Why The Canucks Should Be Sellers At The 2025 NHL Trade Deadline
Photo Credit: @Canucks on XThe Vancouver Canucks are in a complicated situation. While they currently hold the final playoff spot, Vancouver is struggling to find consistency coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break as they recently went 1-4 on their latest five-game road trip. Based on the way they have played this season, the smartest move heading into the 2025 NHL trade deadline would be to become a seller and build a stronger foundation for next season.
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While the Canucks do not have a ton of unrestricted free agents, the ones they have could bring back decent returns. The biggest return would easily be Brock Boeser, who is also the longest-serving player in the organization. While there continue to be discussions on whether or not to keep Boeser as their own rental, if Vancouver does not intend to re-sign him, they need to do everything they can to maximize his value on the trade market.
The other two unrestricted free agents that the Canucks need to make decisions about are Pius Suter and Derek Forbort. If dealt, both could bring back some draft picks as contenders will be looking to strengthen both their penalty kill and roster depth. Just like Boeser, the team can't lose both for nothing in free agency, so they need to be either re-signed or dealt.
Another name to keep an eye on is Carson Soucy, who has been part of trade rumours over the past few weeks. Trading Soucy is a little complicated, as he does have a no-move clause this season. While trading him at the deadline might not get back the biggest return, it would open a spot on the main roster while also clearing cap space for next season.
Lastly, there will no doubt be conversations surrounding center Elias Pettersson ahead of Friday's deadline. Based on reports, it would be shocking to see Vancouver make a Pettersson trade before the deadline, but in sports, anything is possible. In the end, if the Canucks do decide to move their franchise center, it could indicate the start of a complete rebuild, as the package coming back to Vancouver could be one of the biggest for any player this season.
While making the playoffs should be the goal for the Canucks every season, at this point, the organization needs to turn their focus to 2025-26. Yes, Vancouver still could qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it is hard to picture them pulling off an upset against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets. While becoming sellers at the 2025 deadline was not what was envisioned at the beginning of the season, it is the best move for the organization moving forward.
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