The seven years that Tyler Myers spent with the Canucks was nothing short of memorable.
In the Vancouver Canucks’ recent history, there may not be a player who endured more of a redemption arc than Tyler Myers. The defenceman, who was traded to the Dallas Stars after seven long seasons with the Canucks, first joined the organization after signing a five-year contract with Vancouver during the 2019 free agency period.
Chaotic in its own right, the lead-up to free agency was filled with questions for a young Vancouver team that looked poised to contend after adding a few big pieces and a couple seasons to their core. The Canucks were coming off a season that saw Elias Pettersson win the Calder Memorial Trophy, Bo Horvat make an even stronger campaign to become Vancouver’s next captain, and Quinn Hughes make his NHL debut. They just needed a few more pieces before they could make a big splash in the post-season.
Enter: Myers.
Vancouver’s big (literally) free-agent signing in 2019 was none-other than Myers, who inked a deal that would pay $6M annually until 2024. Prior to finding out the value, it seemed as though many were optimistic about adding Myers to the lineup. As his time with Vancouver progressed under a six-million-dollar per year deal, things soon turned sour.
With a haphazard start to his career as a Canuck, ever-shifting blueline pairings, and a change in deployment under a revolving door of head coaches, Myers was soon dubbed ‘Chaos Giraffe’ for the shenanigans he got up to with Vancouver.
The early years of Myers’ tenure with Vancouver weren’t great, and even now, some fans still aren’t overly-high on him with the organization. But there was one clear moment in which fans united to cheer on the Chaos Giraffe — October 13, 2021.
Duncan Keith has consistently gotten himself on the bad side of Canucks fans throughout history, specifically due to his actions against the Sedin twins during Vancouver’s more successful seasons. When the defenceman suited up for his first game as a member of the Edmonton Oilers in 2021, it was Myers who caught him with a massive hit, sending him straight into the boards.
It was that brief moment that allowed Canucks fans to celebrate Myers and his contract.
Things soon got back to normal after that, though since then, many recall what Myers did and how iconic of a moment it ended up being.
The biggest shift in public opinion of Myers came in 2023–24. With a stronger D-core, Myers was able to relax slightly in his deployment, giving him the freedom to focus on keeping things less chaotic and even pull off moves like this one against the Winnipeg Jets.
While this did mark a contract year for the defenceman, as a whole, Myers’ play during the 2023–24 season was noticeably different — different enough for Vancouver to extend him for an extra three years. This time, the defender’s salary was cut in half, paying him an easy $3M per year.
It’s part of what put him at the center of trade rumours coming out of the Olympic break.
Ignoring the fraught history of his time with the Canucks, having a solid middle to bottom-pairing defender in Myers is an excellent move for a team looking to contend. The fact that his price tag, salary-wise, is only $3M made things even more alluring. When the Canucks chopped that down to $1.5M per year for the Stars, it was a hard bargain to give up.
Even though Myers’ departure signals the end of yet another long-time Canuck’s tenure with the team, the defenceman leaves behind many memories that fans won’t soon forget about him.
Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (57) checks Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (23) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesMake 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.
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