All The Vancouver Canucks Playing On Expiring Contracts
The Vancouver Canucks have been one of the most talked-about teams this season. After a dreadful start, they fired their coach and brought on Bruce Boudreau to replace Travis Green. Since taking over Boudreau’s team has been pretty good as they have a record of 8-2-1 under Boudreau.
The Canucks and playoffs are not in the same conversation yet, but they are one of the hottest teams around right now after a great December. With that good run, there are going to be tougher questions with what to do at the deadline and this offseason.
Today let’s talk about the players on the Vancouver Canucks’ roster on expiring contracts.
Brock Boeser
Current Cap Hit: $5,875,000
Boeser has been a Canuck his entire career drafted 23rd overall in 2015, by the end of this season he will have played some 300 plus games with the Canucks and as of today, he has 227 points through 283 games. This season he has 17 points in 30 games and is in the top five in goals and points.
Boeser is only 24 and should definitely re-sign with the Canucks as he is a big part of the core group here.
Alex Chiasson
Current Cap Hit: $750,000
Chiasson has had better years, but under Bruce Boudreau, he is still finding ways to help out the Canucks. His current salary cap is definitely not going to go up with his next contract so he could re-sign with the team, but with the fourth line of Highmore, Lammikko, and Motte taking off, Chiasson is expendable.
Juho Lammikko
Current Cap Hit: $750,000
Juho Lammikko is only 25 years old and has been a great part of the Canucks resurgence as of late. Lammikko is a good faceoff man who has won a good percentage of his draws in the dot this year. The Canucks traded for Lammikko in October of 2021 when they sent Olli Juolevi to the Panthers in exchange for Lammikko and Juulsen. Lammikko definitely could get brought back on another contract next year especially considering he is still young at 25. It will be interesting to see what the term would be on an extension for Lammikko.
Matthew Highmore
Current Cap Hit: $750,000
Matthew Highmore has missed a lot of time this season with injuries but that doesn’t change the fact that he is on an expiring contract. This season he has played in 12 games and has put up five points during that time. He has put up 15 hits and has blocked 11 shots showing he will do anything to help the team. Highmore is someone the team should definitely bring back as the way he plays the game is great for the fourth line of this team.
Brad Hunt
Current Cap Hit: $800,000
Brad Hunt is a 33-year-old bottom pairing defenseman that has played in ten games this season. Hunt has put up four points in his games this year and has averaged just 13:37 minutes a night on average. Hunt has been in the NHL for nine years but has played just 201 games during that time. It will be interesting to see what the Canucks do after this season with the blue line and Hunt.
Jaroslav Halak
Current Cap Hit: $1,500,000
Jaroslav Halak has been a fine backup goalie this season for the Vancouver Canucks. While Thatcher Demko has played in 29 games putting up a .915 save percentage Halak has been backing him up great putting up a similar save percentage and a better goals-against average.
Halak has played well enough to get another contract with the Canucks after this season but at 36 the team might want to look to the future of the backup spot with a new younger netminder.
Guillaume Brisebois
Current Cap Hit: $750,000
Brisebois might have reached his ceiling with the Canucks. It doesn’t really seem like he has much of a future with the team except on a game or two a year basis. He is a good AHL defenseman who got a game in the NHL this year before getting placed on injured reserve.
Tyler Motte
Current Cap Hit: $1,225,000
The Vancouver Canucks acquired Tyler Motte in a 2018 trade sending Thomas Vanek to the Blue Jackets for Jussi Jokinen and Motte. Motte has been with the Canucsk ever since playing five years with the team putting up 42 points over 168 games. Motte has been a rather good depth forward for the team and this season he has put up seven points in 21 games.
His current contract was signed in October of 2020 and one would imagine he will re-sign for a similar price.
The Canucks are not in the playoffs right now, but they do have a good chance at getting there as the Pacific Division is rather weak and the Canucks are really hot right now. Who do you think will be the first player on the list to get a contract extension?
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