The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially in the books, but for the Vancouver Canucks, the real games are just beginning in the front office. With the NHL’s Olympic trade freeze lifting last night at 8:59 PM PT, the hockey world is bracing for a flurry of activity from a franchise that has finally stopped leaning on the “retool” crutch and fully embraced a rebuild.
Related: Canucks News & Rumours: Lankinen, Lekkerimäki & Patterson
Sitting at the bottom of the league standings, the Canucks are no longer playing for points — they are playing for lottery odds and future assets.
The most significant storyline following the Olympic break is the future of Elias Pettersson. Despite having six years remaining on a massive contract, the noise surrounding a potential move is deafening. Pettersson’s strong showing in Milano Cortina has reignited interest from several heavy hitters, most notably the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings find themselves in a unique position after losing Kevin Fiala to a season-ending injury. They have the cap flexibility and the desperation to make a splash. While the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings remain on the periphery of these talks, the Kings’ need for a top-tier offensive catalyst makes them the team to watch as the March 6 deadline approaches.
Evander Kane and the Seller’s Market for Depth
Beyond the Pettersson blockbuster potential, the Canucks are actively looking to move Evander Kane. His agent has been granted permission to help facilitate a trade, with the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning identified as primary landing spots.
For a deal to materialize, expect Vancouver to weaponize their cap space. Whether it is retaining 50% of Kane’s salary or taking back a bad contract to facilitate a trade, general manager (GM) Patrik Allvin is clearly focused on extracting the highest possible draft capital. Meanwhile, pending free agents like Teddy Blueger and David Kämpf are essentially packed and ready; both are viewed as reliable depth pieces for any contender looking to shore up their bottom six.
Injury Woes and the Silver Lining in the Pipeline
The medical report continues to be a source of frustration. Thatcher Demko is done for the season following hip surgery, and top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimäki will also miss the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery. Most recently, Filip Chytil was sidelined indefinitely with a facial fracture after a freak accident in practice.
However, the future isn’t entirely bleak. The trade that sent former captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild has already started to bear fruit, with Marco Rossi and Zeev Buium looking like foundational pieces. Furthermore, the 2026 NHL Draft looks promising; the Canucks are currently the favourites to land the first overall pick, and defensive standout Keaton Verhoeff has already expressed a keen interest in donning the Canucks jersey.
Canucks Schedule: Feb. 23 – March 2
| Date | Opponent | Time (PST) | Location |
| Wednesday, Feb. 25 | vs. Winnipeg Jets | 7:00 PM | Rogers Arena |
| Saturday, Feb. 28 | @ Seattle Kraken | 7:00 PM | Climate Pledge Arena |
AI tools were used to support the creation or distribution of this content, however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of The Hockey Writers editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards page.
