With the 2025 Free Agency period now open, let’s take a look back at the Vancouver Canucks’ past five free agent classes.
2020
The 2020 free agency period was one of massive shifts for the Canucks. Vancouver’s locker room lost key players in Jacob Markström, Chris Tanev, Troy Stecher, and trade deadline acquisition Tyler Toffoli.
To fill the gap in goal, Vancouver signed former Washington Capital Braden Holtby to a two-year, $8.6M contract, though they bought the goaltender out less than a season after. In 21 games played with Vancouver, he posted a record of 7–11–3 and a .889 SV%.
As well as signing Holtby, the Canucks also inked forward Jayce Hawryluk to a one-year, $800K contract. A former second-round pick by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL Draft, Hawryluk played 30 games with Vancouver and scored two goals and three assists.
Later on, in the 2021 pre-season, Vancouver signed defenceman Travis Hamonic to a one-year, $1.25M contract. Hamonic was the only player of these free-agent signings to remain with the Canucks past one season, staying with them until being dealt to the Ottawa Senators in 2022. Hamonic had six goals and 11 assists in all 62 games played with the Canucks.
2021
Rather than splurge on a top-end forward or goaltender, the Canucks chose to increase their organizational depth in 2021. With Alex Edler heading off to the Los Angeles Kings, and Nate Schmidt dealt to the Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver needed to add some stronger pieces on defence to make up for the losses.
The first defender that Vancouver signed was Tucker Poolman, who only ended up playing 43 games with the Canucks throughout two seasons. He signed a four-year, $2.5M AAV contract with the team, but never ended up playing in a full season with Vancouver due to injuries.
Next on the list of defenceman signings was Brady Keeper, who signed a two-year deal worth $762K per year. He was joined by fellow defender Devante Stephens, who inked a one-year contract at $750K AAV. Both of these two depth defenders only ended up playing with the Abbotsford Canucks during their time with the organization.
Fans were excited to see the return of a former fan favourite this off-season, as the Canucks signed Luke Schenn to a two-year deal at a team-friendly $850K per year. Schenn, who had previously spent 18 games with the Canucks in 2019, won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning before rejoining Vancouver. He scored eight goals and 30 assists in 121 games before Vancouver dealt him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023.
Vancouver also improved their depth on defence by signing Brad Hunt (one-year, $800K) and Kyle Burroughs (two-years, $750K) to short-term deals. Both defenders played in at least 40 of Vancouver’s games during the 2021–22 season. Hunt scored three goals and 14 assists in 50 games, while Burroughs potted a goal and four assists in 42 games.
As well as adding depth to their D-core, Vancouver signed a few forwards to short-term contracts. Nic Petan, Sheldon Dries, Sheldon Rempal, Phil Di Giuseppe, and Justin Dowling all received deals with an average annual value of $750K. Before the start of the season, Vancouver also signed Alex Chiasson to a one-year deal.
Banking on Thatcher Demko as their starting goaltender, the Canucks signed Jaroslav Halák to a one-year, $1.5M deal to serve as Demko’s backup. He registered a record of 4–7–2 throughout the season as well as a 2.94 GAA and .903 SV%.
2022
Whereas the 2021 free agency period was filled with adding defensive depth, 2022 was for adding to the team’s forward group. After reports that Vancouver was chasing after highly sought-out Russian free agent Andrei Kuzmenko, the team signed him to a one-year, $950K deal on the opening day of free agency. In his first season with the Canucks, he scored 39 goals and 35 assists in 81 games.
Another addition to the team’s forward core was Curtis Lazar, who signed a three-year deal valued at $1M per year. He scored three goals and two assists in 45 games with the Canucks before being traded in the same season to the New Jersey Devils.
To add some speed to their lineup, Vancouver signed Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $4.75M AAV deal. He spent two seasons with the team before being dealt in the 2024 off-season. In this time, he scored 24 goals and 35 assists in 124 games played.
Dakota Joshua was the next forward that the Canucks signed, and the only one who still remains with the team of everyone on this list so far. He signed a two-year deal worth $825K per year and later extended his contract with the team in 2024. In his first season with the team, he scored 11 goals and 12 assists in 79 games.
In terms of depth, Vancouver made two signings that added to their defence. Wyatt Kalynuk and Christian Wolanin each signed a one-year, $750K deal. Wolanin later returned to the team and won the Calder Cup with Abbotsford in 2025. To replace a departing Halák, the Canucks brought in goaltender Collin Delia on a one-year, $750K deal.
