Vancouver Canucks Eyeing Trades with Multiple Players

The Vancouver Canucks are rumoured to have interest in Anaheim Ducks winger Jeffrey Viel in free agency.

What's behind the interest?

Viel has bounced between the AHL and NHL for the past five seasons, but found a regular spot in Anaheim's lineup last year.

He was a force to be reckoned with against the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs, showcasing his toughness.

Who else is on the radar?

The Canucks are also linked to 39-year-old Ryan Reaves, who has played 962 career NHL games and is looking to crest the 1,000-game mark.

Cam Robinson from Elite Prospects mentioned that the Canucks were among a handful of teams to show interest in Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Alexander Nikishin.

Nikishin is a pending restricted free agent after scoring 11 goals and 33 points in 81 games as a rookie last season.

What's the potential cost?

AFP Analytics projects that Nikishin could command up to $6.4 million per season on a six-year deal.

The Canucks' interest in Nikishin makes sense, as they could give the 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenceman a larger role than he's getting in Carolina.

As of June 30, 2026, the Canucks are standing at 16th in the Western Conference with a 25-49 record, on a L1 streak.

The team will be looking for an influx of toughness with Curtis Douglas set to hit free agency.

And with the increasing salary cap, the Canucks may be able to make some moves to improve their roster.

But it's hard to see a Nikishin trade working out with Vancouver unless Carolina still has interest in Elias Pettersson.

So the Canucks will have to weigh their options carefully as they look to improve their team.

The Canucks would likely have to add to the framework of any potential deal to make it work.