Following one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the Vancouver Canucks made changes in the front office and behind the bench. Having made Ryan Johnson their new general manager and Manny Malhotra their new head coach, it’s expected that roster changes will be coming.
The Canucks were among the busiest teams in this season’s trade market, shipping out such notable players as Quinn Hughes, Kiefer Sherwood, Conor Garland, and Tyler Myers. Johnson could continue the process as he rebuilds his roster.
On June 17, Patrick Johnston of The Vancouver Province reported sources claiming the Canucks were “virtually shopping everyone this season.” He’d heard that forwards Brock Boeser, Nils Hoglander, Jake DeBrusk, and center Elias Pettersson were being shopped around the league.
DeBrusk seems the most likely trade candidate. He’s expressed his reluctance to be part of a rebuilding roster and carries an affordable $5.5 million annual cap hit. According to Johnston, the Ottawa Senators were believed to be interested in DeBrusk.
The Canucks will continue to overhaul their roster by peddling veterans for draft picks, prospects, and promising NHL players, with an emphasis on the latter to accelerate their rebuild. Pettersson and Boeser will also have value in the trade market, but their expensive contracts won’t be easy to move.