Previewing the 2025 Canucks Free Agent Class

As past seasons have shown, it’s never too early to start thinking about the next free agency period. While it may not be as significant as 2024 or 2026, we could still see a few pieces fall off the Canucks’ board by this time next year. Changes will certainly be made throughout the season, which could change GM Patrik Allvin’s trajectory heading into July of next year. As it stands, Puckpedia.com notes that six players on the roster are set to hit free agency, with one headed to restricted free agency. Here’s what the Canucks could do with each of them.

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One of the outliers on this list, Boeser is currently in the final year of a three-year, $19.95 million contract he signed in 2022. This coming year will be his first test of unrestricted free agency, as he has spent his entire NHL career with the Canucks. After his first 40-goal season and securing a spot on JT Miller’s wing, it won’t be easy to keep Boeser in Vancouver at the same price he’s currently earning. If we’re basing a hypothetical contract off his 2023-24 regular season performance, an extension somewhere in the ballpark of $7-8 million makes the most sense. Unless a team comes knocking with a compelling bargaining chip, it’s unlikely that the team will part with its longest-tenured skater.

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Phil Di Giuseppe has been with the Vancouver Canucks since the 2022-23 regular season, after signing a one-year deal worth $750,000 in the NHL and $475,000 in the AHL. He followed that up with a two-year extension worth $775,000 and $500,000 per year in the aforementioned leagues. Given that he will be 31 by the time his current deal expires, it remains to be seen whether the team will keep him or opt to sign someone else from Abbotsford. With five goals and five assists in 51 games in the 2023-24 season, Di Giuseppe is a player who could fill the team’s bottom six in the event of injuries. While he has provided the team with a strong, energetic presence throughout his tenure, given their recent signings of the likes of Kiefer Sherwood and Daniel Sprong, it is unlikely that Di Giuseppe will cement a place in the squad in the coming years.

Many Canucks fans may remember Derek Forbort for giving Nils Höglander a pretty tough time in a game against the Winnipeg Jets a few years ago. Now, Forbort will hopefully be defending players like Höglander from these types of plays instead of it being the other way around. Forbort recently signed a $1.5 million contract with Vancouver that expires in July 2025. He has played 35 games for the Boston Bruins in the 2023-24 regular season, filling a role without having to play a lot of minutes. He will do well as a sixth defenceman who can throw his body around and may even get a short contract or two from the Canucks. However, it is unlikely that he will stay in Vancouver for an extended period.

Nils Höglander

The only restricted free agent on this list, Höglander enters the 2024-25 season looking to build on the success he showed last year. His 24 even-strength goals tied him with Brock Boeser on a team-high 36 points, while his 36 points shattered previous career highs. With a high-octane engine and the ability to fit into multiple spots in the lineup, Höglander is a versatile homegrown player the Canucks shouldn’t shy away from. He’s currently approaching the final year of a two-year, $1.1 million contract. With the offensive and defensive improvements he showed throughout the 2023-24 regular season, Höglander will undoubtedly get a raise — but how much? Considering his qualifying offer would be $1.2 million per year, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Canucks increase that number a bit, with his AAV ranging from $1.5 million to even $2 million.

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Local kid Noah Juulsen joined the Canucks in the 2021-22 regular season and signed one-year deals through the 2023 free agency period. He makes $775,000 per year and will be 28 when his current deal expires. He saw action in 54 games last season, scoring one goal and six assists. With a willingness to get the ball rolling and a strong presence on the Canucks’ blueline, Juulsen is a solid replacement for any injuries to the team’s defensive core. He could also head to Abbotsford if the team is looking for a strong presence to help out throughout the season. Expect Juulsen to receive another small, short, two-way extension unless he chooses to explore other options around the league.

Daniel Leap

The Canadians Spring at the opportunity to acquire the 27-year-old winger as the 2024 free agency period loomed, and he remained unsigned. He signed a one-year deal with Vancouver on July 20 for $975K — not a bad deal at all for a 21-goal scorer a few years earlier. Sprong is an excellent addition to the Canucks and will contribute significantly to the team’s top nine. Whether the team re-signs him after this upcoming season is a coin toss. However, if he doesn’t ask for much and can provide the offense he once did as a member of the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings, it would be easy to welcome him back as a regular in the lineup. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see his AAV climb to nearly $1.5 million per season.

Pius Suter, a former member of the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, began his career with a 27-point season. He has consistently scored above 20 points every season of his career, despite only playing 82 games once. As a member of the Canucks, he currently earns $1.6 million per year and will be 29 by the time his contract expires. With a number of new depth scorers, such as Danton Heinen and Daniel Sprong, the Canucks could likely part ways with Suter after his contract expires. However, he brings a certain type of versatility to his game that makes him hard to pass up. Not to mention, he has a knack for scoring timely goals – just look at his goals in Games 1 and 6 of Vancouver’s series against the Nashville Predators. As a cheap, low-maintenance player, Suter can play at all levels of the lineup and could realistically only cost the team around $2 million per year.

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