June 20th, 2025
Alex Rickman
We’re now a week out from the 2025 NHL drafts, and the Canucks still have a lot of questions to answer.
On defence, things are in good shape for the first time in years. However, with some doubt now cast over the future of the Canucks goaltenders, and the teams forward core still in disrepair, it’s clear that the front office have their work cut out for them this summer on the trade and free agency markets.
Under normal circumstances, I would be against big game hunting in the offseason and would prefer to see a more measured approach. This is not a normal offseason. With the position the Canucks are in, and knowing that the future of Quinn Hughes in Vancouver will likely be decided by how this offseason goes, it is critical that the Canucks commit to taking a step forward this summer and make the big moves needed to put themselves back into a position to win. However, there is still a right way and a wrong way to attempt to do that. Let’s take a look at what the Canucks best path back towards success is.
Before we get into the real excitement, first we have to get into who the Canucks should be looking to re-sign this summer. Starting with one of the smaller deals the Canucks will sign this offseason, extending RFA centre Aatu Räty and giving him the chance to take over as your third line centre next season feels like the best path forward to beginning to improve the bottom six. During his time in the NHL last season, Räty impressed, initially showing his ability as a depth forward but eventually finding a rhythm offensively and contributing with some goals down the stretch. Giving Räty a chance to show what he can do over a full season feels like the ideal plan for the talented young Finn, who will also likely be the Canucks best option in the faceoff dot whenever he plays.
Beyond Räty, RFAs like Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, and Nikita Tolopilo should be no brainers to extend, while others such as Cole McWard and Tristen Nielsen could be valuable pieces to keep around for the Abbotsford Canucks. As for UFA signings for Abbotsford, keeping Phil Di Giuseppe and Guillaume Brisebois around for the AHL team and as call-up options for the NHL would be ideal, but they are ultimately replaceable should they decide to look for opportunities elsewhere, perhaps as full-time NHL players.
Now for the two big fish. Brock Boeser, as much as I and everyone have loved his tenure as a Canuck, will all but certainly be leaving this organization. While the front office should have traded him at the deadline, with this having been a foregone conclusion for months now, overpaying to extend him is not the right way to correct your mistake. At this moment in time, it doesn’t seem that the Canucks and Boeser are close on an extension, and unless something changes that brings Boeser back on a team friendly deal, it’s in everyone’s best interest to let another team be the one to pay him what he wants.
Pius Suter is another important member of the Canucks roster in recent years who will be hitting unrestricted free agency on July 1st. Suter is, deservingly, set to get a major pay raise, expected to come in just under the $5 million mark according to AFP Analytics. Coming off of a season where he was asked to do just about everything imaginable and somehow stepped up to every task he was presented with, it’s easy to see how Suter can command this kind of money. However, whether or not he can sustain his pace from this season is questionable. While Suter was a very good player before this season, he was definitely not a $5 million player, and if he can’t play up to this seasons high standard the Canucks could be setting themselves up to pay a bottom six player more money than he’s worth, a constant struggle of the previous regime that nobody wants to see the Canucks revert back to.
So, no major re-signings for the Canucks this summer. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get into the new acquisitions I’d like to see the Canucks make this summer.
While I’m not normally one to advocate for spending big in free agency, this offseason is different to most. With limited resources available to make trades to rebuild the top six, the Canucks are almost certainly going to need to make at least one key acquisition on the free agent market. After re-upping Derek Forbort’s contract a few weeks ago and with the arrival of Tom Willander, the Canucks are pretty well set on the blue line, so just about every dollar they spend on free agency on forwards. With that in mind, who can they look to add?
If Claude Giroux is the only addition the Canucks make to their forward core, things aren’t going to get much better next season. However, when combined with some additions made in trades we’ll get into later, Giroux could offer a lot to this Canucks team. At 37, Giroux is older than the Canucks should generally be targeting for their forwards. However, if younger presences can be acquired first, a veteran contributor like Giroux, who is still able to put up strong numbers and contribute to the team's offensive game while being a leader in the room, would make a lot of sense.
