Canucks GM Discloses His Detailed Plan About Offer Sheeting Star RFA's This Offseason

The Vancouver Canucks face major roster challenges this offseason with limited ways to address them. Free agency offers few chances to land a top-six center, none of their prospects are projected to fill that role, and they lack the trade assets to make a significant move.

Daniel Wagner from Vancouver Is Awesome writes that the Canucks are expected to trade their first-round pick for immediate roster help, but the kind of impact player they need will likely cost them a top prospect too, and even that may not be sufficient to get a deal done.

Some players might justify an offer sheet in that price range, but they wouldn't be proven NHL talents, which makes overpaying them a risky move.

Wagner writes that Mavrik Bourque stands out as a potential target, given his legitimate top-six upside at both center and wing. Despite being just one year removed from earning AHL MVP honors with 77 points in 71 games for the Texas Stars, he's been a healthy scratch for Dallas during the playoffs. With the Stars' deep roster, they may not have room for him, especially if his cap hit increases substantially due to an offer sheet.

It's unfortunate the Canucks don't have their third-round pick, but that might actually be a blessing in disguise. Submitting an offer sheet that would cost them their 2026 first-round pick could be a franchise-altering gamble, especially if the 2025-26 season goes poorly and that pick ends up in the draft lottery for generational talent Gavin McKenna.

On the flip side, taking a bold risk like that might be exactly what the Canucks need to shift their trajectory after a disastrous 2024-25 season.

Source:
Vancouver Is Awesome
Why the Canucks likely won't sign any RFAs to offer sheets