Vancouver Canucks set new goals for a rebuilding 2026-27 season

As the 2026-27 NHL season approaches, most pre-season forecasts have the Vancouver Canucks projected at or near the bottom of the standings. With ownership accepting that the club needs a few step-back years to stockpile picks and prospects, wins and losses are no longer the primary measuring stick. The central question becomes what a genuinely successful season looks like for a team likely headed into a long, challenging year.

Draft position and the veteran trade market

If the Canucks finish 32nd, they can pick no lower than third in the NHL Draft, giving them a strong chance to add another premium talent. The franchise has never won the draft lottery, so maximizing lottery odds is a logical part of the plan. In that sense, a low finish is less a failure than a necessary stage of the rebuild.

Throughout the summer, speculation has linked veterans such as Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson to possible trades. Many established players on the roster hold some degree of trade protection, which complicates any overhaul. However, when a team is well outside contention and unlikely to rebound quickly, it often becomes easier to move long-term contracts for futures. Replicating the model of last season’s Quinn Hughes trade by turning at least some of those deals into draft picks, prospects and young NHL-ready players would be a clear sign that management is leaning fully into the reset, even if not every veteran is moved.

Youth deployment under new coach Manny Malhotra

Vancouver enters the season with the third-youngest roster in the league, averaging 26.8 years of age, and many of its key pieces are 27 or under. New head coach Manny Malhotra arrives from the AHL with a background in working closely with developing players. His task is to put that youthful core in situations that both accelerate their growth and contribute meaningfully to the team.

Under previous coach Adam Foote, emerging talents such as Zeev Buium, Tom Willander and Marco Rossi were not consistently used in ways that matched the organization’s longer-term priorities. A more deliberate approach to their deployment—featuring regular minutes and responsibilities in meaningful situations—would mark a major step forward. For the Canucks, a successful year would likely include clear progression from that group and a better sense of who can anchor the next competitive window.

Uncertain path in goal and in the prospect pipeline

In net, Thatcher Demko no longer appears to be the long-term solution. Now 30, he has not played more than 23 games in either of the last two seasons and has struggled to stay in the lineup for extended stretches. Despite being signed through 2028-29 at an $8.5-million cap hit, the club has to seriously evaluate alternative plans in goal.

Kevin Lankinen, under contract until 2030, profiles as a serviceable bridge option, while Chris Driedger joins camp on a professional tryout after last appearing in the NHL in 2023-24 with Seattle. Backup Nikita Tolopilo saw action in 21 games last season but did not perform at a level that suggests a long-term answer. In the system, Alexei Medvedev returns to the OHL’s London Knights at age 19 after an inconsistent couple of years, and minor-league goalies Ty Young and Aku Koskenvuo are also in the mix. None has yet emerged as a sure solution.

Given that uncertainty, the Canucks may need to use the latter part of the season to sign undrafted free-agent goaltenders out of college or junior, effectively buying low-cost lottery tickets in search of a future starter. Beyond the crease, several key skater prospects are still outside the professional ranks, including Adam Novotny (OHL Peterborough), Caleb Malhotra (Boston University in the NCAA), Brooks Rogowski (OHL Oshawa) and Braeden Coyotes (WHL Prince Albert). If that group can post strong seasons and establish themselves as impact players at their current levels, Vancouver could come out of a difficult NHL campaign with a much clearer—and potentially brighter—picture of its long-term core.