6 UFAs the Vancouver Canucks could lose for nothing next summer
Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin has developed a reputation as an aggressive GM.
Will his aggressiveness lead him to extend any of his unrestricted free agents in the near future?
The Canucks have six players who are set to become free agents next summer, plus an additional three if you include career minor leaguers like Guillaume Brisebois, Jett Woo, and Jiri Patera.
If none of these free agents returned, the Canucks would walk into next offseason with a shade over $20 million in cap space. They have $83,267,500 committed next season, and the salary cap will be rising to $104 million in 2026-27.
So, will the Canucks extend any of their current free agents before next summer, much like they did with Conor Garland and Thatcher Demko? Here are the candidates.
1. Kiefer Sherwood
2024-25 stats: 78 GP, 19 G, 21 A, 40 PTS
Among these pending unrestricted free agents, Kiefer Sherwood is the most interesting player to keep an eye on.
The Columbus, Ohio native was a menace for the Canucks in 2024-25, breaking the NHL’s single-season hit record. He also set personal career highs for games played, goals and points, doing it all while playing on a bargain $1.5 million contract.
Sherwood recently switched agents, choosing to work with Richard Evans and Judd Moldaver of Wasserman Hockey for this upcoming season. This is the agency who works with Connor McDavid, and also who recently negotiated the Garland extension with Allvin.
There are pros and cons for re-signing Sherwood. He was one of the most exciting Canucks last season, showcasing some scoring touch and of course, the fact that he hit everything in sight.
However, he will be 31 years old in the latter stages of this season, and he could be in line for a contract that pays him over $4 million per season.
2. Evander Kane
2024-25 playoff stats: 21 GP, 6 G, 6A, 12 PTS
Entering his 17th NHL season, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding Evander Kane.
The Vancouver native joins his hometown team after missing the entire regular season last year due to abdominal surgery. Initially, he was decent in his return for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs, but his effectiveness and ice time tailed off in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Kane has one year remaining on his deal, which has a $5.25 million cap hit.
It’s hard to know how Kane’s body will hold up through a full regular season, or how effective he’ll be on a Canucks team that doesn’t roster players like McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Suiting up alongside a guy like Elias Pettersson theoretically should boost Kane’s value, and the veteran winger seems keen about skating alongside the Swedish centre.
3. Teddy Blueger
2024-25 stats: 82 GP, 8 G, 18 A, 26 PTS
There’s nothing flashy about Teddy Blueger’s game, but he’s still a valuable player for the Canucks.
Entering the final season of his two-year deal paying him $1.9 million per season, Blueger is compensated perfectly as a defence-first, fourth-line centre who excels at killing penalties.
Unfortunately, the Canucks may have to rely on him more this season because they lack centre depth. If Blueger can continue to be effective in an elevated role, that could bode well for his next contract.
4. Derek Forbort
2024-25 stats: 54 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS
The Blueger of the Canucks defence, Derek Forbort quietly excelled in a bottom-pairing role on the Canucks defence. He was also a key cog on the penalty kill as well.
That led Allvin to re-sign the 33-year-old to a one-year deal worth $2 million per season.
Forbort must continue to be a top penalty killer for the Canucks if he wants to keep his place in the lineup. He’s likely a placeholder until Elias Pettersson (the defenceman) is ready to step in to a full-time role.
5. Linus Karlsson
2024-25 stats: 23 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS
The Abbotsford Canucks leading scorer in the playoffs has a leg up on a roster spot entering training camp.
Not only was he arguably Abbotsford’s best skater, but the 25-year-old could also be claimed on waivers if the Canucks tried to send him down.
Karlsson looked more comfortable as an NHLer during his 23-game stint last season. He ended his NHL run in 2024-25 with two goals and five points over his final 10 games.
We've got a first NHL goal š£ļø
Congrats, Linus Karlsson! pic.twitter.com/hsFnK3tBw6
— NHL (@NHL) January 30, 2025
Allvin re-signed Karlsson to a one-year, one-way contract on March 14, meaning he will get paid his full $775,000 contract, whether he’s in the AHL or not.
6. Vitali Kravtsov
2024-25 KHL stats: 66 GP, 27 G, 31 A, 58 PTS
There wasn’t much that seemed appealing about Vitali Kravtsov’s 16-game stint with the Canucks back in 2022-23. He’s spent the last two years in the KHL, finishing 6th league-wide with 68 points last season. That prompted Allvin to sign him to a one-way contract worth $775,000 back on August 5.
“You can tell from Kravtsov that he has everything ā good skating, technique, everything else,” former Canucks assistant coach Sergei Gonchar told Russian media outlet Match TV. “He needs to be more persistent, get on the goal more often, adapt his game more to the North American style.”