Canucks Admit to a Rebuild — Who’s Next to Be Traded?

The hockey world had a pretty good idea where the Vancouver Canucks were headed after trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild for a bevy of young players and a first-round pick one month ago. That said, the Canucks are an organization that’s notoriously difficult to predict, so there was still some hesitation about officially labeling this as a rebuild.

From the outside, it certainly looked that way — and now, recent comments from GM Patrik Allvin have removed any remaining doubt.

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Allvin spoke with writer Chris Faber at the annual scouting meetings on Sunday and was asked directly about the state of the franchise. His response left little room for interpretation.

Allvin said:

“We are transitioning into a rebuild here. Acquiring younger players through the draft, and obviously, the draft is really important for us… We still want to continue to acquire young players and draft picks in order to continue to build a roster. We saw what we did with the Minnesota deal, where we were acquiring some players that were already in the league. I think it’s important for us to continue to do so in a rebuild here,”

There’s no more sugar-coating it — the Canucks are officially in rebuild mode. With that now out in the open, the focus shifts to what comes next, and more specifically, who could be on the move as Vancouver continues to turn its roster over.

Which Vancouver Canucks Could Be Traded Next?

Pending UFA’s Evander Kane and Kiefer Sherwood are obvious candidates to be traded, but when you’re in a rebuild, the sell-off goes much deeper than that. We’re talking the likes of Elias Pettersson, Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, and Conor Garland.

Allvin noted he wants to keep some veterans around to mentor and lead the younger core, so don’t expect all of these names to go. That said, you can certainly bank on a few of them finding a new home — possibly as soon as the trade deadline.

Pettersson, in particular, feels like a situation that has run its course. A fresh start appears necessary for both sides, and Vancouver may soon have to accept moving on from a player they once viewed as a franchise cornerstone.

Beyond that, DeBrusk and Garland stand out as logical trade chips on reasonable contracts that would draw strong interest from contenders looking to add middle-six scoring.

Demko and Boeser are far trickier situations. Both have expressed a desire to remain in Vancouver, but sizable contracts, ongoing injury concerns in Demko’s case, and Boeser’s struggles this season — currently mired in a 19-game goal drought — make those decisions much harder to navigate.

One thing is clear: with the Canucks officially embracing a rebuild, no stone can be left unturned, so be prepared for anything as they continue this major transition.

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