Lightning Recall Conor Geekie, Brandon Halverson
The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Conor Geekie and Brandon Halverson from their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. They also announced that forwards Mitchell Chaffee, Jakob Pelletier, and defenseman Steven Santini have been reassigned to Syracuse.
The move organizes Tampa Bay’s roster in advance of the start of their first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, which is set to happen later today. Recalling Geekie and Halverson removes two key contributors from Syracuse’s roster in advance of the start of their own first-round playoff series. Syracuse’s regular season ended yesterday with a shutout win over the Belleville Senators.
Geekie was No. 2 in scoring on the Crunch with 17 goals and 59 points in 57 games this season, while Halverson was the team’s No. 1 goalie, posting a .905 save percentage in 43 games played.
Both Geekie and Halverson have NHL experience over the last two years – Geekie played in 14 NHL contests this season, scoring three points, and had 14 points in 52 NHL games last year.
Halverson, a 30-year-old veteran, has played in three NHL contests in that same time frame.
It is significantly more likely that Geekie, the No. 10 overall pick at the 2022 NHL draft, ends up skating in playoff games for the Lightning compared to Halverson. Halverson will be Tampa’s spare third goalie, behind starter Andrei Vasilevskiy and backup Jonas Johansson, who are both entrenched in their roles.
If Halverson ends up staying on the Lightning roster for the team’s postseason run, Syracuse will likely turn to 26-year-old Ryan Fanti, a former ECHL No. 1 who posted a .905 save percentage in 27 games this season as Halverson’s backup.
Geekie’s path to NHL playing time likely depends upon the health of rookie forward Dominic James. The 23-year-old has been out since February, but was beginning to make his mark in the NHL with a goal in each of his two most recent games. James suffered a leg injury in February and underwent surgery, but appears to be nearing a return to the ice.
Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reported Friday that James skated in practice as Tampa’s fourth-line center, Geekie could get a look in that role. Veteran Pontus Holmberg would also be a natural contender for the No. 4 center job occupied by James in practice, but he has been out since April 6 with an upper-body injury that head coach Jon Cooper called “not good.”
The trio of reassignments return three players who play key roles in Syracuse back to the AHL. Pelletier is the Crunch’s top scorer with 77 points in 63 games this season. As an offense-first 5’10” winger with zero games of playoff experience at the NHL level, it’s likely Tampa Bay stand to benefit more with Pelletier in Syracuse rather than on their playoff roster.
Chaffee, 28, scored 57 points in 54 AHL games for the Crunch this season but had just one point in 11 games with the Lightning. He does have nine games of NHL postseason experience and could be at the top of the priority order when it comes to potential recalls should Tampa Bay run into injury trouble up front.
Santini, 31, got into 12 NHL games this season, the most he’s gotten into in a single year since 2018-19. He’s an established AHL top-four defensive defenseman and is likely to play a significant role in what the Crunch hope is a deep postseason run.
Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Latest On Auston Matthews
Toronto Maple Leafs captain and franchise face Auston Matthews was non-committal when asked about his future in Toronto at the team’s exit day, relays The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke.
Matthews, responding to questions about his willingness to remain in Toronto for the long haul, told the media “I can’t predict the future, obviously there are steps that have to take place. [team ownership] have to hire new leadership and management. So I don’t really know.”
The news comes at the end of a nightmarish season for the Maple Leafs, one that raised questions about Matthews’ willingness to play out the final two years of his $13.25MM AAV contract in Toronto. Matthews’ season was cut short after a hit from Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas left him with an MCL injury. Gudas was eventually suspended for the hit.
The 28-year-old has long been considered one of the league’s best players, and he is arguably the NHL’s most talented goal scorer.
Matthews set a career-high of 69 goals in 2023-24 and also scored 60 goals in 2021-22, the year he won the Hart Trophy.
But while individual accolades have not been difficult for Matthews to come by – he is a three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner as well – team success has been more scarce.
