The Vancouver Canucks entered the offseason with enough salary-cap space, but their biggest concern may not be staying under the NHL’s cap limit. Instead, the team reportedly has to decide how much money ownership wants to spend on the roster in the future.

Canucks ownership wants to lower player spending by around $20 million compared with last season. Vancouver has already reportedly saved about $12 million, but the team still needs to cut more costs.

Because of this, Jake DeBrusk has become one of the most likely trade candidates. His $5.5 million annual cap hit could help the Canucks save significant money.

PuckPedia projects Vancouver’s salary-cap payroll at around $86.2 million, which means the team does not need to make a trade to meet the NHL’s cap rules. The possible moves are more about reducing overall spending and building a different roster structure.

According to Patrick Johnston of The Province, noted by NHL Trade Rumor’s Geoff Hannah, Jake DeBrusk is an interesting trade option because he provides both value on the ice and salary savings.

He is a proven top-six winger with playoff experience, and trading him would allow Vancouver to save money without losing one of its biggest franchise stars.

Elias Pettersson has a much bigger contract, but trading him would be a major decision for the organization. Brock Boeser is also an important offensive player, which makes DeBrusk a more realistic trade candidate if the Canucks want to reduce spending without making a major roster change.

The former Boston Bruins forward has scored 189 goals and 356 points in 628 regular-season games. His ability to play in a top-six role, help on the power play, and bring playoff experience could make him an attractive option for teams looking to add more offense.

DeBrusk’s contract protection could complicate Vancouver’s plans

The same report from Patrick Johnston of The Province also explained that DeBrusk’s contract could make a trade more difficult for Vancouver. The winger has a full no-movement clause for the 2026-27 season, which gives him control over where he could be traded.

Because of this protection, Jake DeBrusk has more power in any trade talks. The Canucks cannot simply move him to any team offering the best deal. They would need his approval before completing a trade.

From a financial point of view, trading DeBrusk would remove his $5.5 million cap hit from Vancouver’s salary books. However, the actual money saved would be less, as his expected salary for the 2026-27 season is around $4.5 million.

Trading DeBrusk alone would likely not help the Canucks reach their reported goal of reducing payroll. The team may still need to make more moves depending on whether ownership wants to lower salary-cap commitments or reduce actual player payments.

The trade value for DeBrusk would depend on the market. His scoring ability and playoff experience could interest several teams, but his contract and no-movement clause could make negotiations more difficult for Vancouver.

The Canucks should see DeBrusk as a valuable trade asset, not just a way to remove salary. A trade could make sense if the team receives useful future assets and creates more flexibility for the roster.

In the end, Vancouver’s decision will show whether the team wants to strategically reshape the roster or simply cut costs. If Jake DeBrusk is traded, what type of return should the Canucks expect for an established top-six scorer? What do you think? Let us know in the comments. 

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason