Canucks Trade Myers, Signal Full Rebuild
The Vancouver Canucks enter March 2026 on a 1-7-2 slide, 10 points adrift of every other NHL club, and have flipped veteran defender Tyler Myers to Dallas for draft picks—moves that make it clear the front office is targeting lottery odds, not playoff berths.
Deal Ships Myers to Stars for 2027, 2029 Picks
Wednesday’s swap sends the 36-year-old blueliner to Dallas for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 fourth-round selection. Myers, averaging 19:37 of ice time on a depleted Vancouver defense, carries a $6 million cap hit the Canucks needed off the books before Friday’s trade deadline. Club sources told The Hockey News the salary dump is “Step 1 of several” aimed at sinking in the standings and improving draft-lottery odds for the June event in Las Vegas.
DeBrusk, Garland Next on Trade Board
Two more wingers could move before the 3 p.m. ET Friday cutoff. Jake DeBrusk, locked in at $4.65 million through 2030, told the Vancouver Province he wants no part of a teardown. “Obviously, that (rebuild) is not something I would be OK with or accepting,” he said. “My game doesn’t fit that.” Talks between Vancouver and the New York Islanders involving right winger Conor Garland have cooled, per THN’s Stefen Rosner. The Isles seek top-six help but won’t meet the Canucks’ ask of a first-round pick plus a prospect.
Pettersson, Core Veterans Available for Right Price
Team president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin have informed agents that only three skaters are off limits: rookies Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Dmitri Zlodeyev, plus 23-year-old defender Noah Juulsen. Everyone else is in play, including franchise center Elias Pettersson, who holds a full no-move clause. Pettersson, on an $11.6 million cap hit through 2032, has 18 goals and 42 points in 56 games—his lowest points-per-game rate since 2021. Sources say he would waive the clause for a contender such as Colorado or the Rangers if the destination offers a clear playoff path.
2026 Draft Class Drives Canucks’ Tanking Plan
History says bottoming out is the fastest route to a franchise player. Chicago endured four last-place finishes before drafting Connor Bedard, Macklin Celebrini went first to San Jose in 2024, and Philadelphia’s reboot now centers on projected 2026 top pick Gavin McKenna. Vancouver owns the league’s worst record, giving it a 25.5 percent shot at No. 1—odds that rise with every veteran departure. Scouts call the 2026 group top-heavy, with McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Tynan Lawrence viewed as potential cornerstones. The Canucks have never selected higher than fifth since taking Daniel and Henrik Sedin in 1999.
Front Office Asks Fans to Accept Short-Term Pain
A letter sent to season-ticket holders Thursday concedes “short-term pain” while promising “a deliberate path toward sustainable contention.” The note cites Chicago’s post-Bedard uptick and New Jersey’s surge after drafting Jack Hughes as proof that dismantling today can equal parades tomorrow. Inside the room, players expect more exits. “If you find yourself reacting with sorrow, just take another look at the standings,” one veteran told THN. “That will remedy your nostalgia in a hurry.”
Sources: The Hockey News, Vancouver Province, Tankathon, NHL Central Scouting