It’s been fairly quiet surrounding the trio of Vancouver Canucks pending unrestricted free agents, but things are reportedly starting to pick up with Teddy Blueger.

According to the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, the Canucks have trade options regarding Blueger. Pagnotta also states that if the Canucks’ asking price is not met, they will explore an extension with the player.

Blueger, 31, is in the final year of a two-year, $3.6 million extension worth $1.8 million annually, with a 12-team no-trade list, that he signed with the Canucks in late June of 2024. In his first two seasons in Vancouver, Blueger scored 14 goals and 40 assists for 54 points in 150 games. He has played a defensively responsible bottom-six centre role for the team, a first-over-the-board penalty killer, while winning over 50% of his draws over those seasons.

This season has been more of a struggle for Blueger, as he missed the first four games with an injury. He returned for a pair of games before suffering another injury that kept him out until the middle of January. The 6’0″, 185-lb centre has appeared in 14 games this season, scoring five goals and three assists for eight points, while averaging 1:45 minutes of penalty kill time per game.

The Latvian centre spoke with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre in late February regarding the upcoming trade deadline and his status as an unrestricted free agent.

“My wife and I have talked about it, so we’re at peace with whatever happens,” Blueger told Sportsnet. “We’d love to stay. We love the city. But if something happens, hopefully you’re going to a playoff team that has a chance to go on a run. But there’s no point stressing about it.”

If a trade does not materialize, Blueger’s recent comments, along with Pagnotta’s report, indicate interest from both parties on an extension in Vancouver.

Shortly before Pagnotta’s reporting, a potential suitor emerged for Blueger: the Pittsburgh Penguins.

According to the Athletic’s Josh Yohe, the Pittsburgh Penguins may have interest in their former drafted player: “League sources have told The Athletic that Pittsburgh is considering a deal that would bring former Penguins center Teddy Blueger back to the team.”

Blueger was originally drafted by the Penguins in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He spent the first four-and-a-half seasons with the Penguins, scoring 33 goals and 59 assists for 92 points in 250 games. He was then traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 season, where he went on to win a Stanley Cup.

With Sidney Crosby out of the lineup after getting injured in the Olympics, the Penguins are currently icing Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell (winger), Ben Kindel and Blake Lizzotte as their four centres at the moment. Pittsburgh looks to be a fit for a depth centre like Blueger, who might welcome a trade to a familiar destination on track to make the playoffs.