Welcome to a new series here at CanucksArmy, where over the month of August we’ll ask a new question each day about the Vancouver Canucks. We’re calling it “31 days, 31 questions”. Today, we’re examining which of the Canucks’ offseason acquisitions will have the biggest impact on the team.

Out with the old, in with the new.

This offseason, the Canucks lost Nils Höglander and Marcus Pettersson via trade, along with Teddy Blueger and Curtis Douglas in free agency. Derek Forbort, Evander Kane, and PO Joseph also have not been renewed by the club, but have yet to find a new home for next season, as of this writing.

To fill those roster spots, the club added one player via trade and three in free agency: Brendan Gallagher from the Montreal Canadiens, and Paul Cotter, Jamie Oleksiak, and Luke Schenn on July 1.

With the Canucks staring down the barrel of the rebuild, statistical expectations won’t be set high for each of these new acquisitions. However, what they do for the future of the team, whether that be as a positive impact in the locker room with the young players, or what they can eventually become as an asset in a future potential trade.

But which one of these acquisitions will have the biggest impact on the Canucks?

Gallagher saw himself on the outside looking in with the Canadiens last season, when he played just three of Montreal’s 19 postseason games. But he’s still got some game left.

As we wrote earlier about what the Canucks may be getting in Gallagher: “The 34-year-old still has the tools to play in the NHL. He creates chances near the crease, pressures defenders on the forecheck, and posts respectable territorial results. His finishing collapsed last season, but his five-on-five impact remained close to breaking even. He won’t bounce back to the top-six forward he once was, but in a fourth-line role, there’s potential for Gallagher to turn into a successful reclamation project for the Canucks.”

Let’s not forget, Gallagher is just one season removed from a 21-goal, 38-point season, in which he averaged fewer than 14 minutes per game. Depending on where new head coach Manny Malhotra slates him in the Canucks’ lineup, Gallagher could provide secondary scoring.

However, his biggest impact will be felt in the locker room. As a veteran who has worn an ‘A’ on his sweater with the Canadiens for the last 11 seasons, he will be valuable in teaching the young core of the roster what it’s like to be a consummate pro on and off the ice.

Cotter will have a similar role to Gallagher in the sense of depth scoring. He’s just a little less proven. However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t pack an offensive punch.

As we wrote earlier about what the Canucks are getting in Cotter: “Vancouver is betting that a defined assignment in its bottom-six can bring out the positive aspects of Cotter’s profile. The speed, shooting ability, and physical edge that helped him establish an NHL career are still there. Whether a defined role in the Canucks’ bottom-six can bring the best out of his abilities is another question.”

His speed is undeniable. Cotter has ranked in the 87th, 96th, and 88th percentile in speed score over the past three seasons. His shot speed increased as well last year, from below the 50th percentile top shot speed two seasons ago to the 89th percentile last season. There is enough potential in Cotter as an offensive player to see him beat his career high of 16 goals and 25 points.

The defensive side of his game, however, is a significant weakness. Cotter has finished with a negative plus/minus rating in all four seasons he has played over 10 games and has found himself on the wrong side of the 50% threshold in Corsi For %, Goals For %, and Expected Goals For % in three of those four seasons.

However, if Cotter pops offensively, he could become a positive asset at the upcoming trade deadline after signing only a one-year contract. The other three players on this list either have an extra year on their contract or some sort of trade protection.

The Canucks quickly announced the Oleksiak signing after Marcus Pettersson was traded to the New York Rangers as his replacement among a young blueline.

As we wrote earlier in the summer about what fans can expect from Oleksiak: “Oleksiak’s workload has declined during the past two seasons, while his strengths are concentrated around the crease, along the boards, and in-zone defensive coverage. Vancouver is betting that the 6-foot-7, 252-pound veteran can stabilize a young blue line without being asked to play the type of minutes he logged earlier in his career.”

The 6’7″ blueliner is going to log heavy, defensive minutes for this Canucks squad. His usage will allow the young defencemen to play sheltered minutes, away from the opposition’s top forwards. With Oleksiak’s big frame to box out forwards at the net front, he will be a massive boost to the Canucks penalty kill, which ranked dead last at 71.5% last season.

As with Cotter, Oleksiak could be used as a trade chip with elevated defensive play at the Trade Deadline this spring. With two years on his deal and a 12-team no-trade list, contending teams will be licking their chops to get their hands on a 6’7″ defenceman for the next two potential long Stanley Cup Playoff runs.

Like Gallagher, Schenn is going to provide more of a veteran presence to the young blueline, who won’t necessarily be asked to play all 84 games on the schedule.

As we wrote last month about Schenn’s fit on this young Canucks squad: “How well the move works out this time around will depend on how the veteran is deployed. Schenn’s recent seasons do not show an everyday top-four player. Used as a sixth or seventh defenceman, however, the Saskatoon native can fill several needs without standing in the way of Vancouver’s younger options.”

Schenn will provide the Canucks with some much-needed physicality. He logged 144 hits and five fighting majors in just 50 regular season games last season. However, what Schenn will bring to the Canucks’ locker room may be exponentially more valuable than what he does on the ice.

During Schenn’s first two stints in Vancouver, he played a major part in helping young players such as Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser develop into the players they became. Off the ice, he kept the locker room positive despite the losses, and on the ice, he protected them, allowing them to develop their offensive wings.

He signed a one-year deal with a no-movement clause. It would be surprising to see him moved at the Trade Deadline, so his role as a veteran, culture builder seems locked in for the entirety of the 2026-27 season.

What do you think, Canucks fans? Who do you think will be the most valuable offseason acquisition this season? Let us know in the comments below!

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