While Matthews has made the playoffs every year except 2025-26, he has made it past the first round of the postseason just twice, and never past the second round. With just two years remaining on his contract, it’s likely Matthews has, or will, ask himself the question of whether he believes he can still win a Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs. As he mentioned, that’s a difficult question to answer without knowing who will be in charge of the Maple Leafs’ hockey operations department.
But regardless of which individual takes control of hockey ops in Toronto, there are still, unfortunately, ample reasons for Matthews to take a more pessimistic view of Toronto’s short-term competitive hopes. While last season’s trade for Brandon Carlo added a capable veteran defenseman to the Maple Leafs’ lineup, it deprived the club of two of its more valuable future assets: young center Fraser Minten, as well as the team’s 2026 first-round pick. Toronto only retains its first-rounder this year if it lands in the top-five, and Toronto sits No. 5 in the draft lottery order.
With a top-five pick at their disposal, the Maple Leafs would have an immensely valuable trade chip they could use to significantly bolster their roster for next season. Conversely, if the Maple Leafs drop one spot in the order, they will hand a division rival a hugely valuable No. 6 overall selection. It’s not unreasonable to believe that the lottery could have a big impact on Matthews’ thinking regarding his own future.
In any case, there is a sentimental factor to consider when assessing Matthews’ future with the Maple Leafs. While this is not something that matters to every player, it’s worth noting that Matthews is 207 points behind Mats Sundin as Toronto’s all-time leading scorer. For someone that has already built a considerable legacy in one of the game’s biggest markets, the pull of passing Sundin could be a factor in keeping Matthews in Toronto through the end of his current deal.
From the Maple Leafs’ perspective, Matthews’ decision on his future is likely to singularly shape the team’s competitive direction. Matthews’ deal contains a full no-move clause, meaning he controls his future to an absolute degree. NHL history is littered with examples of teams being forced into sub-optimal trade returns for star players simply because those stars decide they only want to be traded to one team. That’s exactly what happened with the New York Rangers’ trade of star Artemi Panarin earlier this year, or the 2021 trade of Taylor Hall to the Bruins from the Buffalo Sabres.
These are interesting times in Toronto, first and foremost because the team’s next GM is in the process of being selected. But beyond just management changes, there could be significant on-ice changes on the horizon as well, and it all starts with a decision – either to stay, or to consider paths to exit – from the team’s captain.
Photos courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Evening Notes: Hellebuyck, Trocheck, Zub
Murat Ates of The Athletic summarized Connor Hellebuyck‘s scathing review of the Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 season. Hellebuyck was highly critical of the team’s effort throughout the year, saying, “What we did this year was unacceptable. No one wants to be part of that.”
Furthermore, he questioned the Jets’ ability to bring in the necessary talent, saying, “Can you get the pieces that you need? Will the players come? These are always questions that you have in Winnipeg. I’ve made it my home and I like it here, but the majority of the league doesn’t feel the same way.” He went on to articulate that his only focus is on winning the Stanley Cup and has become frustrated with the lack of movement toward that goal in Winnipeg.
Regardless, Hellebuyck didn’t leave any room for speculation, saying how much he loves the city and the organization, and only wishes for other players to see what he sees. Still, it’s indicative of the situation the Jets are in regarding their location and the simple fact that the team has failed to acquire top-level talent in free agency.
Although he silenced many of his doubters during his impressive run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Hellebuyck has arguably been a key component in the Jets’ failing to reach the Western Conference Final since 2018. In the last three years, Hellebuyck has managed an 8-15-0 record in 23 games, with a .870 SV% and 3.60. He became a radically different goalie than the one he is in the regular season, where he has a 56.1% win percentage and .916 SV% in 615 career starts.
