Story by
5 Pending UFA’s The Canucks Should Re-Sign During The 2026 Off-Season
- Story by
- 5 Pending UFA’s The Canucks Should Re-Sign During The 2026 Off-Season
The Vancouver Canucks cannot afford to losetheir identity again.
For years, the organization has cycledthrough players, coaches, systems, and philosophies, trying to figure out whatkind of team it actually wants to be. But over the final stretch of thisseason, Vancouver finally started showing signs of becoming something different— harder-working, more connected, more physical, and far more difficult to playagainst.
Advertisement
Honestly, the Canucks should look back atthose earlier Travis Green-era teams. While they still lost games, they competed every night. The group worked hard, was difficult to play against, and gave fans something to cheer about as youngplayers like Bo Horvat , Elias Pettersson , Quinn Hughes , and Brock Boeser were developing in front of their very eyes.
That needs to become the standard again. The real challenge for Vancouver is notsimply finding talent; it is building an identity strong enough that futureplayers naturally fall into it. That is why the organization should consider re-signing these five unrestricted free agents ahead of the 2026–27 season.
Teddy Blueger
This should be the easiest decision on thelist.
Advertisement
Blueger missed a large portion of theseason with an injury, but when he came back, he immediately showed what type ofleader he truly is. Even while hurt, he still brought accountability,professionalism, and leadership to the group.
Blueger comes from the Pittsburgh Penguins ' model. Hehas seen how Sidney Crosby trains, how Stanley Cup teams operate, and whatchampionship habits actually look like behind the scenes. He also won a StanleyCup with the Vegas Golden Knights in a depth role, which matters because he understands exactlywhat contending teams need from bottom-six players.
That's where Blueger's value goes beyondthe scoresheet.
The Canucks also made a statement at thetrade deadline by refusing to move him unless they got proper value. Thatmatters because it tells the league Vancouver values leadership playersproperly and will not simply give them away for nothing.
Advertisement
Curtis Douglas
Plain and simple, re-sign Douglas.
The forward has already helped create a newlocker-room culture and identity in a very short amount of time. Fromcelebrating goals and defending teammates to partaking in locker-room traditionswhere players have to high-five him despite him being the tallest guy in theroom, Douglas has become a major personality within the group.
Those things matter more than peoplerealize, especially if the Canucks want to maintain the identity they claimedthey started building over the final five weeks of the season.
At 6'9", Douglas gives Vancouverfunctional toughness. Adam Foote even described him as someone who can "dragour guys into the pile."
Advertisement
There is also still untapped potential inhis game. If Douglas continues developing, imagine trying to move a 6'9" forward planted at the top of the crease, creating screens and chaos around thenet. That type of presence is difficult to defend. While the NHL has moved away from traditionalenforcers, players like Douglas still matter because they providefunctional toughness.
Apr 7, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Ben Hutton (17) checks Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas (42) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Derek Forbort
Forbort has had unbelievably bad injuryluck recently, but the Canucks should still consider bringing him back in a mentorshiprole.
He still brings value because heunderstands how to defend properly, kill penalties, block shots, supportyounger defencemen, and stand up for teammates.
Advertisement
Forbort also understands how to jump into theplay and pick his spots offensively. You can already picture younger defencemenlike Tom Willander and Zeev Buium learning when to activate offensively andwhen to stay back simply by watching a veteran like Forbort manage the game.
Especially with Vancouver losing aveteran presence like Tyler Myers , there is now an even bigger need formentorship and stability on the back end, and Forbort fits that role perfectly.
Guillaume Brisebois
Brisebois is the definition of loyalty.
And honestly, players like this are usuallyforgotten until injuries hit.
The Canucks drafted him 66th overall in2015 as part of the Eddie Läck trade, and he has spent his entire professionalcareer with the organization ever since. Alongside Brock Boeser and ThatcherDemko, he is one of the organization's longest-serving players.
Advertisement
Despite never being guaranteed a full-timeNHL role, Brisebois has continued signing contracts to stay in Vancouver andhelp wherever needed.
Every successful organization has playerslike Brisebois. He understands the system, stays ready, and can step intodifficult situations without needing everything re-explained.
Joseph LaBate
LaBate's journey coming full-circle with the Canucks, makes him an easy player to respect.
Originally drafted by Vancouver in 2011,he left the organization for years before returning to help provide depth andleadership. That willingness to come back says a lot about his professionalismand character.
Advertisement
LaBate still brings value because he canhelp stabilize the Abbotsford Canucks , mentor younger players, play physical hockey, finishchecks, and step into NHL games when injuries happen.
The Canucks have spent years cyclingthrough depth players who never truly fit the team's identity. Re-signingplayers like LaBate is less about finding stars and more about buildinglow-cost culture pieces that understand the organization and embrace theirrole.
Vancouver does not need to become a contender overnight. But they do need to become a team opponents hate playingagainst again.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News .
Advertisement
Latest From THN's Vancouver Canucks Site :
Räty & Karlsson Score First Career Points At The Worlds: Canucks At The 2026 World Championship
The 'Klim Reaper' Is Here: Abbotsford Canucks Winger Danila Klimovich's Journey From Belarus To BC
5 Former Canucks Taking Part In The 2026 IIHF World Championship
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free . Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here . And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News
