In Thursday night’s edition of Instant Reaction, I wrote the following line:

“Teddy Blueger has four goals in his last seven games. Artemi Panarin? Three goals in his last TEN. Blueger is also four years younger. You tell me which player is worth giving up a first round pick at the deadline for.”

And while that was obviously a joke, it didget me thinking about Blueger’s actual value ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday, March 7th. More specifically, what he could offer to a team, and what else is currently out there.

Sure, Blueger’s goal last night was scored into an empty net. Sure, Blueger doesn’t have any 100-point seasons under his belt (yet), but he absolutely plays a clear role that has value for a contender. Blueger wins faceoffs, is an elite penalty killer, and has even shown an ability to play with offensively-minded players during his time in Vancouver.

On a contending team, Blueger is a valuable depth piece, especially for a team that wants to beef up its centre depth ahead of the grind that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Blueger carries a cap hit of just $1.8 million, meaning if the Canucks retained 50%, he would be at an even more workable cap hit of $900,000 for the acquiring team. We wrote recently about how Blueger could have sneaky value at the NHL Trade Deadline for these reasons.

But what else is out there for teams to choose from on the rental centre market?

Here’s a quick list of some notable pending UFA centres on teams currently out of a playoff spot, plus their cap hits and any trade protection.
-Jonathan Toews ($2 million, carries full no-move clause)
-Claude Giroux ($2 million, carries full no-move clause)
-Lars Eller ($1.25 million, carries 14-team no-trade list)
-Charlie Coyle ($5.25 million, carries NMC)
-Calle Jarnkrok ($2 million)
-Scott Laughton ($3 million)
-Boone Jenner ($3.75 million)
-Nick Cousins ($825,000)
-Jason Dickinson ($4.25 million)
-Jonny Brodzinski ($787,000)

Of course, the question you have to ask for each of these names is: how likely are they to actually be moved ahead of the deadline? Would the Jets ask the soon-to-be 38-year-old Jonathan Toews, who has at the very least been a positive story for a Jets team mired in disappointment, to waive his NMC? Do the Blue Jackets really want to trade their captain? Are the Leafs going to be out of it enough to actually become sellers rather than simply standing pat and pushing for the playoffs down the final stretch of the season? Not to mention that some of these centres, like Nick Cousins, for example, don’t actually kill penalties, which again, is a big part of the draw for Blueger.

Now, there are obviously some centres with term that could be moved, which has to be considered as well. Nazem Kadri seems like the most notable one, as the latest rumblings are that he’s informed the Calgary Flames that he’s open to being traded ahead of the deadline. Any available centre will have some impact on the market that forms for Blueger as we get closer to the deadline.

In the list of rental centres available, Blueger is a bit of a unique asset, and we even have a trade to look back on that could serve as a high-end comparable for what Blueger might fetch for the Canucks in the trade market.

At the 2023 Trade Deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins flipped the pending UFA Blueger to the Vegas Golden Knights for a third round pick and a B/C level prospect. At the time, Blueger had put up 10 points through 45 games — not exactly a heater of a season from that perspective. But of course, Vegas was acquiring Blueger to beef up their depth ahead of the playoffs, and even played him at wing. Blueger appeared in six of the Golden Knights’ 22 playoff games as Vegas went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Canucks signed Blueger that offseason, and signed him again after a great first season in Vancouver. But now, he’s a pending UFA, and the rebuilding Canucks have to maximize their assets for their UFAs and veteran players.

Can the Canucks get a warm body and a third round pick for Blueger at this deadline as the Penguins did in 2023? Maybe not. But can they get a fourth, and at the very least, a fifth round pick from a playoff team that’s looking to improve their centre depth? It’s hard to believe that’s not going to be possible.

Win the Ultimate #Canucks Road Trip! Get* Pacific Blue Cross Travel Insurance for your chance to see the Canucks take on the Kings in Los Angeles – complete with flights, hotel, lower-bowl tickets, and more!
*No purchase necessary. Contest ends February 28, 2026.
ENTER NOW | pac.bluecross.ca/canucks