Canucks Have 3 Trade Partners to Acquire Another 1st Round Pick in 2026

The Vancouver Canucks are in the process of rebuilding their organization. It started with the hiring of Daniel and Henrik Sedin as co-presidents, then Ryan Johnson as general manager (GM). From there, they hired Daren Hermiston as director of player personnel and player development and most recently, Richard Seeley as an assistant GM and GM of the Abbotsford Canucks. As for the coaching staff, they promoted Manny Malhotra from his gig in Abbotsford to the big chair in Vancouver.

The next step is rebuilding the roster and, of course, setting a foundation for a successful future. As Johnson and the Sedins repeatedly stated in their opening press conference, the future will be built through the draft and the virtue of patience. A big part of that process will involve acquiring as much draft capital as they can, ideally in the first- and second-round range, which have historically developed into NHL players.

Currently, the Canucks have four of those picks (two in the first round and two in the second round) that will hopefully form the nucleus of the next core of players. But, they could add even more, considering the amount of veteran talent they have that still holds premium value around the league. Let’s take a look at three potential trade partners that could get Johnson a third first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Ottawa Senators

Key Trade Bait: Jake DeBrusk

When Jake DeBrusk signed long-term in Vancouver, he was expecting to be part of a team that made the playoffs every season. It wasn’t an unreasonable expectation either, as the Canucks were just coming off a run that saw them almost make it to the Western Conference Final. Fast forward a couple seasons, and he’s in the middle of a rebuild that might take five years to complete. He said it himself, he doesn’t want to be part of that at this stage of his career, so naturally, he’s been in trade rumours ever since then.

The most recent suitor is the Ottawa Senators. According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, they are looking to bolster their top-six forward group and that DeBrusk would “fit in well with the Senators because he’d help to make them more difficult to play against” (from ‘Why Jake DeBrusk might be another trade target for Ottawa Senators,’ Ottawa Citizen, 6/10/26).

While DeBrusk was his usual streaky self this season, he was a monster on the power play, scoring a career-high 19 goals. He also came just five away from matching the career-high in overall goals he set last season. The Senators’ power play was eighth in the NHL in 2025-26, so adding him would make it even more lethal. He would have to waive his no-movement clause for a trade to be completed, but with the Senators being a playoff contender and his familiarity with the Atlantic Division, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Boston Bruins

Key Trade Bait: Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser or Elias Pettersson

Jumping to another Atlantic Division team, the Boston Bruins are in an interesting spot in their ecosystem. They are coming off a season that saw them return to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus with an interesting mix of young players and prospects led by James Hagens, Dean Letourneau, Matthew Poitras, and Mason Lohrei. They also have high-end players in David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha, so even though they were once a team expected to enter a retool/rebuild phase, they are smack dab in the playoff contender category right now.

The Bruins always seem to be in the rumours when it comes to Canucks players. They are already home to Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Mikey DiPietro, and they were reportedly in the running to sign Brock Boeser in free agency before he re-signed in Vancouver. As for the here and now, speculation has linked them to multiple players, including a former Bruin in DeBrusk, the aforementioned Boeser, and even Elias Pettersson.

Starting with DeBrusk, he was in the rumour mill all the way back at the trade deadline when the Canucks were actively shopping many of their veterans. The Hockey News‘ Michael DeRosa believes they should revisit that well in the offseason to add more scoring to their top six and to their power play.

Moving to Boeser, the Bruins reportedly continued their pursuit of him during the season. According to RG.org’s Ryan Murphy, they were in on the veteran winger heading into the trade deadline as well. The Hockey Writers‘ own Josh Deeds believes the Bruins should go after him, saying, “He’d add some meaningful skill to a lineup that has some unproven talent in the postseason. He’d also slot in on the same line as David Pastrnak and, as a playmaker, could amplify the production of the Bruins’ first line.”

Finally, there’s Pettersson, probably the biggest wild card in the NHL this offseason when it comes to whether he will be moved or not. Everyone knows how much he’s struggled since he signed the $11.6 million average annual value (AAV) contract in 2024, but teams are still interested in him, given his past production, and the fact that he could turn it around in a new environment – just like Trevor Zegras did in Philadelphia. The Bruins reportedly checked in on Pettersson earlier this season, so there’s a possibility they could call again, given their need for a top-line centre.

Los Angeles Kings

Key Trade Bait: Elias Pettersson

While the Los Angeles Kings won’t be able to replace their captain and all-time leading scorer in Anze Kopitar this offseason, Elias Pettersson could help fill his shoes. Despite his recent struggles, he’s still an elite two-way centre that blocks shots (led all forwards last season with 108), can play in all situations and has the talent to score 25-30 goals. As mentioned, he could also turn it around in a new city with a new coaching staff without the pressure of being a top-line centre in a Canadian market.

Pettersson’s wife has ties to the area as well, so he might be more inclined to waive his no-move clause to facilitate a trade. The Kings were connected to him during the season around the trade deadline, and as early as June 8, The Province‘s Ben Kuzma believes they will go after him again to fill the aforementioned hole left by Kopitar (from ‘Canucks: Is there a path to trade centre Elias Pettersson for roster rebuild?,’ The Province, 6/8/26).

The Kings just hired Peter Laviolette, who is known for getting a lot out of offensive-minded players, so Pettersson might thrive under him. They also have a lot of cap space heading into the offseason, making it more likely that the Canucks won’t have to retain salary in a potential move.

Lots of Possibilities to Add Another 1st Round Pick

The Canucks will be one of the most interesting teams to watch over the next two weeks. Johnson and the Sedins haven’t made their first big splash in the trade market yet, and with several veterans in the trade rumours that could yield first-round picks, they should make at least one move before the 32nd pick pulls on their jersey on June 26.