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Vancouver Canucks rumoured to have interest in these three players

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Jun 27 2026, 6:26 pm
Vancouver Canucks rumoured to have interest in these three players
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Imagn Images

Outside of the NHL Draft, the Vancouver Canucks have yet to acquire a new player under GM Ryan Johnson.

Perhaps that’s a bit surprising, as players like Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk have been in the rumour mill. There’s also been a flurry of movement around the NHL, likely sparked by the increasing salary cap.

However, that hasn’t stopped the Canucks from being linked to a couple of different players amongst the activity.

On Friday, CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported on Sportsnet 650’s Halford and Brough that the Canucks have interest in Anaheim Ducks winger Jeffrey Viel in free agency.

“This is a player that Ryan Johnson would have seen a lot in the minors the last few years…these are the type of guys the Canucks are going to go after to replace [Curtis] Douglas,” Dhaliwal said.

“If Jeffrey Viel hits July 1st, that’s a guy that would interest the Canucks.”

As Dhaliwal mentioned, the Canucks will be looking for an influx of toughness with Douglas set to hit free agency. Ironically, the two players fought towards the end of the 2025-26 season.

Viel has bounced between the AHL and NHL for the past five seasons. However, he found a regular spot in Anaheim’s lineup last year following a trade from the Boston Bruins, and was a force to be reckoned with against the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs.

Dhaliwal also mentioned that the Canucks could have interest in 39-year-old Ryan Reaves. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native has played 962 career NHL games, and surely would love to crest the 1,000-game mark before the end of his career.

Another player was linked to the Canucks on Thursday. However, it wasn’t an unrestricted free agent, fourth-line tough guys like Viel or Reaves.

Cam Robinson from Elite Prospects mentioned on Friday morning that the Canucks were among a handful of teams to show interest in Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Alexander Nikishin.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on Thursday that “upwards of six teams” were interested in the 24-year-old defenceman. Nikishin is a pending restricted free agent after scoring 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games as a rookie last season. However, his role was marginalized in the postseason, and he had just one assist in 17 games.

AFP Analytics projects that he could command up $6.4 million per season on a six-year deal.

The Canucks interest in Nikishin makes sense. They could certainly give the 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenceman a larger role than he’s getting in Carolina. Nikishin could have more to give in a top-four role, considering he was the highest-scoring defenceman in the KHL for three years from 2022-2025.

However, deciphering what the Canucks could give up for them is much tougher to envision.

The Hurricanes were rumoured to include Nikishin and a first-round pick in a trade for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, but the deal ultimately fell through.

Unless Carolina still has interest in Elias Pettersson, it’s hard to see a Nikishin trade working out with Vancouver. Even if they do have interest in Pettersson, the Canucks would likely have to add to the framework of that deal.

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