Since JT Miller was traded to the New York Rangers, the Vancouver Canucks have found themselves with something that has eluded the organization for a very long time: salary cap space. There are many different ways to utilize this newfound cap space; broker a trade for an additional asset, swing big for a high-priced star, or take on a devalued player for little or no cost are among the options.
There are many different categories that go into finding a buy-low option. Taking in a player’s contract, age, point production, hits, faceoff percentage, top speed, number of speed bursts over 20mph and shooting percentage this season compared to their career to help narrow our list down. We also looked into how lucky/unlucky a player has gotten. How many Goals For (GF) have they been on the ice for compared to their Expected Goals For (xGF)?
We found 10 players who could potentially be buy-low options for the Canucks for you to chew on while the final round-robin games of the 4 Nations Face-off are underway.
Each player has been separated into three categories according to their contractual status: Rental, Term, and RFA (restricted free agent).
Rental Players
Alex Kerfoot
Utah HC
Position: Forward
Age: 30 (August 11, 1994)
Height/Weight: 5’11’’, 185lbs
Contract: One year x $3.5 million
2025 Production:
There’s a lot to like about Kerfoot’s profile. The three most notable aspects of his above stat line are how he’s very fast, hustles, and has been quite unlucky; his xGF differential of -15.11 is bested by only two other players among this list of 10. He offers roster versatility due to his capability at centre and both wings. He’s comparable to Pius Suter but more adept at faceoffs and much faster. He’s a local boy, to boot.
Christian Dvorak
Montreal Canadiens
Position: Centre/Left Wing
Age: 29 (February 2, 1996)
Height/Weight: 6’1’’, 201lbs
Contract: One year x $4.45 million (8-NTC)
2025 Production:
For the first time since arriving in Montreal, he’s healthy. That hasn’t translated to the score sheet, however. His shooting percentage, being a little over half his career average, accounts for some of the lack of production. There’s quite a difference between his GF and xGF, as well. While he lacks high-end speed, Dvorak moves his feet. He also wins faceoffs at a substantial rate. The acquisition cost would be negligible because of his high cap hit and lack of production.
Marcus Johansson
Minnesota Wild
Position: Left Wing
Age: 34 (October 6, 1990)
Height/Weight: 5’11’’, 205lbs
Contract: One year x $2.0 million (NTC)
2025 Production:
Johansson’s production has cratered, but he still retains high-end top speed and hustle. While not physical, he’s not soft either. Like Dvorak, Johansson’s shooting percentage this season is nearly half of his career norm. Couple that with his negative xGF differential, and you have a player who is being undone by some bad luck. With his low cap hit and the Wild’s lack of cap space, there’s a chance they would be amenable to trading him for nothing to clear up space for another move. Would he waive his no-trade clause to come to Vancouver?
Sean Kuraly
Columbus Blue Jackets
Position: Centre/Left Wing
Age: 32 (January 20, 1993)
Height/Weight: 6’2’’, 205lbs
Contract: One year x $2.5 million (10-NTC)
2025 Production:
If you’re looking for a physical fourth-line forward, look no further than Sean Kuraly. He throws tons of hits, utilizes his speed, and always gives a strong effort. His production is similar but lower than in past seasons, and his shooting percentage aligns with the rest of his career. What you see is what you get with him. Kuraly’s appeal is his low cost, positional versatility, size, physicality, and speed. If the Blue Jackets fall out of the playoff race, quite a few teams will be interested in acquiring him, but his price will still be relatively low, given his cap hit. But are the Canucks on his 10-team NTC?
