It looks like we’re down to the final three games of Brock Boeser’s career as a Vancouver Canuck.
In speaking with Iain MacIntyre recently, Boeser more-or-less confirmed his departure, saying of signing an extension that:
“Honestly, it’s unlikely at this point. It sucks, it’s unfortunate. I’m just trying to play good hockey, and then I’ll worry about everything after that. We all know it’s been a roller coaster of a year. There’s been a lot of different things.”
This is not, of course, the end of Boeser’s NHL career. He hits the 2025 UFA market as one of the top free agents available, and that means he’ll have no issue securing a new contract…somewhere else.
Which brings us into interesting territory as sportswriters. See, normally if we’re talking about a potentially-departing Canuck and their potential destinations, we’re talking trade, and that means we’re talking a potential return. Boeser, as a UFA, will be walking away for nothing.
Usually, if we’re talking UFAs, we’re talking about those who might theoretically sign with the Canucks, not those who almost certainly won’t.
But Boeser represents a special case. Having been drafted at 23rd overall in 2015, and having gone on to play parts of nine seasons and 580 games with Vancouver, Boeser is by far the Canucks’ most-tenured player. He’s also, rightfully, earned legions of fans in that time.
So, we reckon he’s worth at least one last article in which we try to determine what might be the best fit for his future home via the 2025 Free Agent Frenzy.
There are some fairly obvious stipulations to consider here. A team targeting Boeser would obviously need to have the cap space to sign him – not that that is much of an issue for most teams, with the cap ceiling rising so much this offseason. But Boeser is also 28, which means he’ll start this new contract at the tail end of his prime years. That means the team that signs him should either be on the cusp of competing or competing already, so as to get the most out of the early years of the deal – and so as to not care too much about the latter years.
A team would also actually have need for a scoring right winger, too. Here’s who that leaves us with:
1. The Obvious Choice, the Minnesota Wild
Offseason Cap Space: $22.6 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Mats Zuccarello, Matt Boldy
We’ll start with the option that we presume everyone is rooting for, at least a little bit, and that’s a homecoming for Boeser in Minnesota. He’s long been known as a family-oriented fellow, and Minnesota is where his family still resides.
More than that, however, the Wild are currently competitive. They’ve finally got some cap space on their hands this offseason, and they have a clear-cut need for some more scoring wingers. They’ve got one star RW already in place in Boldy, but Zuccarello continues to slow down, which makes for the perfect opportunity for Boeser to step in.
Boeser’s offensive skills might make him a good match for the young Marco Rossi, and his history of working on two-way lines could pair him nicely with Joel Eriksson-Ek. Chances do seem best that Boeser joins the Wild, but he will have some other options, too.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
Offseason Cap Space: $36.18 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven, Jordan Martinook
The Hurricanes are absolutely loaded with cap space this offseason, thanks to all of that in-season trading, and they’ve got a definite imbalance in terms of skill and experience between their left and right wings. On the left, they’ve got Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov (and maybe pending UFA Taylor Hall, too). On the right, they’ve got two young talents in Blake and Stankoven, with the latter being a player who might go back to the centre position as soon as next year.
Boeser slides pretty neatly into that top-six and right onto a well-established contender. We heard plenty about Carolina making offers for Boeser at the Trade Deadline, and one has to presume they’re just as interested in acquiring him for nothing more than a contract offer.
At this point, the list is just alphabetical, but even if it weren’t, we’d probably have Carolina listed second here.
3. Colorado Avalanche
Offseason Cap Space: $8.7 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Valeri Nichushkin, Logan O’Connor
Well, if you can scratch what we said about cap space, Colorado fits the bill. They’re competing now with a core that is close in age to Boeser, and they’re loaded up all over their roster, save for on the wings.
A lot of this will be dependent on who the Avalanche re-sign, whether Martin Necas sticks at centre or goes back to the wing, and whether they choose to part ways with Nichushkin this offseason. A Nichushkin trade, along with perhaps another cap dump or two, definitely opens up enough space for a Boeser-type UFA. And from where we’re sitting, a scoring winger should probably be the Avs’ priority. Call this one a ‘pending fit.’
4. Detroit Red Wings
Offseason Cap Space: $22.21 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Lucas Raymond, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jonatan Berggren (RFA)
Patrik Kane’s contract is up, and who knows if he’ll sign another one. If he doesn’t, the Red Wings definitely have the chance to upgrade their ‘veteran RW’ position by bringing in Boeser.
Raymond might be the star attraction in this top-six, but Dylan Larkin is still a big part of it, and he’s the same age as Boeser.