Additional notes from this evening:
- In his exit interview, New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck spoke at length about the injury that kept him out for the first 14 games of the season. Mollie Walker of the New York Post described the injury, saying Trocheck had a lung infection that required surgery and a week-long stay in the hospital, where he was connected to chest tubes. Trocheck offered a quote to Walker, saying, “I thought I was just having back spasms, and then I played the first game. Got a little bit worse. Played in Buffalo. I got a cross check right in that area, and whatever fluid was in there, it’s like bubbles, and I guess the bubble burst and it spread. So then it just got a lot worse. I had a lot of fluid around my lung, so I had to have surgery to get the fluid removed.“
- According to Julian McKenzie of The Athletic, the Ottawa Senators didn’t provide any update to defenseman Artem Zub‘s status after Game 1. Zub missed most of the contest due to injury, finishing with 7:44 of ice time, adding three hits. There’s a relatively quick turnaround for Game 2, which takes place Monday, so more information will likely come closer to puck drop.
West Notes: Ferraro, Bogosian, Johnson, Harkins
A subject of trade rumors for the past few years, San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro is only a few months away from being able to choose where he would like to continue his NHL career. According to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News, whether it be in San Jose or elsewhere, Ferraro is seeking a longer-term deal.
Pashelka added that Ferraro is excited about the future of the Sharks organization, but it doesn’t currently seem that he’ll be back with the team next season. Max Miller of Sharks Hockey Digest reported that Ferraro is expected to test the free agent market, but the door hasn’t been closed from either side on a return.
Although he’s not a standout defenseman by any means, Ferraro may be able to take advantage of a thin free agent market to get what he wants. The 27-year-old blue liner scored six goals and 23 points in 82 games for the Sharks this season, averaging just over 21 minutes of ice time a night. Still, San Jose already has left-handed defensemen Dmitry Orlov, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Sam Dickinson signed through next season, meaning most of their available dollars should go to addressing the right-hand side.
Additional notes from the Western Conference:
- Veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian made his return to the lineup in the Minnesota Wild’s blowout win over the Dallas Stars (via Michael Russo of The Athletic). Bogosian, 35, had been nursing a lower-body injury from the Wild’s April 4th matchup against the Ottawa Senators. He skated in 13:01 of today’s game, blocking two shots and delivering two hits.
- According to Derek Lee of The Hockey News, the Anaheim Ducks could be returning a pair of fourth-line forwards in their Round One matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. Lee shared that Ross Johnston (lower-body) and Jansen Harkins (hand surgery) both participated in today’s practice, although the former was in a non-contact jersey. Still, it’s a positive step in the right direction for the Ducks to take on the Oilers at full strength.
Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini Open To Long-Term Extension
Despite being drafted with the first-overall selection two years ago, phenom Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks is already eligible for an extension off of his entry-level contract. According to Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now, that’s something Celebrini is more than interested in. In Peng’s report, he quoted Celebrini saying, “I want to commit to this team and being here. I love it here.”
Celebrini’s upcoming contract didn’t get any cheaper for the Sharks, that’s for sure. He had a solid rookie campaign, scoring 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games with a -31 rating, averaging 19:47 of ice time. Unfortunately, he only finished third in Calder Trophy voting behind Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens and Dustin Wolf of the Calgary Flames.
There were some question marks surrounding his game on the defensive side of the puck, though much of that was credited to the Sharks team at large, rather than isolated to Celebrini alone. According to HockeyReference, Celebrini finished his rookie campaign with a 0.0 Expected +/-, meaning all of his -31 rating was due to the poor play of his supporting cast.
This season, Celebrini took his game to a completely different level. Not only did he take a step forward in his production, but he also has a real chance of being a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP. The 19-year-old finished with 45 goals and 115 points in 82 games with a +8 rating, averaging 21:19 of ice time per game.
Although hockey is a team sport, San Jose’s return to competitiveness this season can be solely attributed to Celebrini. The gap between him and the team’s next leading scorer, Will Smith (59 points), would have been third on the team in scoring (56 points).
He continued his successful season against the world’s best. Suiting up for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Celebrini scored five goals and 10 points in six games, helping Canada to a silver medal. If he takes another step forward during the 2026-27 season, it would be prudent for the Sharks to extend him as soon as they can.
While Celebrini’s extension won’t cause a domino effect in the upcoming free agent market, it surely will in the restricted free agent market. Since being drafted, Celebrini has often been compared to Chicago Blackhawk Connor Bedard. Bedard’s entry-level contract expires on July 1st, and there’s a decent chance that each side will wait for the other to sign, ultimately using the other as a comparable in their own negotiations.
