Oh, to go back to the good vibes of the offseason.

It’s almost hard to believe that the Canucks got long-term commitments from Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and Thatcher Demko in free agency just a few months ago, when you consider where the team is at today. Now looking at a rebuild following the trade of Quinn Hughes, the Canucks having these three veteran players under contract poses some interesting questions about their next steps and the future ahead.

Demko’s extension came in at three years at $8.5 million annually, while Garland signed a six-year deal worth $6 million annually. Here’s what the organization said of the signings at the time. On Garland:

“Conor is a core member of our hockey team and a player who has taken on a bigger role with the club the past couple seasons,” said GM Patrik Allvin. “His commitment to us by signing this deal shows how confident he is in our organization’s vision and direction. He competes hard every day, drives play on the ice, is relentless on the forecheck and is really tough to play against. Gars is an emerging leader in the group and works extremely hard to keep himself and the players around him accountable.”

On Demko:

“Thatcher is one of the top goalies in the National Hockey League and a key leader in our locker room,” said Allvin. “His desire to continue his career in Vancouver says a lot about what we are trying to accomplish and where this organization is headed. Demmer is one of the hardest working players on our team and gives our group great confidence when he takes the net. A complete package of size, strength, rebound control, and athletic ability, our players know that they have an opportunity to win each and every game he plays.”

Now, given the increase in the NHL’s salary cap, Garland’s extension has already begun to look like a steal. With more and more players electing to re-sign with their teams and not hit free agency, it could be slim pickings in NHL free agency for at least the next handful of years. We will likely see players who are less productive than Garland sign bigger tickets than what the Canucks are going to be paying him at the start of next year.

And the same might be able to be said about Demko’s extension as well, but step one is for the Canucks’ All-Star goaltender to remain healthy for an extended period of time.

Could a big story of 2026 be that one of these veterans is traded? Only time will tell…