Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks Wouldn’t Need to Trade Tyler Myers Forever

Tyler Myers is underrated, reliable, and big. Could a smart short-term move maximize his value without losing him long-term?

by
Old Prof
January 11, 2026

Every trade season needs a player like Tyler Myers. Big, veteran, familiar, slightly underappreciated, and somehow always at the centre of conversations that start with “He’s not perfect, but…” The Vancouver Canucks might not want to trade him, but there are good reasons why an unorthodox rental might make sense, and I can see why the phone will ring.

Myers isn’t an expiring contract, which complicates the picture. But it doesn’t erase the idea. Contracts don’t just represent term; they represent flexibility, intent, and fit. And sometimes a player’s value to another team in April is greater than his value to his own team in January.

Canucks Fans Know How Valuable Myers Is to the Team

If you’re a real Canucks fan, you know this already: Myers is better than people think. He’s 6-foot-8, he engages physically, and he doesn’t hide when the game gets tough. He makes mistakes—but show me a defenceman playing real minutes against real competition who doesn’t. What Myers gives you is presence, professionalism, and a player teammates trust. That matters more than spreadsheets sometimes.

This season hasn’t exactly played to his strengths. Adam Foote’s man-on-man system asks a lot from defencemen laterally, and that’s not where Myers shines. But even within that, you still see his veteran presence. He didn’t carve out a long NHL career by accident. Coaches keep putting him out there for a reason.

Tyler Myers, who has played 1000 NHL games, is a steady Canucks defenseman.

Myers and His Family Live in Vancouver, But He Wouldn’t Have to Move

There’s also the human side of this. Myers has a full no-move, no-trade clause. He and his family are settled in Vancouver. The organization values veteran stability, especially in a team that’s still figuring out whether it’s building, contending, or doing some awkward version of both. From Vancouver’s perspective, keeping Myers makes sense.

But here’s the “but.” If Myers were ever floated as a short-term option near the deadline, contenders would absolutely take a look. Big right-shot defencemen with playoff experience don’t sit on shelves very long. Teams heading into a grind-it-out postseason don’t ask for perfection—they ask for reliability, size, and calm. Myers checks those boxes.

Frankly, a team like the Maple Leafs could use a player like him. Not as a saviour nor as a top-pair solution. But as a stabilizer. Someone who can handle minutes, kill penalties, and survive playoff chaos without melting down. That’s value.

Here’s Something Hockey Trades Never Seem to Talk About

And here’s the part hockey doesn’t talk about enough: sometimes these things don’t have to be permanent. Why is it so strange to imagine a veteran going on a playoff run with a contender, then choosing, if the opportunity arises, to head back home after a season as a free agent? It happens in other sports. It makes sense for players, and sometimes for teams too.

The Canucks might not want to trade Tyler Myers. But if the question ever becomes what helps this organization most right now, the answer might not be as simple as holding on. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t about losing a player—it’s about using one wisely. A short-term solution, in the truest sense of the word, might work out very nicely for all those involved.