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5 mock trades the Canucks and Blackhawks could explore

Photo credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

By Elijah Ford

Nov 12, 2026, 09:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 11, 2026, 22:28 EST

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Although the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks might be in similar positions in the NHL standings, their expectations for the 2026-27 season couldn’t have been much different.

Vancouver entered the year knowing it would be a difficult 84-game season. Chicago, meanwhile, hoped to take another step forward in its rebuild and potentially push itself into the playoff conversation. Instead, the Blackhawks have stumbled out of the gate and find themselves searching for answers after one of the league’s worst starts. Chicago’s recent struggles have created an interesting opportunity for the Canucks.

As highlighted by Stephan Roget in his recent article, the Blackhawks are desperately searching for veteran forward depth. They’re also one of the few teams in the league that have accumulated enough draft capital to make a significant move, with three first-round picks and multiple second-round selections potentially available in the 2027 draft.

The biggest obstacle is Chicago’s salary-cap situation. The Blackhawks currently have roughly $2 million in projected cap space, although that figure is expected to grow considerably by the trade deadline. PuckPedia currently projects approximately $8.95 million in deadline cap space, giving Chicago some flexibility to make a move as the season progresses.

The Canucks are one of the few teams actively looking to shop the kind of veteran players Chicago is likely looking to add. Players such as Drew O’Connor, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, and Linus Karlsson could all be involved in trade talks between now and March 1.

With that in mind, here are five potential trade packages that could make sense for both sides, ranging from relatively modest transactions to deals that could significantly alter the future of the Canucks’ roster.

Note that Filip Hronek and Jake DeBrusk have full no-movement clauses, while Drew O’Connor has a 12-team no-trade clause. DeBrusk and Hronek would need to approve any trade. O’Connor could block a move to Chicago only if the Blackhawks are among the 12 teams on his no-trade list.

1. Drew O’Connor for a 2027 third-round pick

Vancouver receives:

Chicago’s 2027 third-round pick

Chicago receives:

Drew O’Connor

This is probably the simplest potential trade between the two teams and one that Chicago could realistically explore without making a massive commitment. O’Connor has a $2.5 million cap hit and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

He’s not necessarily the type of player who is going to transform an NHL lineup, but he’s a versatile forward who can play multiple positions, kill penalties, and provide the kind of energy that Chicago could desperately use. The 28-year-old is also coming off a season in which he scored 17 goals, demonstrating that there’s a little more offensive upside to his game than his traditional bottom-six role might suggest.

From Vancouver’s perspective, a third-round pick might not be an overwhelmingly exciting return, but it’s better than potentially losing O’Connor for nothing when his contract expires. This deal would be particularly appealing if the Canucks aren’t convinced O’Connor fits into their longer-term plans or is interested in re-signing.

Chicago would need to make a small roster or salary-cap adjustment to accommodate his $2.5-million contract immediately, but his manageable cap hit makes this one of the easier transactions to facilitate.

2. Jake DeBrusk for Teuvo Teravainen and a 2027 third-round pick

Vancouver receives:

Teuvo Teravainen
Chicago’s 2027 third-round pick

Chicago receives:

Jake DeBrusk

DeBrusk is arguably the most intriguing forward on Vancouver’s roster for Chicago, but he’s also one of the most difficult players for the Blackhawks to acquire. His $5.5-million cap hit is a significant hurdle for a team already pressed up against the salary cap. However, the Blackhawks have a potential solution sitting on their own roster in Teuvo Teravainen.

Teravainen carries a $5.4-million cap hit and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Swapping him for DeBrusk would increase Chicago’s cap commitments by just $100,000 for the remainder of the season.

For Chicago, the appeal of DeBrusk is obvious. He’s a proven NHL goal scorer who has shown an ability to produce at five-on-five this season while providing a strong net-front presence. He’s also a few years younger than Teravainen and would remain under contract for four additional seasons after this one. The Blackhawks are currently struggling to generate offence, and adding a player like DeBrusk could give Connor Bedard a legitimate scoring linemate.

Vancouver, meanwhile, would receive an additional third-round pick while moving on from the remaining term on DeBrusk’s contract. Teravainen would also provide a temporary replacement in the lineup before his contract expires, and could potentially net the Canucks additional assets if flipped again at the 2027 NHL Trade Deadline.

There’s relatively little difference in their offensive production throughout their careers. Teravainen has been a productive NHL forward, and his points-per-game rate is only 0.1 lower than DeBrusk’s. If DeBrusk were open to the move, this is a trade that could make sense for both sides.

3. Filip Hronek for Florida’s 2027 first-round pick, Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick and Oliver Moore

Vancouver receives:

Florida’s 2027 first-round pick
Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick
Oliver Moore

Chicago receives:

Filip Hronek

This is where the conversation starts to get considerably more interesting. Hronek is a completely different calibre of trade asset than O’Connor or DeBrusk. He’s an established top-pairing defenceman who plays significant minutes, contributes offensively, and is signed through the 2031-32 season.

He’s also only 29, making him a player who could remain productive well into the Blackhawks’ next competitive window. The comparison to Vancouver’s original trade for Hronek is worth considering.

When the Canucks acquired him from the Detroit Red Wings in March 2023, they surrendered a first-round pick and a second-round pick. At the time, Hronek was three years younger, carried a $4.4-million cap hit and had approximately a season and a half remaining on his contract. Since then, he’s established himself as a legitimate top-pairing defenceman and signed an eight-year extension worth $7.25 million annually. That additional contract security is valuable, especially in a rising salary-cap environment.

