But do any of those players actually require waivers?<\/p>\n
On the Canucks, there really aren\u2019t any bubble players they could lose on waivers. Goaltender Nikita Tolopilo would be the most obvious one, although there would theoretically be just a handful of takers. Of course, it only takes one team to claim him.<\/p>\n
In total, the Canucks have 16 waiver-eligible players who are virtual locks to begin the season with the team.<\/p>\n
But who is waiver-exempt, and how long until some of these players do require waivers? Let\u2019s break that down here, using PuckPedia\u2019s waiver tracker.<\/a><\/p>\n Canucks who could lose waiver status in \u201926-27 The 6-foot-5 defenceman will likely be the first Canucks player to see his waiver status change.<\/p>\n Mancini has 15 games left of his waiver-exempt status. In the likely event that he makes the team, Mancini could become waiver-eligible early in the year.<\/p>\n He should compete with Luke Schenn for a right-defence spot on the third pairing. If he underperforms, the Canucks could send him to Abbotsford and keep him there to preserve his waiver status for a little longer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that he did sign a one-way contract, so he\u2019ll receive his full base salary of $950,000, whether he plays in Vancouver or Abbotsford.<\/p>\n 2. Elias Pettersson<\/p>\n The rugged, Swedish blueliner has already played 98 games for the Canucks. Once he plays 62 more, he\u2019ll officially become waiver-eligible.<\/p>\n D-Petey played 70 games for the Canucks last season. He projects to slot back in on the Canucks third pair.<\/p>\n 3. Liam Ohgren<\/p>\n Liam Ohgren perhaps played more NHL games than he anticipated last season after being traded from the Minnesota Wild to the Vancouver Canucks.<\/p>\n The 22-year-0ld has played 97 career games, 51 of them coming with the Canucks. He\u2019ll be waiver-eligible once he plays 63 more NHL games.<\/p>\n 4. Zeev Buium It would be a successful season if Buium loses his waiver-exempt status for the Canucks. (Brad Penner\/Imagn Images)<\/p>\n If Zeev Buium loses his waiver-exempt status this season, that would be a good thing for the Canucks.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old defenceman would need to play 80 games next season to become waiver-eligible.<\/p>\n Other young Canucks and their waiver status<\/p>\n A couple of important young Canucks will maintain their waiver-exempt status, no matter what happens in 2026-27.<\/p>\n Tom Willander played 70 games last season, meaning he has 90 more to go until he hits the 160 NHL-game threshold before becoming waiver-eligible.<\/p>\n Although Jonathan Lekkerimaki is entering his draft-plus-five season, he\u2019s only played 37 NHL games. However, this is his final season of being waiver-exempt.<\/p>\n Here are other Canucks players who have one more season of being waiver-exempt:<\/p>\n Kirill Kudryavtsev
\n1. Victor Mancini<\/p>\n
\n![\"zeev](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/zeev-buium-canucks.jpg\"\/ "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nTy Mueller
\nIlya Safonov
\nChase Wouters<\/p>\n
![\"Kudryavtsev](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kudryavtsev-canucks.jpg\"\/ "\\"\\"")
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