As the first wave of free agency has come and gone, the free agent market has quickly thinned. However, several clubs are still searching for scoring help. Enter Jake DeBrusk.

Based on the list of remaining UFAs – Anthony Mantha, Patrick Kane, Patrik Laine, Vladimir Tarasenko, Michael Bunting, and Eeli Tolvanen – the trade market could be a more viable path for teams to improve. Each of those players has question marks in their game, and so does DeBrusk.

The Vancouver Canucks winger is not a homerun trade chip. He carries a $5.5 million cap hit through 2030-31, and his contract includes a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season, then shifts to a modified no-trade clause in 2027-28. Any deal this summer would require DeBrusk’s sign-off.

His numbers aren’t that far off from what’s currently available. DeBrusk finished last season with 23 goals and 42 points in 81 games. His scoring profile was strange, with 19 powerplay goals and only four at even strength, but his skill set as a powerplay ace at the netfront remains useful. According to NHL Edge data, DeBrusk remarkably led all NHL skaters with 121 high-danger shots on goal. NHL Edge also had him with 168 bursts over 20 miles per hour, an 89th-percentile mark, and 217.17 miles skated, good for the 86th percentile.

In other words, teams would not be trading for an all-around, five-on-five piece. They would be betting on a fast, north-south winger who gets to the net, can play on either side, has playoff experience, and may have more even strength offence to give in a better environment.

We looked at both Montreal and Edmonton as possible fits for DeBrusk at CanucksArmy before free agency opened. While the market around them has shifted, the basic logic has not: Montreal still needs another proven winger to support its young core, and Edmonton still offers the obvious hometown/top-six fit if the Oilers can make the cap math work.

Here are five teams that could still make some sense without Vancouver needing to retain or attach sweeteners, along with some potential returns:

The Canadiens have $14.23 million in projected cap space and only 19 players on their active roster. Sportsnet reported that Montreal remained in the market for wingers after the first wave of free agency, making them a potential DeBrusk suitor. Montreal is also capable of absorbing DeBrusk’s full $5.5 million without needing Vancouver to retain any salary.

Montreal is trying to push forward with a young core, and DeBrusk would give them a forechecking winger who can keep up with faster linemates and someone who could play higher in the lineup without requiring a high volume of puck touches. There might be a fit alongside Kirby Dach as a winger who gives the second line more pace and a proven NHL finisher.

The Canucks wouldn’t be able to pry a premium young piece like David Reinbacher or Michael Hage. But the Canadians have enough depth to make a hockey trade without touching any of the organization’s crown jewels.

Draft capital would be preferable in a DeBrusk return, but if the deal were to include a prospect, Montreal might be more inclined to attach centres Owen Beck and Sean Farrell or defenceman Adam Engstrom. Ideally, any situation in which the Canucks can subtract DeBrusk without any retention is a win. Still, Ryan Johnson might also be able to land Florian Xhekaj or Logan Sawyer from the Canadiens.

In terms of draft capital, Montreal owns its second-round picks in both 2027 and 2028, but its third-round pick in the upcoming draft belongs to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Chicago has the cap space to do almost anything. The Blackhawks have $29.31 million in projected room with a 22-player active roster, so DeBrusk’s cap hit would not be a problem. If the Blackhawks want to keep building around Connor Bedard, DeBrusk could retrieve pucks, finish around the crease, and play with pace next to the playmaking centre, or complement Frank Nazar on a second line.

The Blackhawks would not be moving a high-end prospect for DeBrusk, but Chicago has enough draft capital and second-tier young players to make a competitive offer.

Marek Vanacker is coming off a huge OHL season with 47 goals and 82 points in 60 games for Brantford. That production could make him a tough ask, but the Canucks should at least start there in Chicago’s deep pool of prospects.

John Mustard would be a nice middle ground. He had 17 goals and 29 points in 36 NCAA games at Providence, and still has college development time. Hayes is closer to the NHL than some of Chicago’s higher-end prospects but has a lower ceiling. His AHL production was modest with 13 goals and 26 points in 57 games, but he has pro size and enough scoring history to be worth a shot. Nathan Behm would be another scoring winger to kick tires on after scoring 38 goals and 86 points in 67 WHL games last season.

Along with three first-round picks in 2027, the Blackhawks have two second-round picks — including Vancouver’s own selection. This would be a shrewd opportunity to recover a lost asset.

If Barrett Hayton is staying in Utah, that could mean there’s room for a forward in New Jersey.

The Devils tendered Hayton a one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet on July 1, with a 2027 second-round pick owed as compensation if Utah declines to match. Utah had seven days to decide, and at the time of this writing, they haven’t yet. But Andy Strickland reported the Mammoth are expected to match, even though doing so would leave Hayton untradeable before July 1, 2027.

That leaves the Devils still looking for another forward to bolster their top six, making DeBrusk a logical trade pivot. DeBrusk isn’t a centre like Hayton, but he would give New Jersey a proven NHL player to support one of their two star centres.

