The Vancouver Canucks are entering the 2026-27 season with spots to fight for on their roster. Due to this, it would not be necessarily surprising if they were not done making moves during this offseason yet.
One way that the Canucks could create more competition at their training camp is by signing at least one player to a professional tryout (PTO) agreement. There would be zero risk in the Canucks doing this, as they could simply release a player from a PTO if they felt he was not a fit for their group.
Due to this, the Canucks are being urged to take a chance on an interesting former Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick.
In a recent article for Canucks Army, Stephan Roget named defenseman Adam Boqvist among the players who the Canucks should consider taking a chance on with a PTO.
“Currently, two young defenders, Mancini and Kudryavtsev, are in line to serve as the seventh and eighth defenders. Both players remain waiver-exempt and could be sent down to Abbotsford instead. Kudryavtsev, in particular, might reasonably need more seasoning at the age of 22. This could lead the Canucks to seek a genuine veteran candidate for the eighth D slot and bring someone in on a PTO for that purpose,” Roget wrote. “Potential Candidates: Logan Stanley, Nick Blankenburg, Matt Grzelcyk, Mike Reilly, Adam Boqvist, Matt Dumba, Jacob Moverare, Derek Forbort.”
With Boqvist being 26 years old and a former top prospect, it could make sense for a team like the Canucks to take a gamble on him with a PTO.
Looking at Adam Boqvist’s Recent Seasons
Boqvist spent this past season with the New York Islanders, where he recorded four assists in 28 games. This was after he posted four goals and 14 points in 35 games during the 2024-25 season split between the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders.
Overall, Boqvist has primarily been a depth defenseman in recent seasons. While this is the case, he has shown some promise in the past. During the 2022-23 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he posted five goals and 24 points in 46 games. This was after he had 11 goals and 22 points in 52 games for Columbus during the 2021-22 season.
With numbers like these, Boqvist has shown in the past that he can provide some offense from the point when playing at his best. With the Canucks needing another puck-moving defenseman, there would be no harm in them taking a chance on Boqvist with a PTO.
Boqvist & the Canucks Could Be a Good Match
With the Canucks in the beginning stages of a rebuild and having very low expectations for the 2o26-27 season, they could be a good landing spot for a defenseman like Boqvist. If he earned a contract for the season, he would be playing for a team that does not have a lot of pressure for this season. That could help an offensive defenseman looking to break out like Boqvist nicely.
Boqvist could also have a better chance to receive more ice time on a weaker team like the Canucks. With that, they could be a good match, and it will be interesting to see if Vancouver targets him from here.
Canucks Urged to Sign Former First-Rounder to PTO in Interesting Move