 30-point chase is easier to see than the goalie math. Lankinens past performance suggests he can help if called on, yet the combination of workload, team context and the uncertainty around the crease makes his win total a tougher bet. Rty, meanwhile, has a clearer runway to meaningful production, which is why his target feels more attainable even before the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]