The Blackhawks have the draft capital to make an offer that could be difficult for Vancouver to turn down. They currently own three first-round selections in the 2027 draft, including Florida’s unprotected pick. Adding one of their more highly regarded prospects could be what pushes the deal over the top.

Oliver Moore, selected 19th overall in 2023, is one of the most intriguing young forwards in Chicago’s system. He’s a player who could eventually become an important part of the Blackhawks’ forward group, making him a difficult asset to part with. The cost would be substantial, but acquiring a defenceman like Hronek could immediately improve Chicago’s blue line and provide some much-needed stability with Bowen Byram in and out of the lineup so far this season.

For Vancouver, a package featuring a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a prospect of Moore’s calibre would be a significant return for a defenceman whose best years are likely outside of the Canucks’ future competitive window.

The biggest complication is Hronek’s no-movement clause. He would have to approve a move to Chicago, and the Blackhawks would need to be prepared to take on his full $7.25 million cap hit. This is a deal that would almost certainly make more sense closer to the trade deadline, when Chicago is projected to have considerably more cap room.

4. Filip Hronek for Edmonton’s conditional 2027 first-round pick, Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick and Marek Vanacker

Vancouver receives:

Edmonton’s conditional 2027 first-round pick
Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick
Marek Vanacker

Chicago receives:

Filip Hronek

This is another potential blockbuster surrounding Hronek, but with a slightly different combination of assets coming back to Vancouver.

The biggest difference from the previous proposal is the first-round pick involved. Instead of Florida’s unprotected selection, the Canucks would receive Edmonton’s conditional first-round pick. That distinction matters when determining the additional prospect Vancouver should target. Given the uncertainty surrounding that pick, Vancouver would have a stronger argument for asking Chicago to include a prospect such as Marek Vanacker rather than Oliver Moore.

Vanacker was selected 27th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and is another one of the more intriguing young forwards in Chicago’s system. He also has a connection to Vancouver’s organization, having played on the same team as Caleb Malhotra in Brantford last season.

For the Canucks, the appeal is obvious. They would be adding another first-round pick, another second-round selection, and a young forward who could eventually become an important piece of their next competitive core. For Chicago, the appeal remains acquiring a proven NHL defenceman without having to sacrifice its own first-round selection.

Hronek would immediately become one of the most important players on the Blackhawks’ blue line, and his remaining contract would provide some stability as the organization continues building around its young core. The Blackhawks would be giving up a significant amount of future value, but the opportunity to acquire a legitimate top-pairing defenceman is not something that comes around every day. Their acquisition of Bowen Byram illustrates their willingness to spend future assets to improve the blue line.

Both Hronek proposals would represent aggressive offers from Chicago. The difference is that Vancouver would receive a more valuable prospect in the deal involving Florida’s first-round pick, while the conditional Edmonton selection would come with Vanacker as the additional young asset.

5. Linus Karlsson for a 2027 fourth-round pick and Ryan Roobroeck

Vancouver receives:

Chicago’s 2027 third-round pick
Ryan Roobroeck

Chicago receives:

Linus Karlsson

While O’Connor, DeBrusk, and Hronek are the three names that naturally stand out, Linus Karlsson is one of the most intriguing players for Chicago to potentially pursue. The 26-year-old forward has quietly established himself as a valuable contributor in Vancouver, and he’s off to an excellent start to the 2026-27 season.

Through his first 19 games, Karlsson has recorded four goals and 10 points. He’s also been one of Vancouver’s more productive forwards at five-on-five over the past two seasons, bringing a consistent, high-effort game to the lineup. What makes Karlsson particularly appealing is his contract.

He’s signed through the 2027-28 season with a $2.25-million cap hit, giving Chicago another season of cost-controlled production beyond the current campaign. Unlike O’Connor, Karlsson doesn’t have any trade protection, making him a much simpler player to acquire from a contractual standpoint.

The Canucks would understandably be more reluctant to move him, especially given his development and the value of having a productive middle-six forward on such an affordable contract. That said, Chicago could potentially make an offer worth considering.

A third-round pick and an additional prospect such as Ryan Roobroeck would be an interesting starting point. Roobroeck was selected in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft and is one of the unsigned forwards Chicago could consider moving to acquire NHL-ready help.

For Vancouver, this would be another opportunity to turn an established NHL contributor into future assets. For Chicago, it would mean adding a younger, productive forward who still has another season remaining on his contract.

However, there is an important distinction between Karlsson and some of the other players mentioned in these proposals. Despite his strong start, Karlsson still has a relatively limited NHL track record. He’s only beginning to establish himself as a regular NHL contributor. So the Canucks shouldn’t be in a rush to move Karlsson, but if the Blackhawks are willing to part with a promising young prospect and a draft pick, it’s a conversation worth having.

Which deal makes the most sense for the Canucks?

Ultimately, Chicago’s struggles have created an opportunity for the Canucks to take advantage of a team that is becoming increasingly desperate for immediate help. Whether it’s a relatively modest move involving O’Connor or a blockbuster involving Hronek, the Canucks should be exploring every possible avenue to turn their current roster into future assets.

The Blackhawks have the picks. The Canucks have the players. Now it’s a matter of finding a price that makes sense for both sides.

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