New Canucks GM faces tough situation after latest development
Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson takes over a roster handcuffed by seven no-movement clauses heading into the 2026-27 season.
This isn't the clean reset Vancouver fans were hoping for. Johnson, named GM on Thursday, walked into a contract minefield.
The seven names locked in: Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, Marcus Pettersson, Kevin Lankinen, and Thatcher Demko.
Demko's clause kicks in July 1 once his new three-year deal at $8 million AAV activates. Until then, technically movable. Practically? That's another conversation.
The team finished 25-49-8, dead last in the league at 32nd overall, with a brutal 216-for, 316-against goal differential. A 4-6-0 record over the last 10. Something has to give.
But how does Johnson give anything when the guys with value all hold the pen? Elias Pettersson at $11.6 million carries the biggest cap number and the ugliest line: 15 goals, 51 points, a -30 over 74 games.
Adam Foote's roster gets a familiar look in 2026-27
Boeser put up 22 goals and 48 points but skated to a -48 rating. He's now untouchable without his blessing. Same for DeBrusk, who at least delivered 23 goals, with 19 of them on the power play.
Hronek's offensive output kept up (8-41-49 on the blue line), but the -23 tells the rest of the story. He's not going anywhere either.
Marcus Pettersson posted 18 points and a -19 in a full 82 games. Lankinen's .875 save percentage across 47 starts won't move the trade needle on its own.
Here's the part the market keeps glossing over. The previous regime stapled protection onto every long-term deal that mattered. Johnson is now the guy holding the broom.
Trading Demko before July 1 is technically the cleanest path. But after the injury history, who's lining up to pay full freight on a goalie who started 20 games?
The pressure on Adam Foote behind the bench doesn't ease either. Same core. Same cap structure. Same expectations from a market that watched its team finish last.
Johnson can talk vision all he wants at his introductory press conference. The roster he can actually shape is the one signing the waiver forms.
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YESTERDAY
MAY 16, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Rasmus Dahlin | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| Tage Thompson | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Jack Quinn | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Zach Benson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jake Evans | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Ivan Demidov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Konsta Helenius | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Zach Metsa | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Arber Xhekaj | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Bowen Byram | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Caufield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Michael Matheson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ryan McLeod | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Norris | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mattias Samuelsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | - | - | |
| Alexandre Carrier | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||