The Vancouver Canucks have nothing to play for this season.
Well, that’s only sort of true. They almost have something to play for in reverse. They’re chasing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Right now, they’re in the driver’s seat, but given their future outlook, they can’t afford to miss that spot.
They also could use another first-rounder. That might be the best target they can have before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Almost every Canucks player is involved in the rumors. If one or more can fetch a first-round pick, that would be huge.
Vancouver is looking at a long build, but the more youthful talent the Canucks can acquire, the better.
“The Canucks are chasing after the first overall pick, and just about everyone else on the roster should be used to bring in as many picks as humanly possible,” Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis wrote in a new article on Tuesday. “The team’s pipeline is weak right now, but that should change in June – assuming GM Patrik Allvin (rightfully) sells off just about everything at the deadline. Another first-round pick would be huge.”
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The Canucks already hold the Minnesota Wild‘s first-round pick from the Quinn Hughes trade, as well.
If they had three first-rounders? That’d be a golden opportunity for the Canucks, especially if their own pick is at the top of the draft.
It’d finally give Canucks fans something positive to look forward to.
