The Vancouver Canucks have undergone immense change in recent years, and with the team starting what could be a lengthy rebuild, many expect them to move on from their veterans in the coming years.
That’s led to immense speculation around the likes of Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk, but as of right now, the team haven’t made a move to get younger, even though that’s coming soon after their 32nd place finish in 2025/26. However, after a summer that has been filled with change already, another surprise change has been made, as the team have now seen a once very promising 26-year-old depart the NHL to return to his native Sweden.
Nils Aman Signs in the Swedish Hockey League
GettyNils Aman of the Vancouver Canucks.
That player would be former sixth-round pick Nils Aman, who came to the Canucks ahead of the 2022/23 season, and in his rookie campaign, he showed immense promise at the National Hockey League level, posting 4 goals and 16 points across 68 games played. That’s not amazing production, but for a player picked so low in the draft, that had plenty of Canucks fans excited about his potential as a long-term player in their bottom-six.
In the following three years however, he spent most of his time in the American Hockey League, appearing in a combined 64 NHL games, tallying 4 goals and 13 points in that time, and in 2025/26, it was made clear that the AHL is his ceiling in North America.
As a result, Aman has made a huge career decision, with Djurgarden Hockey of the SHL officially announcing on their social media on Tuesday that the 26-year-old will depart the Canucks and sign with them ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
💬 – Jag längtar verkligen efter att få spela inför alla fantastiska Djurgårdssupportrar, säger Nils Åman.
▶️ Läs mer på hemsidan.
#DIFHockey | #AlltidOavsett
This past season in the AHL, Aman still showed immense promise, posting 6 goals and 41 points across 55 games played, but clearly, he didn’t see himself as getting a full-time NHL opportunity at any point in the near future, thus making the decision to return to his native Sweden for the upcoming campaign.
Will the Canucks Turn Things Around in 2026/27?
Last season was one of the toughest in franchise history for the Canucks, and while they ended things with a No. 3 overall pick, it’s safe to say that after being genuine Stanley Cup contenders just a few years prior, it was a major letdown.
This summer, they made plenty of changes following the mid-season trade of their captain, bringing in a new head coach, general manager and two franchise icons to the front office, and now, the team have the opportunity to push for a bounce back with this veteran roster.
While Aman wasn’t a big part of their plans, losing a 26-year-old center that showed slight progress and potential isn’t ideal for Vancouver, but with the team adding Caleb Malhotra and other talent this off-season, the rebuild is clearly on, with the team hoping that the 2026/27 campaign can be a catapult for this team to dive back into contention in the years to come.
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