Vancouver Canucks Seek Playoffs Next Season With New Players

Vancouver Canucks are 61.00 to win the Stanley Cup and 23.00 to win the Western Conference at BetMGM Sportsbook.

Canucks are 51.00 to win a Cup and 26.00 to win the West at BetRivers Sportsbook.

Canucks are 51.00 to win the Cup and 26.00 to win the West at NorthStar Bets.

The NHL free agency period, which launched July 1, usually lasts a short period, with all the major transactions taking place over a few days.

This off-season is different.

For example, the Ottawa Senators recently traded F Alex DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings for F Dominik Kubalik, prospect Donovan Sebrango and two draft picks.

The salary cap hasn’t gone up that much over the past few years -- it’s at $83.5 million for the upcoming season -- and that has forced players to take shorter-term deals and general managers to get more creative in how they shape their rosters, post July 1, in making a run for the Stanley Cup.

Salary Cap Issues

You get the sense that the off-season for the Vancouver Canucks has barely started, even after making some smaller moves over the past several days.

The Canucks have real salary cap issues, compounded by General Manager Patrik Allvin’s recent comments that he expects F Tanner Pearson to return to the lineup this season. Pearson has been on LTIR with a hand injury.

According to CapFriendly, Vancouver has a cap hit of $87.8 million, with Pearson currently on LTIR, with a salary of $3.35 million. D Tucker Poolman is an LTIR candidate as well, making $2.5 million.

So Pearson’s return especially would complicate things, opening the door to a likely trade, with eyes on D Tyler Myers ($6 million AAV) and F Brock Boeser ($6.65 million AAV).

Canucks Betting Odds

Currently, BetMGM Sportsbook has the Canucks at 61.00 to win the Stanley Cup and 23.00 to win the Western Conference. 

Also, BetRivers Sportsbook has the team at 51.00 to win a Cup and 26.00 to win the West. 

Over at NorthStar Bets, the Canucks are 51.00 to win the Cup and 26.00 to win the West. 

Vancouver Welcomes New Players

The Canucks were busy on July 1 – mostly one-year, lower salary contracts, par for the course across the league this summer. 

The Canucks added C Teddy Blueger ($1.9 million, one year, four goals 16 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights last season, will help on the penalty kill, coming off a Cup win) and D Ian Cole ($3 million, one year, three goals, 17 points and a solid +13 for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, very strong defensively)

Vancouver also added D Matt Irwin ($775,000, one year, 61 games played with the Washington Capitals last season, depth signing), G Zach Sawchenko ($775,000, one year, depth signing) and D Carson Soucy (three years, $3.25 million AAV, physically big at 6-foot-5, 208 pounds, good defender, a +18 with the Seattle Kraken last season). 

It's going to be interesting to see what the Canucks end up doing to bring that roster under the salary cap as the summer plays out.