In order to properly prepare for the 2025 Free Agency period, the Vancouver Canucks first need to consider their 2026 Free Agent class. Brock Boeser, Pius Suter, Derek Forbort, and Noah Juulsen are still awaiting new contracts in 2025. This time next year, that pool of players will grow even more, with 13 roster and non-roster Canucks set to become free agents. Here’s how the Canucks 2026 Free Agency situation looks heading into the 2025 off-season.
Four of the Canucks’ Lineup Regulars Will Become Free Agents in 2026
Vancouver’s 2026 free agent class is pretty heavy in terms of impact players. Thatcher Demko, Conor Garland, Teddy Blueger, and Kiefer Sherwood will all need new deals by the end of next season.
A Demko Deal Makes the Canucks’ Crease Complicated
The most notable of the Canucks’ 2026 free agents is Demko, whose future in Vancouver was all but confirmed before the 2024–25 season. His last deal paid him $5M per year, and with his near Vezina-winning performances in the 2023–24 season, he’ll want much more than that. A long bout of popliteus injury recovery resulted in Demko not making his 2024–25 season debut until December 10. After that, he dealt with two other injury-related absences. Because of this, Canucks 2024 free-agent signing, Kevin Lankinen, was given the playing time needed to prove himself as a solid starting goaltender. As a reward for his play in the fall, the Canucks signed Lankinen to a five-year, $4.5M AAV contract in February.
As previously discussed, the goaltending situation in Vancouver is an issue that many teams would love to have. After all, who doesn’t want two stellar goaltenders? The Canucks’ issue, in this sense, is that they can’t afford to pay both Lankinen and Demko what they’ve earned while keeping their star players. While injuries have been a concern for Demko, when he’s healthy and on his game, he is uncontestedly one of the NHL’s best goaltenders.
Could One Consistent Canucks Point Producer Become a Free Agent?
Garland signed a five-year, $4.95M AAV contract with the Canucks almost immediately after being traded to Vancouver in 2021. Since then, he is fifth in points on the Canucks with 162 in 321 games played. Garland is also fourth on the team in goals (65) and assists (97). With J.T. Miller now with the New York Rangers and Boeser possibly departing the Canucks as a free agent, Garland will jump to third in points and second in goals and assists of all current Canucks since 2021–2022.
As well as being one of the team’s most consistent point producers, Garland has also improved his defensive game. In the past couple of seasons, he has taken on added roles in penalty killing and defending a lead. He spent 64:19 on the penalty kill (fourth-highest on the team of active forwards) in 2024–25 and 16:37 against an opposing team’s empty net (third-highest). Because of this, like Demko, it’s expected that Garland will want a raise in order to stay in Vancouver.
A Blueger Deal Depends on Suter’s Fate
A former Stanley Cup winner with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, Blueger took a discount to stay with the Canucks after his first season in Vancouver. The Canucks signed him as a free agent in 2023, locking him in for one year at $1.9M. After the 2023–24 season, they extended his contract by two years, paying him $1.8M per year instead.
As a Canuck, Blueger has proved himself most in the defensive department. With Vancouver’s changes down the middle this year, he and Suter have had to step up their roles as shutdown centres. Blueger is one of the team’s go-to penalty killers with 171:43 minutes spent on the PK in 2024–25. He also led all current Canucks who took more than 400 draws this season in faceoff win percentage (50.25%). One thing to note is that Abbotsford Canucks forward Aatu Räty (an RFA this season) has proven himself since his most recent NHL call-up. Suter’s situation complicates this even more. If Suter opts to become a free agent, and the Canucks decide to move on from Räty (hopefully not), Blueger’s services will be needed more than ever.
Do the Canucks Want to Re-Sign Him? They Sherwood!
2024–25 was the season of Sherwood. He joined the Canucks as a free agent in 2024 and instantly became a fan-favourite. In 78 games played, he broke personal, franchise, and league records. He set the NHL single-season hit record with 460, which was a whole 155 hits more than the next player. Sherwood also set career-highs in goals (19), assists (21), and points (40). He scored his first NHL hat trick back in December.
Barring any massive changes, Sherwood will definitely make more than his current $1.5M per year come his next contract. Whether this is with Vancouver or not has yet to be determined. However, if he can continue producing on both sides of the ice at his current rate (or even slightly less than that), Sherwood could become a long-term asset for the Canucks. It’s not often that teams can find a player who can produce offensively, commit defensively, and forecheck like nobody’s business.
Main Photo: Bod Frid- Imagn Images
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