Against all odds, the Vancouver Canucks have re-signed UFA Brock Boeser -- and pulled it off on an extremely team-friendly deal. During the season, Boeser turned down a five-year, $40 million contract offer from the Canucks, leading to speculation that he was on his way out the door.
Boeser himself had previously said it was "unlikely" he would return to Vancouver, making this signing the ultimate free agency surprise.
The 28-year-old inked a seven-year contract carrying a $7.25 million AAV. He was expected to garner up to $9 million on his next deal, according to reports, so he certainly left some money on the table in order to stay with the team that drafted him.
Some fans and media believe that Boeser has not lived up to his potential after regressing to 50 points in 75 games this past season. But the winger is just one season removed from scoring 40 goals and a career-high 73 points. Known for his sniping ability, Boeser just needs the right pieces around him in order to return to the offensive production he has proven to be capable of.
The future direction of Brock Boeser and the Vancouver Canucks
With the unexpected return of Boeser, the Canucks are now in need of a solid puck distributor for the top-line winger. Elias Pettersson was always viewed as the go-to guy, but his 2024-25 season was hampered by injuries and resulted in a lower-than-usual 15 goals and 45 points in 62 games.
There is definitely optimism about Pettersson, having a strong natural hockey sense and can generate or finish on scoring chances effectively. Just two yesrs ago, he tallied 39 goals and 102 points in 80 games. A healthy Pettersson can be nuclear offensively, but the Canucks need more assurance that there is a viable replacement in the case that he continues to be held back by his ailments.
Not to mention, Pettersson has been brought up in trade rumors over recent months, though a full no-movement clause kicked in on July 1 which severely limits Vancouver's ability to deal him in the future.
Meanwhile, Filip Chytil has been a question mark down the center as well. The 25-year-old struggled to remain consistent in his short time with the Canucks so far after coming over in the J.T. Miller trade in January. Chytil, despite playing 16:42 per game, managed just six points in his 15 games with Vancouver. Simply put, he does not have the chops to serve as a top-line center in Pettersson's absence.
The center market is running thin in terms of free agents. Mikael Granlund is currently the best option available, and the 33-year-old certainly made an impact as a playoff rental for the Dallas Stars this season. He scored 21 points in 31 games after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks, adding 10 points in 18 playoff games.
However, in re-signing both Boeser and goaltender Thatcher Demko to long-term deals, the Canucks have their eyes on the big picture which might Granlund might not fit. The next best center is Pius Suter, who the Canucks chose not to re-sign, which takes another option off the table.
Vancouver is strapped for cash with just over half a million in cap space following the contracts of Boeser and Demko, so a trade is the most likely scenario to snatch up another center or winger for that top line. There are still moves to be made if the Canucks want the best possible roster on the ice, so they may not be done with offseason signings or trades just yet.