PuckPedia lists the Devils with $7.63 million in projected cap space and a full 23-man active roster. DeBrusk’s $5.5 million cap hit would leave New Jersey with roughly $2.13 million left over, so the money works, but the Devils would need to clear a roster spot or include someone in the trade.

DeBrusk could replace Brown on Hughes’ wing if New Jersey wants a more natural top-six scoring winger, or he could play with Hischier and Meier if the Devils prefer Mercer lower in the lineup. DeBrusk, alongside Jack Hughes, seems like a natural fit to complement the skill of Jesper Bratt on the opposite side.

If Vancouver wants a winger who is closer to NHL-ready, Lenni Hämeenaho is a logical target. He had 10 goals and 26 points in 37 AHL games with Utica and has found a knack for finding soft areas in the slot. He is not a burner or a pure creator, but his detail and scoring instincts make him a useful middle-six bet.

Centre/winger Amadeus Lombardi is another interesting name. The former fourth-round pick had 16 goals and 42 points in 47 AHL games with Grand Rapids before New Jersey acquired him, and he has had strong five-on-five AHL production over the past two seasons. He would be a smart target if the Canucks want a more mature prospect who can push for an NHL role sooner than a junior prospect.

New Jersey has two 2027 first-round picks — its own and Vegas’ conditional first-round pick from the Simon Nemec/Maxim Tsyplakov trade with the Calgary Flames — plus its own 2027 second-round pick. In 2028, the Devils have two firsts — their own and Colorado’s conditional first — plus their own second through seventh-round selections.

Winnipeg is another team specifically identified as still being in the winger market. The Jets have $10.68 million in projected cap space, which should be enough to cover DeBrusk’s full cap hit, but they are already carrying a 23-player active roster. That means Winnipeg would need to move someone out, waive someone, or include a roster player in the deal.

This is one team on the list for which adding DeBrusk would be a proven upgrade to their current top-six composition. DeBrusk would likely fit behind Kyle Connor, or as a rotating top-six winger who can play with Scheifele if Winnipeg wants to spread out its scoring.

With Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov and Brad Lambert among the projected PP2 forwards according to Daily Faceoff, it’s hard to see how DeBrusk wouldn’t be able to help that group on the man advantage. The Edmonton, Alberta native would not need to be a primary play driver and could be a nice secondary-offence supplier behind Connor, Scheifele, Gabe Vilardi, and Cole Perfetti.

Colby Barlow is a name to target because his value has softened since being a first-round draft selection in 2023. His production has declined since his 46-goal draft season, and he had eight goals and 16 points in 65 AHL games last season. The concern is skating and whether he tops out as more of a bottom-six player, but he still has size and pedigree.

Nikita Chibrikov may also welcome a change of scenery. His development has seemingly stalled; he had only six goals and 16 points in 53 AHL games last season, but he has NHL experience and may flourish with a better opportunity elsewhere.

The Jets acquired a 2027 second-round pick from Buffalo in the Logan Stanley/Luke Schenn trade, which could be parlayed into acquiring DeBrusk. They also have their own 2027 first- and third-rounders.

This is likely DeBrusk’s preference. The 29-year-old is from Edmonton; his father, Louie, played for the Oilers, and he would give Edmonton another winger who can finish around the net beside elite playmakers.

On paper, DeBrusk could either challenge for a spot alongside Connor McDavid or, more realistically, play beside Leon Draisaitl to give Edmonton a second net-driving winger behind Zach Hyman. The problem is that the Oilers have only $5.93 million in projected cap space, meaning DeBrusk would take up all the remaining space.

DeBrusk only makes sense if Edmonton views him as a true top-six fixture, not just another middle-six winger. For Vancouver, helping a divisional rival in Edmonton should come with some additional cost.

The Oilers aren’t working with the same treasure chest of assets as some of the other teams on this list, holding only their 2027 second-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks. A prospect in return might be more likely in exchange for DeBrusk.

Roby Järventie and Samuel Poulin are depth prospects/reclamation projects that could be included if Edmonton needs to send money out, but do not move the needle for Vancouver unless attached to a pick. Defensive prospect Zack Sharp had 10 goals and 18 assists over two seasons at Western Michigan and helped the program win the 2025 NCAA championship. He has not yet played pro hockey but could be another name to watch.

The best DeBrusk fits are not necessarily the teams with the most cap space, but the teams with top-six needs, powerplay openings, enough room to avoid retention, and a situation DeBrusk would approve.

For the Canucks, the selling point is fairly one-dimensional. DeBrusk still gets to the most valuable scoring areas on the ice, and his speed metrics do not suggest his skating is declining, but five years of term for a player whose production leaned heavily on the man advantage has proven to be somewhat troublesome to move.

That probably keeps Vancouver from landing a blockbuster return. But in a post-free-agent market where several teams are still hunting for value, the Canucks should at least know which calls are worth making.