Canucks trade deadline preview: Nearly everyone on table

VANCOUVER — It was only two seasons ago that the Vancouver Canucks were one of the most aggressive buyers ahead of the National Hockey League trade deadline, boldly acquiring centre Elias Lindholm and defenceman Nikita Zadorov on expiring contracts by spending significant assets for players they did not re-sign.

Two deadlines later, the Canucks have plummeted nearly the entire height of the NHL standings, crashing into last place and becoming one of the league’s most motivated sellers. The problem so far is that nobody seems especially impressed by what general manager Patrik Allvin is offering.

As Friday’s deadline approaches — and as of publishing time on Tuesday — the Canucks are still hoping to close a deal on veteran defenceman Tyler Myers while looking for takers on unrestricted-free-agent-eligible forwards Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger.

But facing the franchise’s biggest rebuild this century and their first in the salary-cap era, the Canucks have stocked their sales counter with much more than UFAs, taking calls on nearly all of their veteran players, including $92.8-million enigma Elias Pettersson. With so many of their assets encumbered by contract term and trade restrictions, even players they might ordinarily want to keep around for their rebuild, like Drew O’Connor and Conor Garland, are reportedly in play.

So far, the only guy who seems to have been anyone’s Plan-A was winger Kiefer Sherwood, who was dealt in January to the San Jose Sharks for a pair of second-round picks. But since December’s trade of superstar Quinn Hughes sent the Canucks down a one-way path towards this rebuild, the franchise must find a way to move players now for future help.

With only two Vancouver wins in 21 games in the Year 2026, and lopsided losses piling up, Canucks Nation is screaming for change.

Projected deadline cap space: $6.88 million (plus $5 million once Thatcher Demko is added to season-ending LTIR).

Contracts: 48/50

Draft picks

Needs

Everything. OK, for now, it’s hard to see the Canucks acquiring a goalie. And their porous defence at least features an elite prospect in Zeev Buium and a couple of other encouraging young pieces in Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson (Junior). But the forwards group, especially projecting a couple of years down the road, is a mess and needs an overhaul. There is a crisis at centre. More young players like Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren, acquired from Minnesota in the Hughes blockbuster, will help. But draft picks will do just fine, too, thank you.

Assets to trade

Left-wing Evander Kane is among the many big bets that have failed for management this season. Taken as a salary dump from the Edmonton Oilers in June, which restricted what the Canucks were able to do in free agency, Kane has made minimal impact with 11 goals in 59 games and just hasn’t been the physical presence that was expected. But the 34-year-old has 97 playoff games and 32 playoff goals on his resume, can be difficult to play against and went to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers the last two seasons.

Centre Teddy Blueger is an under-the-radar, handy veteran who was a depth player on the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run three years ago. Coming off two solid seasons as a depth centre and first-unit penalty-killer in Vancouver, Blueger, 31, missed three months of this season with a knee injury. But he has been one of the better Canucks forwards since returning in late January and offers versatility, defensive acumen and leadership-by-example to whoever acquires him.

Right-wing Conor Garland signed a six-year, $36-million contract extension last summer that should age reasonably well for a consistent, relentless play-driver who has generated between 46 and 52 points over each of his four full seasons in Vancouver. But the 29-year-old doesn’t have any trade protection in the final year of his expiring deal, which is partly why he is available. A Boston area native, Garland has been linked to the Bruins in reports this week.

Left-wing Drew O’Connor is one of the few Canucks having a good season (14 goals) and should be part of the team’s future. But the appeal of his heavy, forechecking game, limited no-trade list (12 teams) and muted interest in many of Vancouver’s other assets has the Canucks listening to offers. Vegas has shown interest in O’Connor previously. But with a year remaining under contract at a modest $2.5-million, the 27-year-old is not a player the Canucks can just give away.

Defenceman Tyler Myers has a full no-movement clause and is tied to B.C., where he lives year-round and has support for his family, which includes a son with special needs. But the highly-respected 36-year-old’s NMC diminishes after this season to a 12-team no-trade list for the final year of his contract at $3 million, so Myers understands it’s in his interest now to consider whatever trade options the Canucks present to him. A reported offer from Detroit has been on the table for a week, but Myers wants to see what else may arise before Friday.

Centre Elias Pettersson would seem just about impossible to trade, given his $11.6-million cap hit and confounding under-performance since signing his franchise-record contract 24 months ago. But Pettersson produced 191 points over the two seasons before that, is young enough at 27 to rebound and still has some allure to teams that understand elite talent is hard to find. Detroit and Carolina have frequently been mentioned as potential landing spots, but whatever chance there is of the Canucks unloading their problem centre likely hinges on their willingness to retain salary for another six years.

Potential targets

Centres Marco Kasper or Nate Danielson. If the Canucks make a trade with the Red Wings that involves more than just Myers, Vancouver would love to have either of Detroit’s two young centres if Steve Yzerman is willing to surrender one of them. Kasper is having a slightly disappointing sophomore season, and Danielson is only now dipping his toes into the NHL. The 21-year-olds, both top-10 draft picks, don’t project as first-line NHL centres, but possess both grit and skill and could fill middle-six roles for years.

Left-wing Alexis Lafreniere has been murmured about in Vancouver since the Canucks hired his former agent, Emilie Castonguay, as an assistant GM a couple of years after the New York Rangers drafted the winger first-overall in 2020. Underwhelming so far, Lafreniere and the Rangers probably need to move on from one another. The problem is New York is trying to re-tool or rebuild as well, so it’s hard to see how a trade can work unless the Canucks are willing to include one of their first-round picks, which they are rightfully loath to do.

Centre Matthew Poitras has played nearly all of this season in the American Hockey League after spending large chunks of the last two with the Boston Bruins. Poitras may have been dislodged by Fraser Minten in Boston, but the 21-year-old second-round pick remains a highly-skilled, highly-competitive centre-prospect who would check a lot of boxes for the Canucks’ rebuild.

Right-wing Alexander Holtz is falling into reclamation-project territory as the skilled, seventh-overall pick from 2020 tries to translate his impressive offensive game to the NHL level from the minors. He has just three goals in 28 games this season in Vegas, where the 24-year-old has been a frequent healthy scratch. He could be included in a trade if the Golden Knights really want O’Connor.

Something else to consider

Except for top defenceman Filip Hronek, virtually every Canuck over the age of 25 is available. The team not only needs to rebuild its roster, but also change its culture. Low performance, big salaries and high trade restrictions make deals difficult for players like Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser, but nothing Vancouver does at this year’s deadline should shock anyone. Except doing nothing.