More than that, the Wings have an abundance of young forwards and, in particular, a couple of young centres ready to burst into a larger role. You ideally want to support those centres with talented wingers with experience, and there aren’t all that many of those available this summer. Boeser would help the entire roster take an important step forward in a year where Detroit really, really wants to make it to the postseason.
5. Florida Panthers
Offseason Cap Space: $19.0 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Sam Reinhart, Jesper Boqvist, Mackie Samoskevich (RFA)
The Panthers are going to take a run at a second consecutive Cup this year. But then, it could be a summer of change for them, with several key UFAs, including Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and the recently acquired Brad Marchand.
Should a couple of those players walk, the Panthers will find themselves with some big holes on the roster but also with ample cap space to fill them. Boeser slides into Marchand’s slot on the right wing pretty nicely, and at this point in their careers, it’s pretty much a wash in terms of production.
Signing in Florida allows Boeser both to compete right away and to move as geographically far away from Vancouver as possible – which might be desirable after what has turned into a somewhat acrimonious parting of ways.
6. Ottawa Senators
Offseason Cap Space: $18.44 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Drake Batherson, Mike Amadio
What if Boeser wants to stay in a Canadian market but wants a little less day-to-day drama? The Ottawa Senators might offer up the perfect fit.
They’re a youthful and exciting roster that just secured a return to the playoffs, but that is still a little short on overall talent. With Claude Giroux’s status unknown, there is also a clear opening on the right side of the top-six – and maybe there will be even if Giroux re-signs, as he can generally move around anywhere in the lineup.
Boeser is known to be good friends with Quinn Hughes, who, in turn, has a long history with Brady Tkachuk. Who knows? Maybe some light recruiting will occur.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
Offseason Cap Space: $23.81 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Bryan Rust, Ville Koivunen, Danton Heinen
Okay, we know that the Penguins aren’t really competing right now. In fact, they’re only three points ahead of last place in the Eastern Conference.
That said, Sidney Crosby is still there, and the rebuild won’t happen until he’s safely tucked away into retirement. The Penguins are definitely going to try to return to the playoffs for 2025/26, and that will absolutely require some more offensive talent being brought into the fold.
Boeser, as a high-quality shooter, would seem to be a terrific potential partner for Crosby. At 28, he could also represent a bit of a bridge in the long-term between the Crosby-led core and whatever youth movement takes over in the wake of Crosby’s retirement.
Whether or not Boeser wants to go to another roster that is struggling to make the postseason, however, remains to be seen. This is not the destination for him if he still has Cup aspirations.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
Offseason Cap Space: $27.49 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: William Nylander, Nick Robertson
Yuck. This would feel wrong. But if Mitch Marner departs Toronto via free agency, they can replace him, in part, by grabbing the next-best UFA right wing – and probably do so at almost half the cost of what Marner will demand.
We’re not sure if Boeser would really fit with a shoot-first centre like Auston Matthews, but then maybe he becomes a fixture on the Leafs’ second line instead. One way or another, the Toronto top-six is being turned on its head this offseason, and some new personnel is going to have to step in. Toronto tends to go for the high-profile, and Boeser will absolutely be one of the highest-profile options on the market.
We also suspect he might just receive a call from one of his old mentors, Chris Tanev, along the way.
9. Utah Hockey Club
Offseason Cap Space: $21.53 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Dylan Guenther, Josh Doan, Kailer Yamamoto (RFA)
The Utah Hockey Club will probably get a name this offseason, and then they’ll look to make a name for themselves. After years of toiling in the desert, this is a franchise that is not looking back. Sure, they fell short of the playoffs this season, but they made a strong push all the same and will continue to do so in 2025/26.
With an abundance of cap space, they’ll look to make additions. With Clayton Keller now semi-permanently over on the left wing, the right wing is down to Guenther (the one that got away), the sophomore Doan, and some depth options. Boeser is an upgrade they can both use and afford.
And if what Boeser is looking for is a very, very different hockey market than what he’s come to know in Vancouver, well, it doesn’t get much more different than Utah.
10. Vegas Golden Knights
Offseason Cap Space: $9.62 million2025/26 Right Wing Depth: Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev, Alexander Holtz (RFA)
The Golden Knights almost automatically make the list. Whenever a talented player is available, most folks have the thought, “Well, I hope they don’t go to Vegas,” and then oftentimes, they do anyway.
This particular offseason, Vegas is short on cap space. At least for the time being. We all know they’ve got ways of dealing with that, and should they find themselves in possession of some extra breathing room this offseason, we suspect it will go into a top-six winger. Vegas is fairly rock-solid everywhere else on their roster, but with an aging and constantly injured Stone, the wings do need some help.
Would Boeser really sign with a divisional rival after all these years in Vancouver? One hopes not. But it, unfortunately, seems like a real possibility.
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