In addition to the two-way game and veteran presence he would bring, Duchene’s ability to win faceoffs would be extremely valuable to a Canucks team lacking in any sort of faceoff specialist not named Aatu Räty. He may not be the player he once was, and he doesn’t have many years ahead of him, but to help steady the ship for a few years while still contributing to the top six, Giroux could be a valuable stopgap in Vancouver.
Anthony Mantha- 1 Year, $900K AAV
Coming off an injury-riddled year in Calgary, Mantha’s value is down. Knowing this, the Canucks are in a prime position to find some value by giving the winger a show-me contract and allowing him to prove that he can still contribute at the NHL level. Just one season before last, Mantha posted a 23-goal, 44-point season split between the Capitals and Golden Knights, showing he remains capable of chipping in as a middle-six player who can bump up to the second line in a pinch. Vancouver have made a habit of giving a chance to guys who need the right environment to prove themselves, so perhaps Mantha could benefit from the environment that created Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua.
The one downside to potentially signing Mantha would be having one less spot in the top six immediately available for Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who has proven himself worthy of an opportunity to prove himself in that role. However, with Mantha’s contract set to be very digestible, paired with his profile being well-suited to a depth role, there’s plenty of room for both of them in this organization, so long as Lekkerimäki’s development is given priority over the veteran winger.
‘But Alex, the Canucks already have three goalies on NHL contracts next season, why would they sign another?’ You will soon find out. Whether or not Kahkonen is the goalie the Canucks sign, they should look to add a veteran backup who they can stash in Abbotsford and have ready as a call up in case of emergency. With the instability Vancouver has had between the pipes in recent years, having a strong contingency plan in case of emergency is important, so having someone like Kahkonen who can be an NHL goalie in a pinch will be critical to the Canucks success.
Other options for this role should Kahkonen be unavailable include Pheonix Copley, Alex Lyon, Ville Husso, or Canucks legend and best baker in the NHL Louis Domingue.
Depth forward signings are also always welcomed, especially from a front office who have picked up players like Dakota Joshua, Pius Suter, and Kiefer Sherwood for pennies on the dollar. If the Canucks are able to identify anyone who they believe can break out in the ways that these players have upon signing in Vancouver, they should absolutely go for it and improve this team’s depth. However, you can’t nickel and dime your way out of the Canucks problems. If this team is going to right the ship, they need to be ready and able to land a big fish like Duchene. Before that, however, some trades need to be made to land players who can secure this team’s top six for the future.
This is where the fun begins.
Before the Canucks can comfortably make a move for a Duchene or another veteran centre, they have some other business to attend to. In order to get better, the Canucks are going to have to work the trade market. So, who can they go get to improve the team, and who might they have to part with in order to accomplish this?
Trade 1- 2025 1st Round Pick (15th Overall), a 2026 4th Round Pick and Nils Höglander to Minnesota for Marco Rossi
Vancouver’s interest in Rossi is one of the worst-kept secrets in the NHL. As was said in a previous article about the Canucks interest, there may not be a centre on the trade market for a better price who fits the needs of the Canucks better than Rossi. The playmaking centre’s age and production with Minnesota, combined with his incredible skill, make him an ideal addition for this Vancouver team. Concerns about his small stature remain, but if the opportunity arises to get a talent like Rossi, you find a way around those issues and make him a Canuck.
To get Minnesota to part with Rossi, the Canucks will likely have to part with a first round pick and a roster player. With the 2025 draft class appearing significantly weaker than the 2026 class, the most logical path forward for Vancouver would be sending Minnesota the 15th pick in this year's draft. As for the roster player, as good a player as Höglander can be, he doesn’t seem to have a future as a consistent top-six presence in Vancouver. If acquiring Rossi means having to part with Höglander, Minnesota will be getting a good winger for their middle six, but that’s an acceptable loss for a Canucks team that have the ability to make middle six presences of just about anyone.
