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4 Vancouver Canucks players unlikely to return next season

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Apr 23 2026, 10:08 pm
4 Vancouver Canucks players unlikely to return next season
Bob Frid/Imagn Images

A team as bad as the Vancouver Canucks is usually in line for a swath of turnover. But that might not be the case in Vancouver this offseason.

The Canucks have very few unrestricted free agents on their roster, with only four players falling into that category.

And, for two of them, it’s easy to envision them sticking around.

Teddy Blueger sounded like one of the leaders on the team through the second half of the season, and he’s already expressed a desire to stick around.

The 6-foot-9 Curtis Douglas was also a beloved presence in the locker room, and he wouldn’t cost much to retain.

Even further down the depth chart, there aren’t a ton of obvious players who will for sure find new teams this offseason.

But the Canucks can’t bring back everyone, right?

Here are four players who are unlikely to return to the Canucks next season.

1. Evander Kane

  • Age: 34
  • Position: LW
  • 2025-26 stats: 71 GP, 13 G, 18 A, 31 PTS

This one is about as obvious as they come.

Not only will Evander Kane not be back, but he didn’t even finish the season with the Canucks. He reportedly had his exit interviews before the Canucks dreadful campaign ended.

The Kane experiment was a disaster from the get-go. He had a horrible start to the year, which was amplified by giving him major minutes. While his production ticked up slightly from his slow start, he was underwhelming both from an offensive and physical perspective.

Kane’s last game for the Canucks was the celebration of his 1000th in the NHL. He hasn’t been seen around the team since.

2. Derek Forbort

  • Age: 34
  • Position: D
  • 2025-26 stats: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS

Lost in all the injury woes for the Canucks this season was that Derek Forbort played two games and never returned.

Head coach Adam Foote inexplicably said he would miss the team’s third contest due to a “maintenance day.” Instead, Forbort would miss the final 80 games of the season.

The veteran defenceman detailed his injury at the end-of-season availability. Although Forbort said he’d like to play again, that probably won’t be in Vancouver.

joseph labate canucks

Joseph LaBate played one game for the Canucks this season. (Perry Nelson/Imagn Images)

3. Joseph LaBate

  • Age: 33
  • Position: C
  • 2025-26 AHL stats: 23 GP, 6 G, 4 A, 10 PTS

Joseph LaBate was a feel-good story for the Canucks early in the season. He was noticeable at training camp, and he parlayed that into an early-season call-up. LaBate played for the Canucks back on Oct. 20, which was his first game for the Canucks in over 3,000 days.

Regardless, LaBate is 33 years old and has middling AHL production. The Canucks could probably shoot higher in terms of their AHL depth.

4. Nils Aman

  • Age: 26
  • Position: C
  • 2025-26 AHL stats: 55 GP, 6 G, 35 A, 41 PTS

This was a telling season for Nils Ă…man.

Even though the Canucks had injuries to all of their top-three centres, Ă…man didn’t get a sniff of action at the NHL level this season.

Plus, the guy who originally brought him to Vancouver, Patrik Allvin, is no longer with the organization.

Those factors, coupled with the fact that Ă…man scored just six goals in 55 AHL games this season, could very well spell the end of his time in Vancouver.

The 26-year-old is a restricted free agent, but the Canucks could let him walk by simply not qualifying him.

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