By: Trent Leith / March 2, 2025 It is no secret that the Canucks are still looking to make some trades. Are they going to trade players away, or are they going to bring some in? Maybe a little of both? We don’t really know, but we will know by mid-day Friday.
Here are my officially un-official rankings on who is most likely to be traded based simply on ~vibes~.
Most Likely To Be Moved
Elias Pettersson: This is by far the best player that may be made available by the Canucks, at least on paper. Everyone always says “Players of that calibre don’t hit the trade market” but Rantanen was just traded, and may be traded again. It does happen, just not a lot. It is no secret the struggles Pettersson has had, but is the upside worth the risk for another team?
Pettersson is in the first year of his eight-year, $98.2M contract. Pettersson is only 25 years old and has a no-move that kicks in on July 1st. If the Canucks (already) have buyer’s remorse on Pettersson, now is the time to try and move him, before Pettersson holds all the cards.
Simply put, he is most likely to be traded because he is the best player available on the market.
Despite being in a slump for nearly an entire calendar year, he is still only seven points off of being a point-per-game player over the course of his career. Nearly every team in the league should have an interest in the player, especially if we expect him to find his game again once as the distance from the Miller situation continues to grow.
A deal was close with Caroline according to reports before they scooped up Mikko Rantanen and left the table.
Brock Boeser: This one might be the most heartbreaking for Canucks fans. Boeser is a pending UFA at the end of the season and is due for a raise. Boeser will likely be looking for something in the $8M range with term, and it is doubtful the Canucks will want to go that high for the player.
That would put Boeser’s compensation above and Hughes, and while Canucks fans love the player, he simply isn’t better than Quinn.
However, Hughes signed when the salary cap was below $82M. Next year the cap is expected to be $95.5M and could get as high $113M in the next three years. Hughes signed for 9.63% of the cap at the time. An $8M deal next season would be 8.42% of the cap. It is not outrageous by any stretch, but context matters.
It has been reported by Frank Seravalli that the Canucks have recently offered Boeser $8M x 5 years, and it was rejected. Seravalli also says the Canucks have one more offer in the chamber, but we will have to wait and see what it is.
Boeser will be 28 at the end of his current deal, and assuming he wants an 8-year deal, that would bring him to his age 36 season.
If the Canucks feel that they can not get Boeser to a number they like, they may go the way of Colorado and trade the player instead of potentially losing them for nothing, even if they are in a playoff race.
It would break my heart to see, but a 40-goal scorer can attract a lot of attention if he were to be available.
Might Be Moved
Nils Höglander: This one would also sting Canucks fans. Nils Höglander is having a very down year, but clearly has lots of offensive upside and grit (in the offensive zone anyway). Nils had 24 goals last season, all at 5-on-5. While he wouldn’t bring in a big haul, he would certainly be a great sweetener or depth piece. If the Canucks are going to be doing a mini-rebuild or retool, there is a good chance they let Höglander go in a trade. He has never really found favour in Rick Tocchet’s style of play.
Thatcher Demko: Demko has simply not been the player he once was since his return from his knee injury. Goalie experts have expressed concern about his ability to play in net post-injury the way he always has, and are afraid he will never reach the heights he once did. If the Canucks are afraid of the same thing, it may be worth exploring his worth before he becomes a UFA at the end of next season.
Pius Suter: Pew Pew has been a steady 14-15 goal player since he entered the league. The 29-year-old centreman would be a great 3rd/4th line centre on a contending team that can certainly pull his weight. Suter is steady and reliable, and that is worth something, not a lot, but something. Just like Boeser, if he and the Canucks can not come to an agreement, it would be worth trading the player for what you can get before the deadline. Especially if the Canucks remain on track to miss the playoffs.
Throw Ins
Without sounding too rude, Phil Di Giuseppe and Derek Forbet, they are players that you won’t lose sleep over if they walk on July 1st. But if someone calls asking, it’s worth exploring. They would make a half-decent sweetener to a larger deal. All three are near replacement-level players and won’t move the needle too much in either direction for the Canucks, or a would-be suitor. But they are capable enough players that with the right salesmenship, the Canucks may be able to sell a team on their potential.