Trade 2- Thatcher Demko to Philadelphia for Jakob Pelletier, Edmonton’s 2025 1st Round Pick, and a 2027 3rd Round Pick
Unless they’re ready to part with someone for free, the Canucks are going to have to part with a goalie this offseason. With Kevin Lankinen having signed a contract extension just a few months ago, he feels safe. That leaves Arturs Silovs and Thatcher Demko as the potential trade candidates, and there’s a case to be made for either of them. On his day, Thatcher Demko is a top-five goalie in the NHL, and the Canucks are significantly better off having that than not. However, Demko’s injury record takes away from this value. The best ability is availability, and with Demko’s inability to stay healthy, he’s become something of a liability.
As for Silovs, his AHL season has been great, especially through the postseason, and he became a hero among Canucks fans for his performance against Nashville in the 2024 postseason. However, his time in the NHL last season was rough, and it remains unclear if he’s past these issues or not and what he can bring to the NHL roster now. With Silovs also requiring waivers to go to the AHL now, the Canucks are in a precarious position with their young goaltender. A bet on Silovs could pay off in the long run if he lives up to his potential, or leave the Canucks scrambling for a backup if he can’t put it together in the show, and we’ll only know what’s going to happen once a decision has already been made on his future.
Ultimately, though, with Demko in need of a contract after next season and having shown no signs of being past his injury issues, he makes more sense to deal. Basing his value on the trade a few years ago that sent then-Coyotes netminder Darcy Kuemper to the Colorado Avalance, the Canucks could look to bring back a 1st, 3rd, and roster player for the former Vezina nominee. With Rick Tocchet being a fan of Demko’s and the Flyers' weak situation in net, a move to Philly for these picks and restricted free agent Jakob Pelletier seems fair. The Flyers get a goaltender who is significantly better than anything they have who is familiar with their new coach, and the Canucks get a handful of assets they can use to improve their fortunes.
Don’t get too attached to any of this return, though.
Trade 3- Filip Chytil, Jakob Pelletier, Edmonton’s 2025 1st Round Pick, and a 2027 3rd Round Pick to Buffalo for Alex Tuch and a 2026 4th Round Pick
Vancouver needs a power forward, and Buffalo have one whose days as a Sabre are likely numbered. The Canucks front office have also shown a willingness to swing a big deal and then use the newly acquired assets on another big trade, so I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see this happen again if they are to make a sale this summer. After adding Marco Rossi or another young talent, but before adding an aging player like Giroux to the top six, Vancouver should look to add another player under the age of 30 to their top six.
The Canucks are set to lose Brock Boeser’s goalscoring this summer, and are already in need of some size in the lineup. Adding Alex Tuch would kill two birds with one stone. Having ecplised the 35 goal mark twice in the past three seasons, Tuch is a presence the Canucks would love to add to their lineup. By using the assets acquired through sending Demko to Philadelphia, alongside Filip Chytil, the Canucks give themselves a player who instantly becomes the best pure winger in their top six. Things seem dire up front right now, but with the additions of Giroux, Mantha, Rossi, and Tuch, things would suddenly be looking a lot better.
New Outlook
This is all a lot easier said than done.
Not only is making trades on this scale always a difficult task, especially with the Canucks lack of leverage at the moment, but convincing free agents to come to Vancouver right now is no simple task. Between the high tax rates, the front offices comments about their own players in the media, and the general chaos that has surrounded the Canucks organization in recent months, the team simply don’t have a lot going for them right now in terms of making people want to be here. However, if the team want to right the ship and prove to Quinn Hughes that staying in Vancouver is a viable option for his career, they need to find a way to get past these hurdles and recruit actual talent to this roster.
While my ideal offseason would be one in which this team can correct course and get back to the winning ways of the 2023-24 season, my next choice would be one in which they accept that this can’t happen and enter a rebuild. Entering a rebuild should only happen if they aren’t going to be able to do what they need to get back to winning, but if this proves to be too difficult of an obstacle to overcome, the Canucks can’t afford desperation. If the chance to get better is there, take it. If not, accept your fate and do what needs to be done to get this team there in the future.
We’ll see what happens between now and next week. Once the draft has passed, we should know which way the Canucks offseason is going to be forced to go. Buckle in, Canucks fans, this could be an exciting stretch of summer.