The Vancouver Canucks have shown loyalty to the team's core as part of their offseason plans, signing Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland to large contract extensions. Now, the most important task is to put the best possible team on the ice to convince captain Quinn Hughes to stick around in the long-term.
Hughes will become eligible to sign a new contract with the Canucks on July 1, 2026, but trade rumors have already begun after President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford told reporters that Quinn might have an interest in joining his brothers, Jack and Luke, on the New Jersey Devils.
That, coupled with the off-ice drama that took place in the locker room this season, means that GM Patrick Allvin's clock is ticking to prove that this team is capable of winning and entice Hughes to stay. The question now becomes, did Allvin do enough this offseason to give Hughes the confidence to sign a long-term deal with the Canucks?
Evaluating the Canucks' offseason losses and additions
Re-signing Brock Boeser was a welcome surprise for many as it appeared he would be on his way out the door in free agency. Locking him down on a seven-year contract worth $7.7 million annually was perhaps the team's best move of the offseason so far.
The Canucks also acquired Evander Kane, a decision that has divided fans. Kane proved that he can still generate offense at age 33, but his personal controversies in the past raise questions as far as whether this will positively contribute to the locker room culture.
All things considered, Kane is a viable top six forward that can still hit the scoresheet on a regular basis. He also brings a toughness to the lineup, recording 250 hits in 77 games this year along with 24 goals and 44 points.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph offers another depth option for the bottom pairing on defense. The team's top four is already fairly set in stone with Hughes and Filip Hronek on the top pair, followed by Marcus Pettersson and Tyler Myers, so the addition of Joseph just deepens the defensive pool.
As far as losses go, center Pius Suter decided to sign with the St. Louis Blues, giving the Canucks one less option down the middle of the lineup. That's a big loss based on the team's needs, which right now hinges on finding strong center depth that can still generate chances. Suter scored 25 goals and 46 points in 81 games with Vancouver this season.
What is the final piece for the Canucks?
Vancouver now has under a million dollars in cap space, but a glaring hole to fill: the second line center position. Right now, the most viable option is Filip Chytil, but there are questions about him in terms of his offensive production. Though his play-driving abilities and speed are generally good, it's still uncertain whether Chytil -- whose career-best season featured 22 goals and 43 points in 74 games three years ago -- can anchor that second line.
Allvin himself has indicated that he's still in the market for another player to fill that role, recognizing that Chytil may be better suited to skate on the third line. But he also acknowledged the "intangibles" Chytil brings that could earn him a chance to play higher in the lineup, so it's unclear right now whether or not the Canucks will buy into him as a 2C.
"If you’re trying to get better, if you can find something that fits the criteria of a second-line center, I think you might have the best top-three centers in the league if you have Filip Chytil on your third line."GM Patrick Allvin
Prospect Aatu Raty doesn't appear ready to make the jump to the second line yet, though he was a huge part of the AHL's Abbortsford Canucks. At age 22, he scored 11 points in 33 games while playing just over 10 minutes per game in the NHL. In the minor league, Raty scored 40 points in 43 regular season games en route to Abbotsford's Calder Cup championship.
Have the Canucks done enough?
There is still work to be done in the remainder of the summer or mid-season if Vancouver wants to elevate their chances of returning to the playoffs. Remember, this team won the Pacific Division just two years ago and made it to the second round of the postseason, then wound up missing by just six points this year. The team is on the cusp, but without a second line center, the future is still murky.
One final addition will put Vancouver over the edge. The players seem to be ready to leave a disappointing season in the dust and move towards contention once more. If that's the case, then the Canucks could make a convincing case for Hughes to stay.
"We just couldn’t get healthy and then, obviously, we had a little bit of a distraction as a group, but we overcame a lot [of] adversity. What were we, six points out with all those injuries? I think we’re a pretty good hockey club."Conor Garland