The Canucks would like to get closer to the salary floor

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
The Canucks would like to get closer to the salary floor
Credit: When you think about the Montreal Canadiens’ payroll, what comes to mind? Kent Hughes needs to use every penny available to improve the team. Even when the Canadiens were rebuilding, that was the mindset. The GM would trade contracts to acquire more draft picks or prospects. The case of Sean Monahan is the most glaring […]

When you think about the Montreal Canadiens' payroll, what comes to mind? Kent Hughes needs to use every penny available to improve the team.

Even when the Canadiens were rebuilding, that was the mindset. The GM would trade contracts to acquire more draft picks or prospects.

The case of Sean Monahan is the most glaring example.

But not all teams think that way. After all, with the salary cap skyrocketing, some organizations will struggle to keep up.

Among them? Clearly, the Canucks.

According to a report by journalist Patrick Johnston of The Province, the Canucks' owner has asked his executives to trim the fat.

He would like the 2026–2027 payroll to be (ideally) $20 million below that of 2025–2026. Currently, it is $12 million below last year's payroll.

It's important to note that the payroll jumped by $8.5 million heading into the '26–'27 season and that the Canucks reportedly finished last season about $2 million under the cap, which stood at $95.5 million.

Add to that the $20 million in cuts requested from the Sedin brothers and the new GM (Ryan Johnson), and it becomes clear that the Canucks want to get as close to the salary floor as possible in '26–'27.

Is that why the Canucks are trying to trade Elias Pettersson?

It's important to note that each team manages the salary cap differently and that every organization has its own internal cap. And it's harder to reach for small-market teams, Canadian teams, and franchises in the midst of a rebuild.

The Canucks fall into several of these categories.

Even though it's a shame to see this from a market like Vancouver—and even though we understand the fans' frustration—it's still the new reality of the post-pandemic NHL.


In a Nutshell

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