Vancouver Canucks Trade Chips: Where Could They Go And What Might They Land?

After a second straight subpar season, the Vancouver Canucks are embarking on a full roster rebuild that began in earnest this past year with the trading of superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. This summer, the yard sale continued as the Canucks dealt veteran blueliner Marcus Pettersson to the New York Rangers.

New Canucks GM Ryan Johnson has a mandate to build a new generation of the team, and that almost certainly means Vancouver will trade many of its veterans in return for draft picks and prospects. But what specific players are likely to be traded at some point this season? 

Here are the Canucks players many believe to be on the trade block, and what Johnson can expect to receive in trades for them:

The elephant in the room in Vancouver is Pettersson, who has six years left on a contract paying him $11.6 million per season. The 27-year-old has seen his offensive totals fall off a cliff over the past two seasons, and there aren’t a ton of teams that will be interested in making that type of commitment to a player who hasn’t been able to adjust his game to remain elite the way he was prior to 2024. 

Things can change on a dime in the NHL, and we’re of the opinion that Johnson is hanging on to Pettersson (as opposed to dealing him while being forced to retain a good deal of that salary) to see how things develop with potential suitors. For instance, all it could take would be a significant injury to a team with designs on a Stanley Cup championship to make that team decide to meet Johnson’s trade demands for Pettersson. 

Pettersson may well prove to be a mediocre player for the rest of his career. Still, it’s Johnson’s job to maximize the return on any player, and holding on to Pettersson and trading him deeper into the regular season could give this Canucks team the shot in the arm it needs in terms of prospects and draft picks.

We should all know by now how much teams value goaltending, and the Canucks have a prime trade prospect in Demko. The 30-year-old is entering the first year of a three-year contract extension paying him $8.5 million per season, a very affordable number for a goalie whose save percentage was well above the .900 mark up until the past two seasons. However, Demko has struggled to stay healthy, making only 43 appearances in the past two years.

Demko also has a no-trade clause, giving him the ultimate say in where he plays. But sticking around in Vancouver as they build from the ground up doesn’t feel like the best use of his services. Any team that finds itself in trouble with its netminding – either from a performance problem or a staying-healthy problem – could step up with the right offer for Demko.

Boeser has been one of Vancouver’s most reliable offensive producers, posting at least 20 goals in seven of his nine NHL seasons – and he missed at least 10 percent of the season the two times he didn’t reach that plateau. So you know what you’re getting with the 29-year-old, who is making $7.25 million for the next six seasons. Boeser also has a full no-move clause right now, so Johnson would have to work with him to find a new home.

Is Boeser capable of reaching the 40-goal mark as he did in 2023-24? If so, he could be a difference-maker for a Cup front-runner seeking offensive help. Johnson needs to drive a hard bargain for all his players, Boeser included. But Boeser doesn’t need to spend his prime years in the middle of a rebuild. He should welcome a trade.

DeBrusk signed a seven-year contract extension two summers ago, paying him $5.5 million per season beginning in 2024-25. But he’s already spoken publicly about not wanting to be on a rebuilding team, and it’s hard to blame the 29-year-old.

DeBrusk has produced 23 goals or more in five of his nine NHL seasons, and while he does have a full no-move clause, if Johnson comes to him with a deal to a true Cup contender, you have to imagine DeBrusk would jump at the opportunity. Vancouver’s rebuild will take time, and time is what veterans like DeBrusk don’t have a lot of.

DeBrusk would be a nice fit on a team like the Edmonton Oilers or Montreal Canadiens, but only if the price is right for Johnson. He should be able to command a meaningful trade return for DeBrusk, and again, it’s all about young players and draft picks for Vancouver. DeBrusk may not cause a bidding war, but he is a legit secondary scorer, and he’ll have a team willing to meet the Canucks’ price.

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