The Vancouver Canucks made news this Monday with a Nils Hoglander trade. He has been traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2029 third-round draft pick, which originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche. The Predators acquired the third-round pick in the trade for Jack Drury.
Credit Image: © Dirk Shadd/Tampa Bay Times via ZUMA Press Wire
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have acquired a third-round pick in the 2029 NHL Entry Draft (originally belonging to Colorado) in exchange for forward Nils Höglander.
DETAILS | https://t.co/YtJ2M4zcQt pic.twitter.com/onPyVfoOrI
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 29, 2026
Nils Hoglander Trade Sees Canucks Clear Cap Space
For the Canucks, this is a tough break, no doubt. Hoglander was selected in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and looked to have some potential, but struggled to meet those high expectations. In the 2023-24 season, he looked to have perhaps broken out with 24 goals on the season, but his totals dropped to eight goals in 72 games in 2024-25, and just two goals in 38 games in 2025-26.
Hoglander is a hard worker, staying longer on the ice for Canucks practices, and is also willing to go to hard areas, despite his short stature. His role gradually diminished last season, especially after his injuries early in the season.
“We would like to thank Nils for his time in Vancouver, and we wish him the best with his new team Nashville,” said General Manager Ryan Johnson in a press release. “Picking up another draft pick is important for us as we continue to try and accumulate assets for our rebuild.”
First Player Trade for GM Ryan Johnson Complete
This marks the first trade involving a player for new GM Ryan Johnson, and it is a trade that made sense to make here. In this rebuild, the Canucks have been rumoured to be looking to cut costs, and cutting out poorly utilized cap space is part of that equation. However, will the Canucks spend much at all, or will they try to stay at the cap floor? They are now just about $2 million above the cap floor.
With this trade, it also marks an interesting bit of information. The Canucks made nine selections in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Fast forward seven years, and none of those players remain with the organization. Is that an indictment of Jim Benning’s drafting back in the day, or poor development and asset management? One thing Canucks fans might have a bit more confidence in now is drafting, as the general consensus around how they performed at the 2026 Draft was rather positive, in adding Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotny to their ranks.
Predators Gain High-Motor Player
Clearly, the Predators still believe that there is a good player here. “We are excited to add Nils Hoglander to our mix,” GM Chris MacFarland said in a press release. “He is a 25-year-old experienced winger who is known for his relentless, high-energy style of play, bringing a consistent motor to the lineup night after night. We believe the player can come in and have a key role.”
Main Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
