Canucks News & Rumours: Greenway, Douglas, Höglander & Cootes

The Vancouver Canucks are heading into one of those offseasons where the big moves are not obvious at first glance, but the smaller decisions end up shaping the roster. There’s talk about toughness, questions about young forwards, and a few prospects knocking on the door. Right now, things are still unsettled until a coach is named. In fact, fans have no clear sense of the direction yet.

This summer, internal choices matter just as much as external trades. Do they spend assets chasing upgrades or trust and build around what’s already in the system? Will the guys who are here get another season to show what they have and what they don’t? Or do they try to thread the needle somewhere in between?

With that in mind, some names stand out as interesting “stay or go” or “step forward or step back” types heading into next season. Here are my thoughts on three of those players.

Canucks Should Re-Sign Curtis Douglas as a Culture Piece

There’s been some chatter suggesting the Canucks should look to the trade market to add size and grit, with Buffalo’s Jordan Greenway mentioned as a possible target. On paper, it makes sense. Vancouver has had stretches where they’ve been pushed around and looked like they needed more physical presence. But the reality is, those kinds of players usually cost real assets and real cap space, and the Canucks may already have a simpler, cheaper answer in Curtis Douglas.

Douglas came in off waivers without much attention, but he didn’t take long to make his presence felt. At 6-foot-9, he immediately changed how shifts looked when he stepped on the ice. He’s not here to score, and he won’t light up the scoresheet, but his impact showed up in the way opponents had to play around him. Vancouver looked harder to play against when he was in the lineup, and that matters when you’re trying to build an identity.

What really stands out, though, is how quickly he fit into the room. His teammates liked him, and he clearly understood his job from day one — bring energy, forecheck hard, and make life uncomfortable. That kind of clarity is underrated, especially for depth players coming in mid-season.

Because of that, re-signing him feels like one of those easy decisions. If the alternative is spending real assets chasing someone like Greenway, the smarter move might be to keep the guy who already fits. Low risk, low cost, and already a part of the room. Give him a regular job and see what he brings.

Nils Höglander Faces a “What If” Season

Nils Höglander’s season ended up being a frustrating step backwards after what looked like a real breakout just a season earlier. In 2023-24, he scored 24 goals and looked like he was turning into a key middle-six scoring option. This past season, though, everything seemed to stall at once.

He was injured and limited to just 38 games, finishing with only two goals and spending long stretches in a reduced bottom-six role. Even when he played, the rhythm just wasn’t there. The speed and energy that used to define his game came in flashes rather than as a constant presence, and the Canucks clearly missed the more dangerous version of him.

Now heading into next season, an undisclosed injury has also kept him out of the 2026 IIHF World Championship. That only adds to the questions. At 25, there’s still time for a bounce-back, but this feels like a key season. Either he reclaims a top-nine role and starts producing again, or he risks sliding further into depth territory where the upside starts to fade.

Don’t Count Braeden Cootes Out of the Regular Lineup

Braeden Cootes is still very young, but there are already a couple of reasons why the Canucks should give him a chance to make their regular lineup. First is the way his game already looks without the puck. He’s structured and responsible, and he doesn’t try to cheat offensively. That kind of reliability is what coaches tend to trust early, especially down the middle.

The second reason is that he’s already handled every jump so far without looking out of place. A strong Western Hockey League (WHL) season, a mid-season move where he still produced, and even three NHL games with Vancouver all point to a player who adapts quickly. Add in his international experience, and he’s already getting exposed to pro-level pace and structure in a meaningful way.

That’s why it wouldn’t be shocking if he pushes for a longer look next season. If he shows up to camp a little stronger and a bit more confident offensively, there’s a path where his defensive reliability earns him real NHL minutes. Vancouver doesn’t need him to be a star yet. They need dependable players who can put up solid minutes. Right now, that’s exactly what his game is starting to look like.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

This summer feels less about one big swing and more about a series of smaller judgment calls that add up quickly. Do they lean into external upgrades, or trust players already in the system? Moves like Douglas versus a Greenway-type trade, or decisions around Höglander’s role, all feed into the same bigger question. What kind of identity are they actually trying to build?

The Canucks don’t just need better players; they need clearer answers about who fits, who grows, and who gets a real chance to stick. If they get those calls right, the roster doesn’t need to be torn down. It just needs to be sharpened in the right places.