Vancouver Canucks’ 3 Worst Contracts for 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers –

The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a really rough season. One of the worst in franchise history. Unfortunately, while the Canucks didn’t and don’t have a good roster, part of the reason for the horrible results was major underperformance and missed time from key pieces. These players are locked up to long-term deals and are being paid a lot more than their production would normally entail.

It’s worth noting that the Canucks also have players on team-friendly deals as well, which you can read about here. With that said, here are the three worst contracts on the Canucks’ books for the 2026-27 season.

It’s perhaps the most maligned deal in the NHL right now, and it’s easy to see why. When Elias Pettersson signed his eight-year, $11.6 million per season deal, he was in the midst of an 89-point campaign for a resurgent Canucks team. He was also only a season removed from his career high 102 points. It was easy to see why the Canucks were willing to give Pettersson huge money, as he provided excellent production and had impressive two-way potential.

In his first season under the contract, Pettersson took a major step back, scoring 15 goals and 45 points, the lowest totals of his career in a full-length season. This past season, he scored the same number of goals and improved the point total to 51, though he also appeared in 10 more games. It’s tough to see this kind of production from a player making similar money per season as stars like David Pastrnak, William Nylander, and Artemi Panarin.

It’s not all hopeless, though, as Pettersson has still looked solid defensively despite not being a very physical player. The Canucks could also receive a haul for him, as some desperate teams with cap space may look to bring him in to spark their offence. If he isn’t moved, there’s a chance that having a former center like Manny Malhotra as his head coach will allow him to, at the very least, look like a player capable of putting up around 70-75 points.

Thatcher Demko – 3 x $8.5 Million

This one is a bit more nuanced, as fans could argue this is a great contract. That is, of course, if Thatcher Demko can actually stay healthy.

Demko has played in a total of 43 games over the past two seasons, posting sub-.900 save percentages in each of those campaigns. This is largely due to the Canucks being poor defensively. He was sidelined due to a hip injury back in January, but will reportedly be fully ready for training camp in September.

There’s also a bit of a fear that Demko’s solid play could be the one thing that keeps the Canucks out of a lottery position. We have seen him be not just a good goalie, but an elite one worthy of this contract. He finished second in Vezina voting in 2023-24, with a total of 22 goals saved above expected per MoneyPuck. While the Canucks aren’t going to be openly tanking, Demko on his game could keep their lottery odds lower than fans and management would like.

Another concern about the contract is that it has a no-move clause, which means Demko has full say over where he is playing. The Canucks can no longer try to offload this contract, at least not without getting the green light from Demko himself. 

Still, it’s not the worst deal out there, as Demko can be a great player, just not one who necessarily fits the Canucks’ timeline.

Brock Boeser – 6 x $7.3 Million

Some people might say that the Jake DeBrusk deal deserves a mention here, especially with him seemingly on his way out of Vancouver. With a rising salary cap, $5.5 million doesn’t seem so bad for a consistent 20-goal scorer, and other teams likely think so as well. However, the Canucks have another forward with similar production on a longer deal who is getting paid more per season.

Most Canucks fans probably wouldn’t want to move on from this contract, and it’s hard to blame them. Brock Boeser has embraced the city and seems in it for the long haul.

One of the issues with Boeser is that he isn’t really a play-driver. He is at his best when alongside an engine that can control the play and set him up for chances. With the Canucks being one of the worst play-driving units last season, Boeser looked invisible in plenty of games. He looked at his best when paired with J.T. Miller, who fed Boeser plenty of great opportunities that he was able to capitalize on.

If the Canucks’ top young pieces develop further, this contract can quickly look like decent value, with Boeser potentially potting 30 in the future. Interestingly, he’s never actually had a season in the 30-goal range, as his career high was 40 in 2023-24, and his second-most goals in a campaign was 29 in his outstanding rookie season.

Better Days Ahead

The Canucks are luckily in a position where these contracts don’t hurt too much, as they are a rebuilding team with cap room and plenty of players on cheap contracts. There is also the possibility that these players perform up to their price tag, as there was a reason they commanded such high price figures in the first place.