One Vancouver Canuck who looks to be exploring the free agent market might have been hindered in his efforts to look for a different home.

During an appearance on Halford & Brough in the Morning on Sportsnet 650, Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali – The Team reported that Vancouver Canucks defenceman Noah Juulsen asked the team to speak to other franchises ahead of free agency. According to Dhaliwal, the Canucks nixed the idea, citing that the team might need him if they get aggressive during the offseason.

“The reason it was denied is because the Canucks may or may not need Juulsen,” Dhaliwal said. “It depends on if they trade a right-shot defenceman for top-six [forward] help. If the Canucks move a [Victor] Mancini or a [Tom] Willander for a second-line center, the Canucks may have to re-sign Juulsen to be that six-seven guy.”

Dhaliwal did mention that the team is not currently engaged in active contract negotiations with the 28-year-old.

Juulsen is a pending unrestricted free agent as he just finished his two-year contract signed in June 2023. The deal carried a cap hit of $775,000. Dhaliwal says the Canucks would be interested in keeping him around.

“Juulsen supplies depth the Canucks may badly need. He’ll have interest on July 1st. But do not rule him out, depending on what happens here. The fact that [his contract negotiation request] was denied tells you that they still like Juulsen and they might need him.”

The Surrey native has been with the team since he was acquired from the Florida Panthers in a trade in October 2021. While he spent some time in the American Hockey League with the Abbotsford Canucks, Juulsen worked his way up to becoming a full-time NHLer during the 2023-24 season. That season, he played a career-high 54 games, notching a goal and six assists for seven points and even appeared in two Stanley Cup Playoff games.

However, things didn’t go the right-handed shooting blueliner’s way this year, as injuries and healthy scratches led to him appearing in just 35 games. Juulsen underwent season-ending hernia surgery in February and failed to register a point this season.

In 119 games with the Canucks over the past four years, Juulsen has scored just one goal and eight assists for nine points. In 157 career NHL appearances, he has registered three goals and 14 assists for 17 points.