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2023
Vancouver continued their pursuit of a reconstructed D-core by adding two key defencemen after buying out Oliver Ekman-Larsson. As well, they added two centres following the Bo Horvat trade. By the start of the 2023–24 season, the Canucks looked like a completely different team compared to a few seasons ago.
The Canucks brought in three defencemen in 2023, though none of them are still with the team. Carson Soucy signed a three-year deal worth $3.25M per year, spending 99 games with Vancouver and scoring five goals and 11 assists before being traded to the New York Rangers near the 2025 Trade Deadline.
Vancouver also signed defenceman Ian Cole to a one-year contract that paid him $3M. A hard-nosed defenceman who excelled defensively for the Canucks, Cole moved on from Vancouver the next season, signing a new deal with the Utah Mammoth.
The final defenceman the Canucks signed was Matt Irwin, who was brought in as a depth add and played one season with Abbotsford. His one-year, $775K contract ended in 2024, after he’d scored five goals and 11 assists for the AHL Canucks.
Also added to the team’s roster was Teddy Blueger. The forward signed a one-year contract with Vancouver worth $1.9M and excelled as a third-line center, which ultimately led to him committing to the Canucks for another two years. He has put up 14 goals and 40 assists in his 150 games with Vancouver.
Pius Suter was the Canucks’ second center signing in 2023, inking a two-year, $1.6M AAV contract. While he played well in his first season, he broke out offensively in his second year with Vancouver, scoring 25 goals and 21 assists in 81 games. He also proved that he can center a middle-six line when needed, as well as play on both special teams. Recently, Suter signed a two-year, $4.125M AAV deal with the St. Louis Blues in free agency.
Finally, the Canucks brought in Zach Sawchenko on a one-year, $775K deal, during which he played in six games and posted a 2.12 GAA for Abbotsford. He played in six of Abbotsford’s playoff games and put up a .898 SV%. Currently, he plays for the Cleveland Monsters, which is the Columbus Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate.
Five Years of Free Agent Frenzy: Recapping All The Moves The Canucks Have Made On Day 1 Of Free AgencyHow the first day of free agency has impacted the Vancouver Canucks from 2019 to 2024.
2024
After a second round Game 7 playoff exit, the Canucks said goodbye to soome fan favourites and hello to some new ones. They brought in five new forwards, two new defencemen, and two new goaltenders.
Vancouver’s big free agency splash in the 2024 signing period was Jake DeBrusk, who they locked up to a seven-year, $5.5M AAV contract. He led the team in goals scored with 28 — a career-high for him — and finished fourth on the team in points with 48 in 82 games.
Kiefer Sherwood quickly became a fan-favourite in Vancouver after displaying his physical presence. After signing a two-year, $1.5M per-year deal with the Canucks, he proceeded to shatter multiple hit records throughout his first season and set career-highs in goals (19), assists (21), and points (40).
Vancouver brought in Danton Heinen to provide a consistent penalty-killing presence, though the forward was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in February as part of a deal to acquire Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor. In part of the first year of his two-year, $2.25M AAV contract, he scored six goals and 12 assists in 51 games with the Canucks.
In 2024, the Canucks also brought in forwards Daniel Sprong and Nate Smith. Sprong, who signed a one-year contract valued at $975K, only played nine games with Vancouver before being traded to the Seattle Kraken. Smith, who was on a one-year, $775K deal in 2024–25, added nine goals and 17 assists to Abbotsford’s center depth.
On defence, the Canucks also added Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais. Forbort signed a one-year deal worth $1.5M per year in 2024, and extended his contract by another year and $500K to his time in Vancouver in 2025. A prolific penalty killer and shot blocker, Forbort has played a big role with the Canucks and will continue to do so next season.
Desharnais, who signed a two-year deal valued at $2M per year, spent 34 games with Vancouver before being traded to the Penguins alongside Heinen. In his time with the Canucks, he had three assists.
The two goaltenders that the Canucks signed in 2024 were Jiří Patera and Kevin Lankinen. Patera inked a two-year, $775K deal and played in seven games for Abbotsford. Lankinen, on the other hand, signed a one-year contract worth $875K. After a string of excellent play that resulted in him claiming the role as starting goaltender, he signed a five-year, $4.5M AAV extension.
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