Given his age and performance, it’s difficult to speculate on Celebrini’s next contract, especially given that the upper limit of the salary cap continues to rise. Recently, James Mirtle, Chris Johnston, and Michael Russo of The Athletic ran a poll of a few NHL agents about this very topic.
In the report, the trio quoted one agent, saying, “Why shouldn’t Celebrini make like 20 million bucks a year? I mean, it’s a lot, but look at that kid. I guess my point with Celebrini is I know it’s not apples to apples because Kaprizov could have become UFA, but if you’re him, why wouldn’t I say, Kaprizov’s getting this, why shouldn’t I make more than Kaprizov?”
Additionally, another agent said, “It’s going to be in the $10 to $17 (million) range, depending on the number of years he’s willing to forgo. If he’s going to go very short-term, it’ll be $10 to $12 (million). If he’s going to give up term, it’ll be in the $12 to $15 (million). If he really wants to push, it could be $17 (million).”
Since the Sharks will only have a few months left to sign Celebrini to an eight-year contract, it would make sense for them to push for that if Celebrini remains open to it. However, using the above framework, Celebrini could sign an identical eight-year, $136MM as Kirill Kaprizov with the Minnesota Wild. If he looks to beat Kaprizov, Celebrini would immediately become the NHL’s first $140MM man, if not more.
Regardless, outside of the change in September that will drop the maximum contract length from eight years to seven years, there’s no real rush for either side. Celebrini is signed through next year thanks to his entry-level deal, and won’t become eligible for unrestricted free agency until after the 2030-31 NHL season.
Photo courtesy of Stan Szeto-Imagn Images.
Transaction Notes: Lambert, Yager, Copley, Kraws
Two of the Winnipeg Jets’ best forward prospects will continue their season in the Calder Cup playoffs. The Jets announced that they’ve reassigned forwards Brad Lambert and Brayden Yager to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
Despite spending much of the season in the AHL, Lambert, 22, remained with the Jets after the trade deadline. Although he set a new career-high in NHL games played, he was largely ineffective. Lambert finished the campaign with three goals and six points in 25 games with a -5 rating, averaging 10:48 of ice time per game. Earlier this season, the Jets permitted Lambert to seek a trade. There’s no telling if his lengthy opportunity after the deadline was enough to change his mind.
Meanwhile, Yager, 21, only spent the last few games of the season with Winnipeg. Still looking for his first NHL point, Yager skated in three games for the Jets, averaging just under 11 minutes of ice time per game. Still, he was a decent tertiary scorer for the Moose this season, scoring 10 goals and 30 points in 68 games with a -15 rating.
Additional transactions:
- The Los Angeles Kings announced that they’ve recalled netminder Pheonix Copley from the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Copley will serve as Los Angeles’ third-string goalie for their Round One matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, and for the remainder of the playoffs should they advance. He spent much of the year with the Reign, managing a 21-11-1 record in 33 games with a .901 SV% and 2.59 GAA.
- Similarly, the Dallas Stars recalled netminder Ben Kraws from the AHL’s Texas Stars to serve as their third-string option through the postseason. Kraws has much less name recognition than Copley and spent most of the 2025-26 campaign with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. However, the Stars don’t have the benefit of higher-end goaltending prospects in the AHL, and are leaving their better options in the AHL for Texas’ playoff hopes.
Ducks Sign Roger McQueen To Entry-Level Deal
April 18th: As expected, the Ducks have announced McQueen’s entry-level contract, beginning next year. He’ll continue with the AHL San Diego on an amateur tryout agreement through the Calder Cup playoffs. McQueen has scored one goal and three points in six games with a -1 rating with the Gulls so far.
