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3 lessons the Canucks can learn from the NHL’s changing landscape

Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images

By Elijah Ford

Aug 23, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 21, 2026, 20:11 EDT

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With the rise of analytics, a new CBA in place, and salary-cap growth showing no signs of slowing down, the NHL is evolving faster than ever before.

Macklin Celebrini’s NHL-record $18.8-million AAV contract effectively closed the book on one of the wildest offseasons in recent memory. Record-setting offer sheets, a surge in restricted free agents’ value and a new era of player empowerment have reshaped the league over the past several months.

Those league-wide trends also offer a blueprint for the Vancouver Canucks as they continue their rebuild.

Lesson 1: Pay for what players will become, not what they are

When Ivan Demidov signed his eight-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens this offseason, many immediately praised the organization for betting early on one of hockey’s brightest young stars. To some, committing more than $9 million annually to a player with just one NHL season may seem aggressive. Increasingly, though, that’s exactly how successful teams are operating. Rather than paying players for what they’ve already accomplished, contenders are paying for what they expect those players to become.

Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson all signed five-year contracts this summer instead of maximizing term. In a rising-cap environment, those deals allow elite players to cash in again during their prime while reaching unrestricted free agency at an ideal age.

The flip side is just as important. Teams that signed stars such as Jack Hughes, Jake Sanderson and Lane Hutson to lengthy extensions coming off their ELCs now possess some of the league’s best value contracts. Betting early on elite talent has become one of the best ways to build a contender. That mindset should shape Vancouver’s approach.

The most obvious example is Zeev Buium. While committing long-term money to a defenceman with just 76 NHL games carries risk, waiting may ultimately prove even more expensive if he develops into the player the Canucks believe he can become. Pavel Mintyukov’s recent $7.2-million extension demonstrates how expensive young defencemen are becoming.

Liam Öhgren is another intriguing case. Acquired in the Quinn Hughes trade, he quickly established himself with his relentless work ethic, speed and ability to attack the middle of the ice. If Vancouver believes he can become a long-term top-six winger, there’s an argument for extending him before his price climbs.

The same philosophy applies to Tom Willander next summer and, eventually, prospects such as Braeden Cootes, Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotny. Long-term deals always involve risk, but if the Canucks trust their evaluations, betting early on their own young talent could produce tremendous value.

Lesson 2: Create a player-friendly environment

Elite talent is still acquired primarily through the draft, but free agency and trades remain great tools for a rebuilding team, and both have changed dramatically over the past half-decade. Five years ago, just 52 NHL players held no-movement clauses. Today, that number has ballooned to roughly 245, giving star players unprecedented control over where they play.

This past season, we’ve seen players exercise their trade protection, with Artemi Panarin and Colton Parayko as just two examples. Increasingly, stars decide where they’ll play as much as teams do. As a result, organizations are no longer competing solely with assets or contract offers. They’re competing to become destinations. That’s especially relevant for Vancouver.

The Canucks can dream about one day bringing hometown stars Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini home, but that won’t happen simply because they’re from North Vancouver. It will happen only if the organization establishes itself as a perennial contender with a strong culture players actively want to join.

The current front office has made encouraging progress by adding respected veterans such as Luke Schenn, Jamie Oleksiak and Paul Cotter to support the rebuilding roster. Eventually, though, culture must be matched by results. Becoming a destination franchise may ultimately prove just as valuable as winning the draft lottery.

Lesson 3: Capitalize on first-round pick deflation

The Canucks also appear to be rebuilding at the perfect time. League-wide, first-round picks have become noticeably easier to acquire. Even teams at the bottom of last year’s NHL standings, such as the Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks, have traded future first-rounders to improve immediately. At the same time, research continues to suggest that late first-round selections have lost value as NHL scouting has become more efficient. No organization has embraced that philosophy more aggressively than the Vegas Golden Knights, which has traded away nearly every first-round pick it has owned over the past decade.

That creates a unique opportunity for Vancouver. Veterans such as Filip Hronek, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser should command significant returns in today’s market. When players like Mason McTavish and J.J. Paterka can each return packages centred around multiple first-round picks, Vancouver’s veteran assets should be in equally strong demand. For a rebuilding organization looking to accumulate draft capital, market conditions have rarely been more favourable.

The trends shaping today’s NHL aren’t temporary. Rising salary caps, increased player leverage and changing asset values are fundamentally altering how successful teams are built.

If the Canucks recognize those changes before everyone else, their rebuild could accelerate far faster than many expect.

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