Predators Acquire Höglander from Canucks for Third-Round Pick

The Nashville Predators have acquired 25-year-old winger Nils Höglander from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a third-round pick in 2029 (acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Jack Drury deal on June 24), according to Rick Dhaliwal.

Predators general manager Chris MacFarland has acquired another player between ages 25 and 29 while rebuilding his third line. He already acquired Jack Drury and Ross Colton from the Avalanche to help with their bottom six, and Höglander will add some playmaking to the group.

“We are excited to add Nils to our mix,” MacFarland said via the Predators press release. “He is a 25-year-old experienced winger who is known for his relentless, high-energy style of play, bringing a consistent motor to the lineup night after night. We believe the player can come in and have a key role.”

What the Predators Are Getting

Höglander is a winger who needed a change of scenery. He’s a strong two-way player with solid hands and a career 11.6% shooting percentage. Despite this, the 2019 second-round pick hasn’t been able to produce in Vancouver for the past couple of seasons.

He had eight goals and 17 assists through 72 games in the 2024-25 season, but this season was a disaster. He missed a chunk of time due to an ankle injury, and produced just two goals and three assists through 38 games. He was also scratched from the lineup on several occasions.

However, Höglander is just two seasons removed from a 24-goal campaign. Some doubt he’ll reach that plateau again, but the hope is that Nashville can coax roughly 20 goals and 30 points from him while he adds a strong defensive game. He had a minus-4 rating this past season but a career plus-10.

Höglander just finished the first of a three-year deal worth $3 million per season that expires after the 2027-28 season, with no trade protection. If the Predators feel like pressing the reset button, they can always move him for a return next offseason or ahead of the 2027 Trade Deadline.

The Predators now have around $16.8 million to work with. They’re set on the left wing, with Höglander behind Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos and have plenty of cap space to sign restricted free agents like Luke Evangelista.

What the Canucks Received in Return

The Canucks received a draft pick and cap relief with this deal, while the Predators essentially got Drury, Höglander, and Chase Bradley for Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Hereux. Vancouver has $21.7 million in cap space, which is less than $6 million away from the cap floor as they enter a rebuilding phase. Trade chips like Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, and Kevin Lankinen could net even more draft capital for the Canucks, who already have 12 picks in the first three rounds over the next three years.