If The Vancouver Canucks Offer Sheet RFA's This Offseason, This Is Their Prime Target
Photo credit: The Athletic/The New York Times
A former first round pick, among several other players, have been named as a potential offer sheet targets for Patrik Allvin and the Vancouver Canucks when the free agent market opens up in just over five weeks.
The Vancouver Canucks may have to get creative this summer if they want to improve their roster and hopefully, return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026.
One way the Vancouver Canucks could attempt to make their roster better is by issuing an offer sheet to one of the several pending restricted free agents that would slot right into the team's top-six, which is an area they need to address this offseason.
Former first rounder among several offer sheet candidates
In a recent article on The Athletic, Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal took a look at potential restricted free agents that Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin could target as of July 1st at 9 am PT.
Among the players Drance and Dayal mention is 2017 11th overall pick Gabriel Vilardi of the Winnipeg Jets, who had a career-year during the 2024-25 campaign, registering 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists), along with 14 penalty minutes and was a plus-nine.
Drance and Dayal believe that despite the Winnipeg Jets having plenty of cap space, trying to re-sign Nikolaj Ehlers and negotiating with Dylan Samberg - who is also an RFA this summer - could take priority.
They added that while there's a good chance Gabriel Vilardi remains in the Manitoba capital next season and beyond, there's also a legit possibility he could remain unsigned on July 1st, which would allow for the opportunity for Vancouver or any other team to submit an offer sheet to the 25-year-old centerman.
"The Jets, however, will likely make a push to retain star winger Nikolaj Ehlers, and have a crucial negotiation upcoming with steady top-four defender Dylan Samberg. Vilardi also has arbitration rights and is coming off a very productive 60-point season.
Those dynamics make it somewhat likely that Vilardi will make it to July 1 unsigned. He'll almost certainly end up back in Winnipeg, but that timeline could provide a small window for a rival club to negotiate an offer sheet with the 25-year-old." Drance and Dayal said.
Those dynamics make it somewhat likely that Vilardi will make it to July 1 unsigned. He'll almost certainly end up back in Winnipeg, but that timeline could provide a small window for a rival club to negotiate an offer sheet with the 25-year-old." Drance and Dayal said.
The Vancouver Canucks are no stranger to the offer sheet market and it's something the organization has gone through a handful of times in the past, including in 1994, when they didn't match the St. Louis Blues' offer for former second overall pick Petr Nedved.
Between 1997 and 2008, the Canucks were involved in four more offer sheets, with Vancouver unsuccessful in their attempt to land David Backes, while the team matched offers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Mattias Ohlund, the Philadelphia Flyers on Ryan Kesler and the St. Louis Blues on Steve Bernier.
Submitting an offer sheet comes with a lot of risk as while it's allowed through the Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams often avoid using them so they don't anger and upset an opposing teams General Manager.
The team that submits an offer sheet also needs to have the required draft picks for compensation if the other team decides not to match, and it's tied to the annual salary offered to the restricted free agent.
For example, according to according to AFP Analytics, Gabriel Vilardi is in line for a four-year contract worth just over $6.8 million annually, which the Vancouver Canucks wouldn't be able to offer right now as the compensation is a first and third-round picks in 2026, which Patrik Allvin dealt the latter to Calgary in November 2023 for Nikita Zadorov.
If Vancouver were to re-acquire that third round pick back from the Calgary Flames, something similar to what we saw the St. Louis Blues do last year before offer sheeting Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg from Edmonton, then Patrik Allvin would have a chance at submitting one to Gabriel Vilardi.
It's going to be a very interesting summer in Vancouver, there's no doubt about that, and fans are quite excited to see what changes will be made before the puck drops on the 2025-26 season in October.
Source: Thomas Drance & Harman Dayal/The Athletic
Canucks free-agent targets: 12 pending RFAs worth tendering an offer sheet
Canucks free-agent targets: 12 pending RFAs worth tendering an offer sheet
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
MAI 26 | 979 ANSWERS If The Vancouver Canucks Offer Sheet RFA's This Offseason, This Is Their Prime Target Do you think the Vancouver Canucks should submit an offer sheet to Gabriel Vilardi this summer? | ||
| Yes | 522 | 53.3 % |
| No | 457 | 46.7 % |
| List of polls | ||