Naturally, there have been a lot of tall tales told about Tyler Myers over the years. But the one about his pending departure from the Vancouver Canucks seems to be true.

It was announced a few hours before the Canucks’ Wednesday return to action against the Winnipeg Jets that Myers would be scratched for “roster management” purposes. That’s code for a trade being imminent, and for Myers essentially being held out of the lineup to avoid his getting injured and scuttling the deal. Myers took warmup in a fashion that very much looked like a last skate, and then left to continue contemplating his future.

With a full no-movement clause on his contract until July 1, Myers doesn’t have to go anywhere if he doesn’t want to. But the fact that the situation has already gotten to the point of a healthy scratch must mean that a trade is already pretty far down the road to completion, and that Myers has given it some sort of go-ahead.

So what teams might have a genuine interest in Myers, and might also be a destination that Myers himself is interested in? We’re looking for teams headed to the 2026 playoffs with a need for veteran right-shooting defence, and a willingness to pay something decent for it. Those teams will need to have a little cap space – both under the new playoff cap and into next season – but, to be honest, Myers’ current $3 million cap hit is excessively digestible. A more important factor is finding a destination that Myers and his family won’t mind making their new home for the next year and a half.

Here’s what we’ve come up with:

Current RD: Charlie McAvoy, Mason Lohrei, Andrew Peeke, Henri Jokiharju
Playoff Cap Space: $14.3 million

The Bruins have been doing quite well this season, and their blueline does seem to be fairly well-stocked. But we also know that the Bruins pushed hard to acquire Rasmus Andersson when he was available, so they must be in the market for a big, mobile RD. And there aren’t too many of those on the market.

Moving all the way over to the East Coast would be an extreme departure for Myers, which draws into question whether he’d accept a trade to Boston. But if he were willing, he’d be exactly what they seem to be looking for, and more than affordable with their current cap space and array of assets.

Current RD: Rasmus Dahlin (LD), Owen Power (LD), Michael Kesselring, Conor Timmins
Playoff Cap Space: $13.6 million

The Sabres would seem to have finally arrived. Having done so, they’re going to do everything they can to make sure their first foray into the playoffs since 2011 is as successful as possible. Does that mean a reunion with Myers?

The Sabres have a talented blueline already, but it is lopsided, with both Dahlin and Power currently playing in the top-four on their off-side. The Sabres would ideally like to move at least one of them back over to the left, but that’s going to take the acquisition of an RD.

We know Myers has lived in Buffalo before. As long as he’s happy to make a return, this seems like a great fit, and the Sabres do have an abundance of young assets to pay up with.

Current RD: Miro Heiskanen, Nils Lundqvist, Alex Petrovic, Ilya Lyubushkin
Playoff Cap Space: $34.2 million

Speaking of homecomings, a return to Myers’ birthplace of Texas also makes a lot of sense. The Stars are one of the top contenders in the NHL, but that’s in spite of the right side of their blueline. Heiskanen has had to spend a good chunk of his career on his off-side, and the actual RDs on the roster are nothing to write home about, and no one you’d want in a playoff top-four.

Myers, on the other hand, is a long-time top-four who has thrived in a postseason environment before. This is the sort of acquisition that could put the Stars over the top, and due to Tyler Seguin’s long-term injury, they’re suddenly flush with cap space with which to make that acquisition. 

Current RD: Moritz Seider, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Travis Hamonic
Playoff Cap Space: $17.2 million

The Red Wings are looking to take the next step in their rebuild and start making some noise in the postseason. But they’ll need some upgrades in order to do so, and getting some insulation for their D corps is probably high on their priority list. Seider is a true 1D, and “ASP” is an uber-talented rookie, but the two the Red Wings have lining up behind them really shouldn’t be getting NHL playoff minutes.

Myers would be just such an upgrade, and would complement the established D well without necessarily taking too many minutes away from them. An easterly move might not be what the Myers family is looking for, but Detroit is at least both close to the Canadian border and near-ish to Buffalo, his first NHL home. There could be something here.

Current RD: Evan Bouchard, Jake Walman (LD), Ty Emberson
Playoff Cap Space: $1.96 million

As much as it might hurt to see Myers play for the Oilers, it is a very natural fit. The Oilers have been held back by the quality and balance of their blueline before, and this current edition is no different. If they could get Walman back on his natural side and replace him with a genuine RD, they’d move themselves even further up the contender charts.

For Myers, it’s about as near a move as the Canucks can offer right now, with Calgary not buying and Seattle stocked up on RD. It’s also a clear-cut chance to pursue a Stanley Cup in this season and the next, which may or may not be a factor in his decision-making.

The Oilers are, however, short on cap space and a bit short on assets. Perhaps this trade would involve the Canucks taking back a bad contract like Andrew Mangiapane, though that might require some extra compensation on top.

Current RD: Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle (LD), Alexandre Carrier
Playoff Cap Space: $10.8 million

The Canadiens have a burgeoning and talented blueline, but it is a little unbalanced at the moment. A true RD is what they need, and Myers is certainly that. He would also bring size to a D corps that is a little bit undersized. He’d almost automatically start taking some tough matchups away from the likes of Dobson, which works in Montreal’s favour.

The Canadiens are rich in prospects of all tiers and have more than enough cap space to maneuver. This would be a far move for the Myerses, but it would also keep them within Canada. If that’s a goal, it’s basically down to either Edmonton or Montreal.

Current RD: John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren, Vincent Desharnais
Playoff Cap Space: $36.4 million

The Sharks are an interesting case because they seem happy to do a little buying, even if they’re falling a bit short of the playoffs. That likely comes down to the fact that the Sharks’ rebuild has been ultra-successful to this point, and that they’ve already got a lot of their primary pieces in place. The Sharks are interested in giving their young charges some experience via a playoff push, as well as continuing to supplement their roster with mentors.

They’ve already picked up Kiefer Sherwood from the Canucks, who sets a great example for younger players. But if they want someone with a proven track record of mentorship, Myers makes for an excellent candidate. He also helps out the right side of a blueline that is currently dressing former cast-offs Liljegren and Desharnais on a nightly basis. Heck, as it stands now, Myers has a chance of playing the top pairing in San Jose, which would certainly be a unique opportunity. It also keeps him on the West Coast and a short flight from Vancouver.

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