The Vancouver Canucks are doing all they can to maximize their window while Quinn Hughes is still around.
Last season’s debacle had everything about the organization’s future come into question, particularly regarding their captain and superstar defenseman, whose contract is dwindling down into its final two years.
Hughes not only wants to win but has also referenced wanting to play with his brothers, so the Canucks are going to need to do a much better job in 2025-26 should they hope to convince him to stay in Vancouver for the long run.
With that in mind, Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford should be aggressive moving forward, and Michael DeRosa of Heavy Sports is suggesting they take a chance on Casey Mittelstadt, a former eighth-overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres back in 2017. He proposes they send winger Nils Hoglander and a draft pick back to Boston in return.
Canucks receive: Casey Mittelstadt
Bruins receive: Nils Hoglander, 2026 second-round pick
“While Mittelstadt was just acquired by the Bruins from the Colorado Avalanche at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, questions about his future in Boston have already come up. It is understandable, as the Bruins are retooling, and he has the potential to get them a solid return in a trade. With the Canucks needing more skill down the middle, bringing in a player like Mittelstadt certainly could benefit them. Thus, if the Bruins are open to moving him, he is a player who the Canucks should seriously consider making a push for,” DeRosa said.
“Like Mittelstadt, Hoglander has been the subject of trade rumors. The 24-year-old winger could use a change of scenery, and the Bruins could be a solid landing spot for him. It is no secret that the Bruins need a boost at left wing, and acquiring Hoglander would give them just that,” DeRosa added.
The 26-year-old Mittelstadt has two years remaining on the three-year, $17.25 contract he originally signed with the Avalanche in 2024.
Vancouver should hold out for better options
While Casey Mittelstadt has flashed the ability to be a solid middle-of-the-lineup point producer, the Vancouver Canucks would be best served to wait and spend their assets elsewhere.
Mittelstadt’s $5.75 million average annual salary is a pretty hefty price tag, and to give up a decent young winger and draft capital on top of that is too steep a cost.
The Canucks are one of several teams that have been searching for help at the center position to no avail throughout this very quiet offseason. However, once the season gets going, sellers will emerge around the league, and Vancouver should be able to find a better solution to their problems down the middle of the ice.
