The Vancouver Canucks are scheduled to start training camp in just over three weeks. Despite this, there are still several question marks regarding the team’s roster. So far this summer, new general manager Ryan Johnson has mostly made minor moves. Veterans Brendan Gallagher, Paul Cotter, and Luke Schenn all entered the fray.
Vancouver also lost some key players from a year ago. Marcus Pettersson and Nils Hoglander were both traded away, while Teddy Blueger and Evander Kane departed as free agents. The Canucks, however, could still look to offload one more significant player before the 2026-27 season starts.
The Athletic’s Thomas Drance recently published his roster projections for opening night. He began his list by putting all of the Vancouver Canucks key stars in a “locks” category. These players are essentially guaranteed a spot in Manny Malhotra’s lineup. All of Vancouver’s top players were included in this particular section except one: Jake DeBrusk. The star forward was instead listed as “probable” for opening night.
According to the beat writer, the Canucks may still be looking to trade away the forward. “DeBrusk isn’t at risk of not making this team, but we’ll list him as a probable for now,” writes Drance. “At this juncture of the offseason, among veteran Vancouver players who could conceivably be moveable and open to moving, DeBrusk stands alone as a somewhat realistic consideration.”
Jake DeBrusk Unwilling to Accept Vancouver Canucks Rebuild
GettyJake DeBrusk led the Vancouver Canucks in goals (23) last season.
DeBrusk, 29, has been a key player for the Vancouver Canucks since joining the team in 2024. Team brass rewarded the star forward with a seven-year, $38.5 million contract at the time. As a result, he is locked into the deal until the summer of 2031. At the moment, the winger’s $5.5 million AAV is the sixth-highest salary on the roster.
With the Canucks unlikely to be contenders for at least the next couple of years, offloading a veteran like DeBrusk makes sense. Vancouver brass would also love to shed Elias Pettersson’s massive $11.6 million AAV contract, but teams around the NHL are hesitant to take on the salary. The Canucks have to set money aside to give pending restricted free agents Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren extensions next summer as well.
DeBrusk also previously proclaimed that he is not exactly thrilled about going through a rebuild with the Vancouver Canucks at this point in his career. “Obviously, that [rebuild] is not something I would be okay with or accepting,” the star forward told The Vancouver Province back in March. “My game doesn’t fit that.”
Vancouver Could Find Trade Partner in New York
DeBrusk’s trade value will be interesting to keep an eye on. While the Vancouver Canucks were the worst NHL team a year ago, the forward did still record 23 goals and 19 assists (42 total points) on the season. Several teams around the league are also still looking for a top-six forward. This list includes the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, and Montreal Canadiens.
The Rangers, in particular, could be a solid trade partner with the Canucks. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed back in January 2025 that “Vancouver adores Braden Schneider.” At the time, New York did not want to trade the young defenseman. Nevertheless, the Rangers are now more likely to offload the blueliner. Schneider currently has the same annual cap hit as DeBrusk.
Canucks $38.5 Million Star Named a ‘Realistic’ Trade Candidate