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5 Vancouver Canucks players are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2026

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
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Jul 17 2025, 6:45 pm
5 Vancouver Canucks players are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in 2026
Bob Frid/Imagn Images

Vancouver Canucks management is going to have some personnel decisions to make between now and the beginning of free agency next year.

The Canucks will have some money freed up next summer, including the retained salary on Ilya Mikheyev’s deal ($712,500) coming off the books. The other money being freed up, however, is the result of five pending unrestricted free agents on the current roster.

Whether these players are signed to extensions depends largely on their play, though part of it will also boil down to how the team is performing in the early going of the season. If they struggle, there could be a few of these players traded to playoff contenders. Here’s a look at the five entering the final season of their contracts.

5. Linus Karlsson

  • Current contract: One year, $775,000 AAV

Linus Karlsson suited up for just 23 games with the Canucks at the NHL level in 2024-25, but has a good opportunity to crack the opening night roster in 2025-26. The 25-year-old has shown some great offensive abilities in the AHL, putting up 23 goals and 39 points in 32 regular-season games with Abbotsford, and an equally impressive 14 goals and 26 points in the playoffs.

Whether Karlsson earns an extension fully depends on how he plays not only in training camp, but over the course of the 2025-26 season. He has little room for error if he hopes to not only sign an extension, but have a future in the NHL.

4. Teddy Blueger

  • Current contract: Two years, $1.8 million AAV

There remains a chance that Teddy Blueger is traded before the 2025-26 season gets underway, as the Canucks are continuing to try to improve the team. Otherwise, the 30-year-old centre has been a solid contributor in two years with the team, scoring eight goals and 26 points last season.

3. Derek Forbort

  • Current contract: One year, $2 million AAV

Derek Forbort impressed Canucks management enough in his first season with the team to earn a one-year, $2-million extension. The 33-year-old is by no means a difference maker, but provided solid third-pairing minutes in 2024-25 and was also used on the penalty kill.

Forbort may be viewed as more of a placeholder for the upcoming season, but he may be able to get another short and inexpensive extension if he keeps things going in 2025-26.

2. Evander Kane

  • Current contract: Four years, $5.125 million AAV

Perhaps the biggest wildcard for the Canucks entering the 2024-25 season is Evander Kane. They acquired the 33-year-old from the Edmonton Oilers earlier this offseason.

Kane has proven to be a very effective player, but has struggled to stay healthy in recent years. It will be interesting to see what he’s capable of providing for his hometown team this coming season.

1. Kiefer Sherwood

  • Current contract: Two years, $1.5 million AAV

It didn’t take long for Kiefer Sherwood to become a fan favourite in Vancouver last season. The 30-year-old set an NHL single-season record with a whopping 462 hits, while also having his best year offensively with 19 goals and 40 points.

Sherwood, who took longer than usual to become an NHL regular, will be setting himself up for a very nice payday should he have a similar season in 2025-26. Whether that payday is with the Canucks or elsewhere remains to be seen.

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