Teddy Blueger is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
One of the more surprising moments from the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was that the Vancouver Canucks did not trade Teddy Blueger. Leading up to the deadline, reports indicated that there was interest in the 31-year-old center, but at the end of the day, he was not moved. With the trade deadline now complete and Blueger still on the roster, the Canucks should shift their focus to ensure he stays with the organization past this season.
Blueger is at the end of a two-year contract which carries a cap hit of $1.8 million. While he has missed significant time with injury this season, the 2026 Olympian has found ways to step up when he is in the lineup. Over his 15 games, Blueger has collected nine points while throwing 34 hits.
While Blueger is a bottom-six center, he brings plenty of experience and leadership to the organization. He won a Stanley Cup in 2023 with the Vegas Golden Knights and has 433 games of NHL experience under his belt. As mentioned, Blueger also represented his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics and has extensive international experience playing for Latvia throughout his career.
Blueger has also shared publicy that he enjoys playing in Vancouver. Prior to the trade deadline, he told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre, "We'd love to stay. We love the city." Considering where the organization is in the standings and everything that has happened over the past few years, Blueger's desire to stay shows a level of commitement that the Canuck should take seriously.
The question now is, what would a contract extension look like for Blueger? Based on recent contracts signed and the cap continuing to climb, a possible extension could be three years with a cap hit of $2.5 million. This would give Blueger a well-deserved raise while also keeping him around the organization for the first few years of the rebuild.
Mar 6, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesIf Blueger still expresses a desire to stay in Vancouver, the organization needs to ensure they re-sign him before July 1. He leads by example on and off the ice, which is what the Canucks need as they begin this multi-year rebuild. With no need to focus on trades for the next few months, Vancouver's attention should shift to ensuring that Blueger remains in a Canucks jersey for the foreaeeable future.
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