PuckPedia shared the year-by-year breakdown of McQueen’s entry-level deal:
| Year | NHL Salary | Signing bonus | Potential performance bonuses | Minors salary |
| 2026-27 | $922.5K | $102.5K | $550K | $85K |
| 2027-28 | $967.5K | $107.5K | $800K | $85K |
| 2028-29 | $1.0125MM | $112.5K | $1MM | $85K |
April 1st: The Ducks are working to finalize an entry-level contract for top center prospect Roger McQueen beginning next season, PuckPedia reports on Wednesday. He is also expected to sign an amateur tryout with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls to make his pro debut in the coming days.
McQueen, 19, was one of last year’s most polarizing prospects. His 6’6″, 198-lb frame was of significant intrigue, plus the fact that he’d tallied nearly a point per game for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings in his pre-draft year.
A power forward with great puck skills, he only ended up getting into 17 games last year. He missed most of his pivotal draft season because of a fracture in his lower back known as spondylolysis that was initially misdiagnosed as a bulging disc. The symptoms that accompanied had stretched as far back as August 2023, McQueen told Adam Kimelman of NHL.com last year, but were finally completely resolved by the end of the season, allowing him to participate fully in the draft combine.
Some viewed McQueen as a top-five talent. Obviously, with his injury concerns, that didn’t happen. Still, after managing a 10-10–20 scoring line in 17 games for the Wheat Kings in his difficult age-18 campaign, the Ducks had seen enough to take him 10th overall.
The latest addition to a deep stable of first-round forward talent in Anaheim that includes Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke, and Cutter Gauthier, McQueen opted not to return to juniors for 2025-26 and instead committed to Providence College, taking advantage of the new development path for players who came up through top-level Canadian juniors. The Saskatoon native hit the ground running and was among the Friars’ top talents this year, finishing with an 11-16–27 scoring line in 36 outings to rank third on the team.
In doing so, McQueen took home a Hockey East regular-season championship and won the conference’s Rookie of the Year Award. The team was upset by UConn in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament before bowing out to Denver in the regional semifinals of the national tournament.
The right-shot McQueen’s standout freshman year solidified him as Anaheim’s #1 prospect, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic writes. Last offseason, NHL.com had him at #3 behind the since-graduated Sennecke and defenseman Stian Solberg, so there’s been some real upward movement in his stock over the last 10 months.
In all likelihood, McQueen will still need a bit of AHL seasoning next season before he’s ready for an everyday NHL role. All four of the Ducks’ centers are either signed or under team control through next season, so there’s no huge rush to incorporate him, either – although it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mikael Granlund or Mason McTavish shift to the wing if McQueen does force his way onto the roster with a strong training camp.
Atlantic Notes: Hedman, James, Lyon, Kleven
The Lightning have been without Victor Hedman for some extended stretches this season, including the past month when he was out due to illness and then away from the team for personal reasons. However, head coach Jon Cooper told reporters today including NHL.com’s Bill Price that the defenseman is back with the team and has been skating in recent days although he hasn’t taken part in practice as of yet. Cooper noted that Hedman is expected to accompany the team on the road for the third and fourth games of the series which suggests that the veteran may be able to return at some point in the round. Hedman had 17 points in 33 games this season but his playing time has been a bit more managed, checking in at just under 19 minutes a night, down more than four minutes from 2024-25.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- Still with the Lightning, center Dominic James appears to be ready to return to the lineup. Cooper mentioned (via Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times) that he expects the rookie to be available to start the series on Sunday. James sustained a leg injury at the end of February and was initially expected to miss eight to ten weeks. Sunday would be a little before the seven-week mark so he’s clearly a little ahead of schedule. He had seven goals and eight assists in 43 games in his rookie season.
- Originally thought to be unavailable for the start of the playoffs, Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon was at practice today and indicated to reporters including WGR 550’s Paul Hamilton (Twitter link) that he’s ready to go. The veteran had missed the last week with a lower-body injury. Lyon had a 2.77 GAA with a .906 SV% in 36 games this season but has a SV% of just .881 since the Olympic break, resulting in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen picking up more playing time down the stretch.
- Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven wasn’t in the series opener today against Carolina but could be nearing a return. Pregame, head coach Travis Green told reporters including Julian McKenzie of The Athletic (Twitter link) that he’s hopeful the blueliner could return in this series. The 24-year-old has missed the last two weeks with an upper-body injury and is one of two regular blueliners still sidelined, joining Nick Jensen. Kleven had a career-best 18 points in 70 games this season while leading all Ottawa defenders in hits with 126.
Jets Sign Cole Koepke To Two-Year Extension
The Winnipeg Jets are retaining some of their bottom-six depth for a few more seasons. The Jets announced that they’ve signed forward Cole Koepke to a two-year, $2.9MM ($1.45MM AAV) extension through the 2027-28 season.
Truth be told, many believed Koepke would sign a similar deal last summer. The 27-year-old was coming off the best season of his career with the Boston Bruins, scoring 10 goals and 17 points in 73 games, averaging 11:15 of ice time. The Bruins’ fourth line of Koepke, Mark Kastelic, and John Beecher was arguably the most dominant on the team, averaging a 61.6% xGoals% according to MoneyPuck.
Despite the solid season, Koepke settled for a one-year, $1MM contract with the Jets for the 2025-26 campaign. Fortunately, Koepke proved that his 2024-25 season wasn’t a flash in the pan, and instead, his baseline. He finished this season with eight goals and 17 points in 66 games, averaging 10:28 of ice time. Additionally, he marginally increased his physicality from last season, leading the team in hits with 186.
At the very least, as they look to retool this summer and get back to contention, the Jets know Koepke will bring some energy and toughness to the team’s bottom-six. Although he’s not much of a fighter, teams will have their heads on a swivel when Koepke is on the ice, which should benefit prospects such as Brad Lambert or Brayden Yager if they crack Winnipeg’s roster out of training camp next season.
Offseason Checklist: Vancouver Canucks
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. First up is a look at Vancouver.
After keeping some veterans around and signing others to extensions as soon as possible, there was a clear internal expectation of a rebound season from 2024-25, even with a first-time head coach in Adam Foote. However, those expectations didn’t last long as things went downhill in a hurry, resulting in their best player being moved early in the season. As a result, things are even murkier than before heading into their offseason. Here’s what’s on their to-do list this summer.
Hire A GM
Before they can work on too much this offseason, they need to have their next decision-maker in place. On Friday, GM Patrik Allvin was let go after a little more than four years on the job. The team had a points percentage of .531 over his tenure but the last two years weren’t overly pretty with some questionable decisions made along the way on the trade and contract front.
President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford (himself potentially not around for much longer given that he’s 77 and has been with the team longer than originally planned) indicated that whoever takes over will have full autonomy on the roster. That’s particularly noteworthy as more teams start to look at an operation where the POHO role has more authority on that front.
Assistant GM Ryan Johnson has been linked to other teams in their searches. However, there have been also been some suggestions that Vancouver may have him as the perceived frontrunner at this point and is unwilling to let him interview elsewhere although the organization should undoubtedly look at external options as well. There is lots of time to make a hire at this time of year but with other teams on the lookout for a new GM, the Canucks may have to move quickly on this front to ensure that they get the candidate they want as New Jersey did with the hiring of Sunny Mehta earlier this week.
Choose A Path
It seems like a long time ago but just two years ago, the Canucks won the Pacific Division. While some of the key pieces from that roster are gone (highlighted by the Quinn Hughes trade), several are still around. And with an owner that has been suggested to be resistant to an extended rebuild in the past, a decision to try to retool this roster to get back into Wild Card contention next season can’t be ruled out.
Of course, that path seems suboptimal in the long run. But it’s not implausible to think that several of the veterans who underachieved this season bounce back while if Thatcher Demko’s surgery ultimately is as successful as he thinks it was, the floor of this group is going to be a lot higher. With over $21MM in cap space this summer per PuckPedia and no free agents of consequence, they could try to add a few pieces, add that to the potential bounce backs, and try their luck that way.
Alternatively, with the crash landing that this season yielded, a retooling of sorts or a full-fledged rebuild may be the more logical course of action. Determining the extent of the remaining teardown (a retool being shorter term and a rebuild likely lasting several more seasons based on recent comparisons) will be at the top of the priority list. It’ll certainly be a discussion point in interviews for the position.
