Boeser shut down Leafs offer to return to Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks were far from the only Canadian team who were hoping to land Brock Boeser for the 2025-26 season and beyond.

Boeser appeared to be as good as gone from the Canucks, as the team and his party were said to be well apart when it came to extension talks. The acquisition of Evander Kane seemed to be the final nail in the coffin, but in a shocking twist, the Canucks were able to work out a seven-year, $50.75 million deal to keep the 28-year-old around.

That news was disappointing to several teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, who had been linked to Boeser roughly a week prior to the start of free agency. As it turns out, there was at least one other Canadian team with plenty of interest, as well.

According to Nick Kypreos of the Toronto Star, the Toronto Maple Leafs pivoted to Boeser after the Florida Panthers were able to lock up Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad.

“The word is that the Leafs may have offered a higher annual salary than the $7.25 million (U.S.) that he took to stay with the Vancouver Canucks, but on a much shorter-term deal than the seven years he agreed to,” Kypreos wrote.

While the shorter term on the Leafs’ offer may have played a part in Boeser declining, it seems as though he was keeping faith that something would work out with the Canucks in the end.

“At the end of the day, I think my heart was still with Vancouver,” Boeser said shortly after the extension was announced. “I have so much faith in our team and the pieces that we have. I think having [Adam] Foote too, I think he’s going to be a great head coach. Everything just lined up well. I’m super stoked to be back.”

In the end, Boeser got his wish, as he will remain with the Canucks for the unforeseeable future and may even wind up spending the rest of his career in Vancouver. As for the Leafs, it’s back to the drawing board as they continue to figure out a way to make up for the loss of Mitch Marner.

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