Canucks trade deadline preview: Just about everyone at the table.

VANCOUVER — It was just two seasons ago that the Vancouver Canucks were one of the most aggressive buyers ahead of the National Hockey League trade deadline. They spent significant assets on players who were not re-signed, making the bold acquisitions of center Elias Lindholm and defender Nikita Zadorov whose contracts were expiring.

Two deadline days later, the Canucks have plummeted almost their entire height in the NHL standings, falling to last place and becoming one of the most motivated sellers in the league. The problem is that so far, no one has been particularly impressed with what general manager Patrik Allvin is offering.

Friday’s deadline approaches, and as of Tuesday’s announcement time, the Canucks are still hoping to get a deal done for veteran defenseman Tyler Myers and are looking for takers for unrestricted free agent forwards Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger.

But facing the franchise’s biggest rebuild of the century and the first of the salary cap era, the Canucks stocked their sales counter with far more than UFAs, calling up nearly every veteran player, including $92.8 million enigma Elias Pettersson. With so many assets due to contract lengths and trade restrictions, players you’d normally want to keep for a rebuild, like Drew O’Connor and Conor Garland, are reportedly also on the line.

So far, the only one who appears to have been someone’s Plan A was winger Kiefer Sherwood, who was traded to the San Jose Sharks in January for a second-round pick. But since the trade of superstar Quinn Hughes in December sent the Canucks down a one-sided path toward this rebuild, the franchise must find a way to move players now for help down the road.

Vancouver has won just two games in 21 games in 2026, and with the lopsided losses piling up, Canucks Nation is demanding change.

Expected due date limit space: $6.88 million ($5 million more when Thatcher Demko is added to the season-ending LTIR).

all. great. It’s hard to see the Canucks securing a goaltender at this point. And their porous defense at least contains an elite prospect in Zeev Buium and other encouraging young pieces in Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson (Junior). But the forward group, especially the forward group projected to take the next few years, is a mess and needs an overhaul. There is a crisis at the center. More young players like Marco Rossi and Liam Ogren acquired from Minnesota in the Hughes blockbuster would help. But a draft pick would be fine too. thank you

Left-wing Evander Kane is one of many big bets who have failed to manage this season. Taken as a salary dump by the Edmonton Oilers in June, which limited what the Canucks could do in free agency, Kane had minimal impact with 11 goals in 59 games and was not the physical presence expected. But the 34-year-old can be difficult to play against, with 97 playoff games and 32 playoff goals on his resume, and he has reached the Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers the past two seasons.

Center Teddy Blueger is a low-profile, handy veteran who was a depth player on the Vegas Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup run three years ago. The 31-year-old Blueger, who had two solid seasons as a depth center and first-team penalty killer in Vancouver, missed three months this season with a knee injury. However, he has been one of the better Canucks forwards since returning in late January and offers versatility, defensive acumen and exemplary leadership to whoever acquires him.

Right wing Conor Garland signed a six-year, $36 million contract extension last summer, which would have been quite old for a consistent, tenacious play driver who produced 46 to 52 points in each of his four seasons in Vancouver. But the 29-year-old does not have any trade protection in the final year of his expiring contract, which is partly why he is available. Garland, a Boston area native, was linked to the Bruins in reports this week.

Left wing Drew O’Connor is one of the few Canucks who is having a good season (14 goals) and should be part of the team’s future. But his heavy, predictable game, limited no-trade list (12 teams) and low appeal of many of Vancouver’s other assets have the Canucks listening to offers. Vegas has previously shown interest in O’Connor. But with a one-year contract worth just $2.5 million, the 27-year-old is not a player the Canucks can just give up.

Defenseman Tyler Myers has a full no-movement clause and is tied to BC, where he lives year-round and raises his family, including a son with special needs. But with the highly respected 36-year-old NMC now down to 12 teams on the no-trade list for $3 million in the final year of his contract after this season, Myers now understands that it is in his interest to consider any trade options the Canucks present to him. A reported offer from Detroit has been on the table for a week, but Myers wants to know what else could happen before Friday.

Center Elias Pettersson would seem nearly impossible to trade given his $11.6 million cap hit and confusing underperformance since signing a franchise-record contract 24 months ago. But Pettersson had 191 points in the two seasons before that, and at 27 he’s young enough to rebound and still be attractive to teams where elite talent is hard to find. Detroit and Carolina have often been mentioned as potential landing spots, but whatever chance the Canucks have of unloading their problem center will likely depend on their willingness to maintain his salary for the next six years.

Center Marco Kasper or Nate Danielson. If the Canucks make a deal with the Red Wings that includes Myers or more, Vancouver would love to have one of Detroit’s two young centers if Steve Yzerman is willing to give up one of them. Kasper is coming off a slightly disappointing sophomore season, and Danielson is just getting his feet wet in the NHL. The 21-year-olds, who are both top-10 draft picks, aren’t projected to be first-line NHL centers, but they have both grit and skill and could fill a middle-six role for years.

Left wing Alexis Lafreniere has sparked complaints in Vancouver after the Canucks hired his former agent, Emilie Castonguay, as assistant GM a few years after the New York Rangers drafted the winger No. 1 overall in 2020. Lafreniere and the Rangers, who have been underwhelming so far, will probably need to move on from each other. The problem is that New York is also trying to retool or rebuild, so it’s hard to see how a trade could work out unless the Canucks are willing to include one of their first-round picks, which they obviously don’t want to do.

Center Matthew Poitras has been playing in the American Hockey League for almost all of this season after spending much of the past two seasons with the Boston Bruins. Poitras may have been pushed out by Boston’s Frazer Minton, but the 21-year-old second-round pick remains a highly skilled and competitive center prospect who will check a lot of boxes for the Canucks’ rebuild.

Right wing Alexander Holtz is finding himself in retooling project territory as the experienced 2020 seventh overall pick attempts to translate his impressive offensive game from the minors to the NHL level. He has scored just three goals in 28 appearances for Las Vegas this season, with the 24-year-old suffering frequent injuries due to his health. If the Golden Knights really want O’Connor, he could be included in a trade.

Something else to consider

With the exception of top defenseman Filip Hronek, almost every Canuck over the age of 25 is eligible to play. The team must not only rebuild its roster, but also change its culture. Low performance, high salaries, and high trade restrictions make trading difficult for players like Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser, but nothing Vancouver does at the deadline this year will shock anyone. Except doing nothing.