Players With Term
Lawson Crouse
Utah HC
Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
Age: 27 (June 23, 1997)
Height/Weight: 6’4’’, 216lbs
Contract: Three years x $4.3 million
2025 Production:
When Crouse hits a player, they feel it; he’s essentially a Sherman tank pretending to be a human. Where it’s gone wrong for Crouse is he’s been extremely unlucky. He has the lowest xGF differential of anyone on the list, and his shooting percentage is lower than his career average. He’s above average in both skating metrics, too. Signed for two more seasons, Crouse’s cap hit is inflated this year but becomes less of a burden in subsequent seasons. He scored at least 20 goals in his last three seasons. Acquiring Crouse would be a bet that his luck would turn around, and he could become the middle-six force again.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
New York Islanders
Position: Centre
Age: 32 (November 11, 1992)
Height/Weight: 5’11’’, 181lbs
Contract: Two years x $5.0 million (16-NTC)
2025 Production:
Having a bit of a resurgence, Pageau is on pace to return to his typical 40-point season. While not tall and rather slight, he throws his body around. Pageau is an ace in the faceoff circle, the stereotypically coveted right-handed centre teams yearn for. His shooting percentage is at career norms, but his xGF differential is in the negatives. With a few more favourable bounces, he’d have a career season statistically. Last season, he was viewed as a negative-value asset. And while he’s rebuilt some of that, he’s now a year older. He should still come at no cost or an asset attached but could be a very useful player in the right situation.
Colton Sissons
Nashville Predators
Position: Centre
Age: 31 (November 05, 1993)
Height/Weight: 6’1’’, 201lbs
Contract: Two years x $2.857 million
2025 Production:
Like many Predators players, Sissons is having a nightmare of a season. While still extremely fast, he doesn’t consistently keep his feet moving. His shooting percentage is lower than it should be, and is getting unlucky with goals going in while he’s on the ice. Physicality and good at faceoffs, Sissons is typically a good bottom-6 contributor. Like Kerfoot, he’s a Vancouverite. Similar to Drew O’Connor, he would add some speed and physicality to the Canucks’ bottom-six.
Alexei Toropchenko
St. Louis Blues
Position: Right Wing
Age: 25 (June 25, 1999)
Height/Weight: 6’6’’, 223lbs
Contract: One year x $1.25 million ($1.7 million extension for next season)
2025 Production:
Players this tall and heavy rarely reach speeds like Toropchenko can. He also gets his feet moving consistently. His unsustainably poor shoot percentage has led to a dearth of pucks going in the net. He’s big, fast, physical, and has bafflingly bad luck around the net. He’d be an excellent dice roll. The Russian is the only player on this list whose xGF differential is in the positive. Even if there isn’t any additional upside, if his shooting percentage can rebound back to his career average, he’s a solid fourth-liner on a good contract. The downside is there’s very little reason for the Blues to give up on him, given he’s signed to a very reasonable contract for next season.
RFAs
Matias Maccelli
Utah HC
Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
Age: 24 (October 14, 2000)
Height/Weight: 5’11’’, 185lbs
Contract: Two years x $3.425 million
2025 Production:
Maccelli’s career was on a sharp upward trajectory until crashing to the ground this season. He’s currently on pace to finish with less than 30 points. Like Crouse, his shooting percentage is down. His xGF differential is not good; both point to a possible bounceback. His on-ice usage has dropped; eight other forwards on Utah have averaged more ice time per game than Maccelli this season. He’s averaging three minutes less per game than last season, and his power play time has decreased. His speed is above average, but he doesn’t utilize it. There’s also no physicality to his game. However, he has the highest offensive upside of any player named here. Signed for another season before becoming an RFA with arbitration rights, there’s very little risk with him.
Rasmus Kupari
Winnipeg Jets
Position: Right Wing
Age: 24 (March 16, 200)
Height/Weight: 6’2’’, 201lbs
Contract: One year x $1.0 million
2025 Production:
Look at that blazing speed. He’s fast and physical, which is right in the Canucks wheelhouse. Unfortunately, Kupari hasn’t shown much offence since being traded to the Jets. Despite only scoring five goals on the season, this season’s shooting percentage is higher than his career average. He’s also adept at faceoffs, although it’s not a standout skill. There’s a lot to love with the physical tools, and he is worth a cheap bet to see if he can be a bottom-six sparkplug.
None of these players should come with much acquisition cost, but all have varying degrees of risk. For the players with term, there’s also the concern that if they don’t bounce back, the team is handicapping itself by taking up salary cap space on a negative-value contract. Even with that in mind, all these players could potentially help the Canucks. They either enhance or offer skills the Canucks, as currently assembled, lack.
What do you think, Canucks fans? Who on this list would you like to see the Canucks acquire for this deadline, if any? Let us know in the comments below!
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