Once that determination is made, it might influence whether Foote returns behind the bench to get another shot or if the new GM wants to bring in their own handpicked choice. But after a season of spinning their wheels followed by one where things went off the rails relative to expectations almost immediately, identifying and executing a clear direction will be crucial this offseason.
When they decide the route they want to take, that will naturally go a long way toward dictating what comes next and what moves they should be looking to make. Are they trying to add pieces or will a bigger selloff begin? With that not yet certain, the remaining items on their checklist are ones they should be trying to do regardless of the direction the new GM elects to go in.
Explore Boeser Trade Options
A year ago, few thought Vancouver would be in this situation when it comes to long-time winger Brock Boeser. Not because of their struggles either, simply because a year ago, few thought Boeser would still be around. After Allvin publicly lamented a lack of interest in Boeser at the 2025 deadline, it was widely expected that he’d move on in free agency. Instead, he re-signed just as the market opened up, signing a seven-year, $50.25MM deal.
That contract came on the heels of a down year that saw his output go from 40 goals and 73 points in 2023-24 to just 25 and 50 in 2024-25. The contract suggested an expectation that Boeser would rebound. Not necessarily to his career-year levels but perhaps something in between. However, with 22 goals and 48 points this season, his output basically was the same.
As a result, there are certainly some questions about his fit moving forward, whichever direction the Canucks ultimately go. If they look to rebuild or retool, the 29-year-old becomes a logical trade candidate as by the time they emerge from it, his prime years will be over. And if they’re looking to try to compete for a playoff spot next season, his struggles make him a potential change-of-scenery candidate to try to shake up the veteran core.
A $7.25MM cap hit given the year he had is on the higher side but the UFA market has been thinned out considerably in recent months. Meanwhile, the higher salary cap environment should make the deal more palatable as it goes on. If Boeser were to be made available (and he’d be willing to waive his no-move protection), there should be a market for his services. And if the team opts for a rebuild, he becomes a very realistic candidate to move. Whoever takes over as GM should be investigating what the trade options would be with the veteran winger.
Look Into Buium Extension
One of the key pieces of the return for Hughes was defenseman Zeev Buium. A first rounder in 2024 (12th overall), the 20-year-old has shown signs of impressive offensive upside, especially in college when he had 98 points in two seasons at Denver University. He is expected to be a foundational piece for the Canucks before too long, no matter if they look to rebuild or try to get back to the playoffs next season.
Buium burned the first year of his entry-level deal last season when he joined Minnesota for their playoff run. Accordingly, even though this season was his rookie year, he’s already gone through two of his three contract years already. That makes him eligible for a contract extension as of July 1st. Allvin wasn’t believed to be too keen on the idea of an early extension but his replacement may be wise to give the possibility some thought.
Finding the right number for both sides will be a challenge, however. Buium had six goals and 20 assists in 76 games between Minnesota and Vancouver this season. Those are certainly respectable numbers for a first-year pro defenseman but Buium’s camp won’t be willing to sign an extension with 26 points being used as the basis of an offer. No, if a deal were to be done this summer, it would be based on a much higher projected output.
The market for promising young defensemen with offensive upside has certainly gone up lately and it’s reasonable to think that Buium’s camp would be looking at the seven-year, $63MM deal New Jersey gave Luke Hughes heading into this season and be hoping to get something similar. His performance doesn’t warrant that type of money yet but his next contract will start in 2027-28 when the projected salary cap will be $113.5MM which will only drag the AAV higher.
This is also the last stretch where eight-year contracts will be allowable. Once the full new CBA kicks in (September 16th), the maximum term will be seven years. Considering Buium has five years of club control remaining when his entry-level deal expires in 2027, a max-term extension would only add two years. Getting a deal done this summer where they could get an extra year of control may be worthwhile, even if it results in a higher AAV. If the team believes he’s the type of core piece to build around, they’d be wise to get a sense for what type of contract will be needed to make that a reality.
Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images.