The Vancouver Canucks came crashing down to earth this season after all the excitement of 2023-24. It was a tough year for the team, marked by off-ice drama like the J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson feud, the exit of head coach Rick Tocchet, and a string of injuries that hurt their playoff hopes.
With Miller gone, the team has a big hole to fill on offense. Given their tight salary cap space and a lack of draft picks, many wonder if the Canucks will get creative this summer.
Could Vancouver Make a Move for Matthew Knies?
The Athletic’s Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal looked at a possible scenario where the Canucks might go after Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies with an offer sheet.
The writers said it’s likely Toronto will do everything it can to re-sign Knies –who just wrapped up a breakout season with 29 goals and 58 points in 78 games — before he even gets to the offer sheet stage.
A shallow pool of UFA talent, a rising cap and the Blues’ success in a copycat league is something of a perfect storm.
Will this be the summer of the offer sheet? Could the #Canucks get involved?
12 pending RFAs worth targeting with @harmandayal2: https://t.co/u9iQ2DRXWH
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) May 26, 2025
“In all probability, the Maple Leafs will prioritize getting Knies’ second contract tucked away. Given his appeal to any number of rival teams flush with cap space, they’d be wise to lock Knies up with due haste,” they wrote.
The Leafs already showed how much they value Knies back in March during trade talks. Toronto turned down an offer that would have sent Knies to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Mikko Rantanen, a player who wanted out of Carolina.
Will This Be the Summer of Offer Sheets?
In their article, Drance and Dayal argued that there might be more attention on restricted free agents this summer. Several factors are coming together to make that likely.
The NHL’s salary cap is going up, which gives teams more room to make moves. Also, the list of unrestricted free agents (UFAs) this summer isn’t very strong, especially when it comes to top forwards. That could put more focus on the RFA market.
The biggest pending UFA is Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner. He’s been in the spotlight for Toronto’s recent playoff disappointments. But with Marner likely to get offers around $13 million per year, Vancouver probably can’t make that work.
Matthew Knies discusses his pending free agency and his thoughts on a potential offer sheet. pic.twitter.com/DfWkPggW1k
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 20, 2025
Teams like the St. Louis Blues showed last summer that offer sheets can be a real factor. They went after both Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg with offer sheets, shaking up the market. Analysts think more of that could be on the way this time around.
Knies isn’t the only restricted free agent who might be a target. Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi is coming off a strong season with 60 points. Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram is also entering the RFA mix and might find himself competing for money and ice time with long-term signings like Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
Vancouver’s front office has some big decisions to make. They’re short on draft picks and money, but they need to find a way to plug the holes in their roster. Offer sheets are risky and not always successful, but they might be one of the few ways the Canucks can add a real impact player this summer.
For fans, the next few weeks will be worth watching. Vancouver has some big needs to fill, and the front office might be willing to take a chance if the right opportunity comes up.
