A look at some of the former Canucks around the world set to play in the Central Division in 2026-27.
Former members of the Vancouver Canucks will take the spotlight in this off-season article series. From those skating with new NHL teams heading into the 2026–27 season to those who are now playing for international clubs, these featured players have skated in at least one game at the NHL level as a member of the Canucks.
Today’s segment will take a look at the eight former Canucks that are set to compete for teams in the NHL’s Central Division during the 2026–27 season.
Ian Cole, Chicago Blackhawks
Cole’s tenure in Vancouver was short, only one season long (2023–24), but seemed to leave a lasting impression on the team following his departure. The veteran defenceman has been praised for his leadership even a couple of years after leaving Vancouver. On the ice, Cole made a strong defensive impact for the Canucks, particularly in their first-round series against the Nashville Predators in 2024.
Cole’s 2025–26 season saw him skate for the Utah Mammoth for the second consecutive year, during which he put together a three-goal, 20-assist campaign. After Utah lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first-round of the playoffs, Cole signed a one-year, $4M contract with Chicago.
Noah Juulsen, Colorado Avalanche
The longest time Juulsen has spent with an NHL team through his career so far has been his four-season stretch with the Canucks (2021–22 to 2024–25). A depth defender, the most games he has played in a single NHL season is the 54 he skated in with Vancouver in 2023–24. He departed from the Canucks last off-season, signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.
In his time with the Flyers, Juulsen skated in 52 games and recorded one goal and nine assists. He logged the second-lowest TOI in his career during this time with an average of 13:49 minutes per game. The defenceman signed a two-year, $1.1M AAV contract with the Avalanche in free-agency.
Tyler Myers, Dallas Stars
A Canuck for nearly seven full seasons, Myers first signed a five-year deal with Vancouver during the 2019 free-agency period before inking another contract with the team, this time for three years. Despite some chaotic times with the defenceman on Vancouver’s blueline, by the end of his Canucks tenure, Myers had established himself as one of the team’s leaders.
Myers was traded to the Stars only a couple of days ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, with the defenceman having played in 57 games with Vancouver before his departure. As a member of the Stars for 16 regular-season games in 2025–26, he registered three assists and logged an average of around 17 minutes per game. His current contract will expire at the end of the 2026–27 season.
Casey DeSmith, Dallas Stars
DeSmith’s one year as a member of the Canucks saw the goaltender post a record of 12–9–6, logging a GAA of 2.89 and a SV% of .896. Vancouver’s backup in 2023–24 ended up getting injured during the playoffs, with both his and Thatcher Demko’s injuries forcing Artūrs Šilovs into the starter’s crease mid first-round series. While DeSmith was able to back-up following Šilovs’ first game, the now-Dallas Star didn’t end up playing in any more games.
In free agency in 2024, DeSmith signed a three-year deal with Dallas, making him the Stars’ backup to Jake Oettinger. During the 2025–26 season, DeSmith played in 30 regular season games, registering a record of 15–8–6. He logged a 2.43 GAA and .907 SV%, also collecting one shutout.
Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild
The 2018 seventh-overall draft pick, Hughes played for Vancouver for nearly seven full seasons. During that time, he collected franchise record after franchise record for club defencemen. He was named the 15th captain in franchise history at the beginning of the 2023–24 season — a year in which he also recorded his highest single-season point total (92) and won the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
Hughes was traded to the Wild on December 12, 2025, in a move that would ultimately change the course of Vancouver’s long-term future. Upon joining Minnesota, Hughes put together a five-goal, 48-assist effort in 48 games en route to the post-season. Despite the defenceman logging 15 points in 11 games, Hughes and Minnesota ultimately fell to the Avalanche in the second round. Hughes is entering the final year of his six-year contract and will become a UFA at the end of the 2026–27 season if not signed by then.
May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn ImagesNils Höglander, Nashville Predators
Höglander has only ever played for one NHL team throughout his hockey career, though that will change come the start of the 2026–27 season. The forward, who was Vancouver’s lone selection remaining with the team from the 2019 NHL Draft, has spent the past six seasons as a member of the Canucks, putting together a grand total of 60 goals and 60 assists during that span of time.
In his final season as a member of the Canucks, Höglander skated in 38 games and put up two goals and three assists. He missed the first two months of the season due to an ankle injury sustained during pre-season. One day before the opening of the 2026 free-agency period, Höglander was traded to Nashville in exchange for a third-round pick in 2029.
Pius Suter, St. Louis Blues
In a surprising turn of events, Suter spent some of his time in Vancouver as the Canucks’ first-line center. After J.T. Miller was traded and Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil were both felled by injuries, Suter wound up skating as Vancouver’s number-one center — an opportunity that helped him eventually snag a two-year, $4M AAV contract with the Blues in the following free-agency period.
The 2025–26 season was Suter’s first with the Blues. Despite missing time due to an ankle injury, he still finished the season with 13 goals and 16 assists in 64 games, replicating the point total he registered in his first year with Vancouver.
Nate Schmidt, Utah Mammoth
Vancouver was one of Schmidt’s career stops en route to a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024–25. The defenceman joined the Canucks during the 2020–21 season, scoring five goals and 10 assists in 54 games during the shortened season. He was dealt to the Winnipeg Jets immediately after, where he spent three seasons before heading to Florida.
Schmidt signed a three-year, $3.5M AAV contract with the Mammoth during the 2025 off-season, with the past season being his first with Utah. He ended up skating in all 82 games of the season for the first time in his career, recording five goals and 17 assists in that span of time. He had one assist in six post-season games during Utah’s six-game playoff run.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News