9 players Vancouver Canucks could target in a cap-dump trade this offseason
It was music to the ears of Vancouver Canucks fans.
For years, many in this market have been clamouring for the team to pull off salary-cap dump trades, meaning the team gets an asset (usually a draft pick) in exchange for taking a bad contract off its books.
It’s a strategy that hasn’t been utilized in Vancouver, but new GM Ryan Johnson hinted that it may change.
“We’re open to anything and everything, and where we sit with the space that we believe that we will have to take on situations that give us draft capital,” Johnson said when asked about using cap space to acquire draft capital.
“It’s as simple as that. We know that’s how we want to grow, and that’s something that we’re not going to be afraid to do.”
The Canucks currently have over $21 million in cap space and don’t have any high-profile free agents to re-sign. If they use some of that cap space to take another team’s problem off their books, here are nine players they could try to acquire.
1. Darnell Nurse (Edmonton Oilers)
- 2025-26 stats: 82 GP, 7 G, 17 A, 24 PTS
- Contract: Four years remaining at $9.25 million per season (full no-move clause)
It’s a contract that’s been an issue for years as the Edmonton Oilers try to capitalize on the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era.
Nurse has been overpaid since the minute he extended in Edmonton, but 2025-26 was one of his toughest seasons. He had a negative -0.18 Wins Above Replacement, suggesting that his play was below that of an average NHL defenceman. Nurse is currently the 10th-highest paid blueliner in the league.
While Nurse does have a full no-move clause, it converts to a 10-team no-trade list in 2027-28. We saw in Vancouver that the Canucks ushered Myers out the door while he still had control over the situation. Could something similar happen with Nurse?
2. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Carolina Hurricanes)
Bob Frid/Imagn Images
- 2025-26 stats: 42 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 PTS
- Contract: Four years remaining at $4.825 million per season (10-team no-trade list)
The Carolina Hurricanes have played 11 games this postseason, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi hasn’t gotten into the lineup once.
Vancouver has long been interested in the struggling centre. Is this the offseason where they can finally take this problem contract off of Carolina’s books?
3. Brendan Gallagher (Montreal Canadiens)
- 2025-26 stats: 77 GP, 7 G, 16 A, 23 PTS
- Contract: One year remaining at $6.5 million per season (6-team no-trade list)
Brendan Gallagher would be a perfect addition to the rebuilding Canucks.
And there may be a window for the Canucks to add him to the lineup this offseason. Montreal is inching closer to the salary cap limit, and it would make sense for them to attach a sweetener to move off the last year of his contract.
This has become more likely now that Gallagher has played in just three of Montreal’s 17 games this postseason.
4. Sam Montembeault (Montreal Canadiens)
- 2025-26 stats: 25 GP, 10-8-4, 3.43 GAA, .873 SV%
- Contract: One year remaining at $3.15 million per season
One year after he was named to Canada’s roster for the Four Nations, Sam Montembeault has been relegated to no-man’s land in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The 29-year-old has been surpassed on the depth chart by youngsters Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler. With one year remaining on his contract, he’s another player Montreal could look to move this offseason.
Vancouver already has Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen locked up long-term, along with Nikita Tolopilo now requiring waivers. They don’t need another goalie, but targeting a player like Montembeault would still make sense if they were getting an asset back in return.
5. Ilya Lyubushkin (Dallas Stars)
- 2025-26 stats: 53 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS
- Contract: One year remaining at $3.25 million per season
Imagine getting replaced by a 36-year-old Tyler Myers.
That’s what happened to LIlya Lyubushkin for portions of the playoffs, as the right-shot defencemen played just two of Dallas’ six postseason games, while Myers played five of six.
Dallas needs to clear space to re-sign Jason Robertson, and the 32-year-old Lyubushkin is an obvious candidate to go.
6. Frank Vatrano (Anaheim Ducks)
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images
- 2025-26 stats: 50 GP, 5 G, 4 A, 9 PTS
- Contract: Two years remaining at $4.57 million per season (7-team no-trade list)
Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano went from NHL All-Star to roster afterthought in just two years.
The 32-year-old didn’t dress once for the Ducks during their 12 postseason games. He could be a candidate to be dealt by the Ducks, as Anaheim has a number of key free agents this offseason.
7. Yakov Trenin (Minnesota Wild)
- 2025-26 stats: 82 GP, 6 G, 17 A, 23 PTS
- Contract: Two years remaining at $3.5 million per season
Yakov Trenin likes to throw the body around as much as Kiefer Sherwood, but that’s his main calling card as a player.
The Minnesota Wild are facing a cap crunch this offseason. Kirill Kaprizov’s new $17 million per year deal just kicked in, and they have just $15 million in cap space with only 13 players under contract. Those factors could make the 29-year-old Trenin a cap casualty.
8. Jordan Greenway (Buffalo Sabres)
- 2025-26 stats: 40 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS
- Contract: One year remaining at $4 million per season (5-team no-trade list)
The 6-foot-6 Jordan Greenway is a menace, but he’s overpaid for what he does.
Greenway played just 40 games this season after battling through injuries. Over the last two seasons, he has four goals and 14 points in 74 games.
If Buffalo wants to re-sign Alex Tuch, it’ll need to start shedding players like Greenway from the roster.
9. Nick Paul (Tampa Bay Lightning)
- 2025-26 stats: 51 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 PTS
- Contract: Three years remaining at $3 million per season (16-team no-trade list)
Tampa Bay has long been ruthless in its pursuit of the Stanley Cup. And while Nick Paul isn’t Steven Stamkos, could he be the next player to go?
Paul experienced a steep drop-off this season, one where he was surpassed on the depth chart by unheralded players like Gage Goncalves and Dominic James.
Lightning youngster Conor Geekie seems ready for the full-time jump to the NHL, making it even more likely that Tampay could move on from Paul.