Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News’ Vancouver Canucks Mailbag. In this series, we answer your questions about what is going on with the Canucks. In this article, we look at the Elias Pettersson-to-Pittsburgh rumour, what will happen to the radio rights for the 2026-27 season, and more.
Any Smoke Behind Petey To Pittsburgh?
There will always be trade talk surrounding Pettersson. From a purely roster perspective, the Pittsburgh Penguins make a ton of sense. Pettersson slotting in behind Sidney Crosby would give Pittsburgh strong top-six center depth, with the 27-year-old potentially being the missing piece for the Penguins to go on another deep playoff run.
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The biggest issue with the Pettersson-to-Pittsburgh rumours is the no-move clause. The Swedish center is very loyal and wants to be part of the team that eventually brings a Stanley Cup to Vancouver. As of writing, it appears unlikely that Pettersson would waive to join the Penguins.
What Are The Expectations For Jonathan Lekkerimäki Next Season?
This is not a make-or-break year for Jonathan Lekkerimäki, but it is getting close to that point. The 21-year-old had his 2025-26 season cut short by injury but is expected to be ready for training camp. Last year, Lekkerimäki found success in the AHL with 13 goals and 20 points in 21 games, but could not replicate his goal-scoring touch at the NHL level.
With Lekkerimäki, the key is giving him opportunities even if he is struggling at the NHL level. It was clear from his deployment that Adam Foote and his staff didn’t trust him, which led to limited ice time and bouncing back and forth between the NHL and AHL. As for next season, the expectations should be that Lekkerimäki finds some success on the power play and shows he can be reliable at both ends of the ice as part of the Canucks’ middle six.
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Who’s Picking Up Canucks Radio Broadcasts? Or Will It Be An Online Venture Where The PBP and Colour Are Done While Watching In Vancouver?
Taking Sportsnet 650 off the air was a terrible decision by Rogers Sports & Media. Not only does it eliminate the only full-time sports radio station in Vancouver, but it also affects teams like the Vancouver Giants and Vancouver Canadians, which broadcast their games on the station. The decision also puts talented hosts and producers out of work.
For next season, the most likely option is that Canucks games move to Jack 96.9 FM, as it is the only radio station Rogers Sports & Media owns. As for the play-by-play and colour commentators, they will most likely continue to broadcast off monitors for away games. Vancouver has not had a travelling radio crew for the last few years.
Do You Think They Do Rotating As Or Pick A Leadership Group And Stick With It The Whole Season?
When it comes to the leadership group, I think the Canucks do home and away “A’s”. At this point, it does not make sense to name a captain unless it is one of the younger players like Zeev Buium or Tom Willander, who will be here for a while. Here is a look at what the “A” rotation could look like:
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Full-Time:
Rotating Home And Away:
Elias Pettersson
Brock Boeser
Brendan Gallagher
Luke Schenn
Are You Concerned They Traded Maybe Their Most Popular Player In The Room? (Höglander)
Nils Höglander is an easy player to root for. Even when he is struggling to produce offensively, the effort level is there. Höglander was also a pleasure to deal with from a media perspective, as his positive attitude and willingness to answer questions to the best of his ability created some interesting stories and insight into the player.
While it would have been intriguing to see Höglander play under Malhotra, it was also time to move on. The 25-year-old gets a fresh start, while Vancouver received a future draft pick that should help with the rebuild. There is no doubt that Höglander will be missed in the market as he became a fan favourite over the past six years.
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What Will The Goalie Situation Be? Are They Carrying 3?
At this point, it appears that the Canucks will have to carry three goaltenders next year. Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen will be the 1A/1B, while Nikita Tolopilo will serve as the practice goaltender who occasionally gets into games. It is not an ideal situation, but it prevents Tolopilo from being lost on waivers.
The reason this is not ideal is because the move could stunt Tolopilo’s development. While working with Goalie Coach Marko Torenius should help the 26-year-old, there is no drill that can replicate what it is like to play a full game. While this plan may work for next year, Ryan Johnson and his team need to come up with a stronger plan for their goaltenders moving forward.
If You Were The GM, Would You Target More Players To Add As Assets In Free Agency, Or Just Roll With The Roster You Have?
At this stage, the only players Vancouver should be signing are those on two-way contracts. The Canucks roster is full and adding more experienced players on one-way deals would be taking away ice time for younger players. Building up the Abbotsford Canucks roster should be the main priority when it comes to free agents.
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As for trades, if Vancouver is able to move experienced players, bringing back “bad contracts” is worth exploring. Especially those who have one year left on their deals and can be flipped at the deadline. Even if the Canucks can only get a sixth-rounder in return for a player, adding as many future assets is key at this stage of a rebuild.
If There’s No Changes To The Roster, What Are The Line Combinations You’re Putting Together On Day One? Assuming Everybody Is Healthy.
Assuming everyone is 100% healthy and no player is traded, here is what the 2026-27 23-man opening night roster could look like:
DeBrusk-Pettersson-Karlsson
Öhgren-Rossi-Boeser
O’Connor-Chytil-Lekkerimäki
Cotter-Sasson-Gallagher
Räty
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Buium-Hronek
Oleksiak-Willander
Pettersson-Schenn
Mancini
Demko
Lankinen
Tolopilo
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