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17 former Canucks that are still available in free agency

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Jul 14 2023, 11:52 pm
17 former Canucks that are still available in free agency
Danny Wild | Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Think you can name them all? We’re now two weeks into NHL free agency, and there a number of former Vancouver Canucks who are still looking for work.

According to CapFriendly, there are over 150 unrestricted free agents among players who had NHL contracts last season.

More than 10% of those players remaining spent time with the Canucks organization.

Here are 17 former Canucks who are currently unrestricted free agents.

1. Alex Edler (Los Angeles Kings)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 64 GP, 2 G, 9 A, 11 PTS

Alex Edler currently holds a number of Canucks franchise records, including games played, goals, and points by a defenceman.

Last season, he hit the 1,000 games-played mark in the NHL.

So at the age of 36, will he come back for another season?

“I’m not sure,” Edler told Los Angeles Kings reporters at an end of season press conference.

“The easy answer would be to keep playing until I’m 45 or something like that, but there’s a lot of factors with getting a new contract, seeing how the body feels, and talking to my family. We’ll see.”

“I would like to play as long as I can.”

2. Ethan Bear (Vancouver Canucks)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 61 GP, 3 G, 13 A, 16 PTS

Ethan Bear was one of two players on this list who was actually with the Canucks organization last year.

He went unqualified by the Canucks after injuring his shoulder at the World Hockey Championships.

3. Olli Juolevi (Anaheim Ducks)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 38 GP, 1 G, 13 A, 14 PTS

Is Olli Juolevi’s North American hockey career about to come to an end?

The 25-year-old was buried on the depth chart for a terrible Anaheim Ducks organization. He scored just one goal in 38 AHL games and was -14.

4. Tyler Motte (New York Rangers)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 62 GP, 8 G, 11 A, 19 PTS

Fans in Vancouver know that Tyler Motte is a useful hockey player.

Unfortunately, he’s a supporting piece, and guys like that are struggling to sign decent contracts in this flat cap environment.

Motte has also been busy this offseason, as he recently got married up in Whistler.

5. Zack Kassian (Arizona Coyotes)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 51 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS

Former first-round pick Zack Kassian might have played himself out of the NHL with his performance last season.

He averaged only 9:09 per night while playing for a dismal Arizona Coyotes squad.

6. Sam Gagner (Winnipeg Jets)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 48 GP, 8 G, 6 A, 14 PTS

Sam Gagner recently surpassed the 1,000 game mark in the NHL. While it would be understandable if he chose to retire, Gagner said in April that he isn’t ready to hang up the skates just yet.

7. Michael Del Zotto (Anaheim Ducks)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 65 GP, 8 G, 33 A, 41 PTS

After 13 straight seasons where he played NHL games, Michael Del ZottoĀ spent the entire 2022-23 season in the AHL. He was teammates with Juolevi after being traded from the Florida Panthers to the Anaheim Ducks in December.

8. Alex Chiasson (Detroit Red Wings)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 20 GP, 6 G, 3 A, 9 PTS

Despite playing only 20 games last season, Alex Chiasson showed that he still has some game. He didn’t even sign an NHL contract with the Red Wings until March, but managed to score six goals in 20 games. That included a stretch where he scored in three consecutive contests.

9. Josh Leivo (St. Louis Blues)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 51 GP, 4 G, 12 A, 16 PTS

Josh Leivo has proven to be too talented for the AHL. He led the AHL in playoff points in 2021-22 en route to helping the Carolina Hurricanes AHL team win the Calder Cup.

Last season, he played just two AHL games and was drove possession for the St. Louis Blues in a bottom-six role.

10. Jordie Benn (Toronto Maple Leafs)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 12 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS

Jordie Benn, who will turn 36 this summer, bounced between the AHL and NHL while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

11. Jaroslav Halak (New York Rangers)

  • 2022-23 Stats: 25 GP, 10-9-5, 2.72 GAA, .903 SV%

With the New York Rangers last season, Jaroslav Halak had a much more reasonable $1.55 million cap hit after performance bonuses.

The season before, former Canucks general manager Jim Benning signed him to a contract that offered him up to $3 million including performance bonuses.

12. Cory Schneider (New York Islanders)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 33 GP, 19-11-3, 2.94 GAA, .913 SV%

Cory Schneider was solid for the New York Islanders AHL affiliate last season, but the 37-year-old has openly contemplated retirement.

If he does retire, Schneider would be an intriguing candidate to be the next Colour Commentator of the Canucks.

13. Justin Bailey (Edmonton Oilers)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 58 GP, 19 G, 13 A, 32 PTS

After going pointless in 19 career games with the Vancouver Canucks, Justin Bailey played for the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliate last season.

14. Jayce Hawryluk (New Jersey Devils)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 26 GP, 5 G, 6 A, 11 PTS

After playing 30 games for the Canucks during the forgettable 2020-21 season, Jayce Hawryluk took off and spent the entire year playing in the SHL in 2021-22.

Hawryluk, who was drafted four spots ahead of Thatcher Demko in 2014, returned to North America this season. He played his best hockey in the AHL playoffs with six points in six games.

15. Madison Bowey (Montreal Canadiens)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 35 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 13 PTS

The last two NHL games Madison Bowey played were for the Canucks. He spent the entire 2022-23 season playing for the Laval Rocket in the AHL.

16. Tanner Kero (Dallas Stars)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 69 GP, 17 G, 33 A, 50 PTS

Although Tanner Kero never played NHL games for the Canucks, he was acquired back in 2018 in trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. Vancouver sent Michael Chaput the other way.

Kero spent the entire 2018-19 season with the Utica Comets, where he finished second on the team in points.

17. Carson Focht (Vancouver Canucks)

  • 2022-23 Stats (AHL): 3 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 PTS

Carson Focht, an overager who was drafted by the Canucks in 2019, was pushed down the depth chart in Abbotsford and spent most of the season in the ECHL. He went unqualified by the Canucks in June.

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