The Vancouver Canucks have a big decision to make with Brock Boeser.
The 27-year-old winger will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and the club must decide if they will re-sign him, trade him, or roll the dice and potentially let him walk.
After scoring 40 goals last season and getting off to a hot start this year, Boeser’s next contract won’t be cheap. He wants an eight-year deal worth more than $8 million per season, per Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, a number the team isn’t yet prepared to offer, according to the report.
Contract talks between the two sides have not really started, per Canucks insider and host of Down to Irf Irfaan Gaffar. Things remain quiet, and the two camps have yet to engage seriously.
With @RealKyper suggesting Brock Boeser is looking for an eight-year deal north of 8M AAV things are pretty quiet around the two sides. Nothing new to report. No secret Brock loves it here, but a 40-goal scorer is going to get paid. His camp has no problem waiting this out.
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) December 11, 2024
That marks a raise on his current $6.65 million cap hit and a significant commitment in terms of the length. With the salary cap expected to rise significantly over the coming years, the total value may be palatable for the Canucks.
However, they must be cognizant of the fact they’ve already signed Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Filip Hronek to long-term deals and need the flexibility to offer a monster extension to Quinn Hughes in a few years. Adding Boeser, who will be 28 years old on July 1, on an expensive deal well into his thirties could crowd the team’s financial picture.
Heading into this season, the Canucks made it clear they were willing to take a patient approach with Boeser’s negotiations. He finished last year with an abnormally high shooting percentage and missed Game 7 of the second round with a blood clotting issue. There were questions over how sustainable last year’s success would be.
“Patrik Allvin, one thing I’m learning about him, he’s not afraid to be blunt,” explained Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman back in September. “He basically said to Boeser, ‘give us another level and we’re going to take care of you.’ So now the challenge is on Boeser to go to the next level.”
Through the first two months of the season, Boeser has silenced many of the doubters. He has seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 20 games, despite missing some time with a scary-looking head injury and regular linemate J.T. Miller missing time as well.
With @RealKyper suggesting Brock Boeser is looking for an eight-year deal north of 8M AAV things are pretty quiet around the two sides. Nothing new to report. No secret Brock loves it here, but a 40-goal scorer is going to get paid. His camp has no problem waiting this out.
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) December 11, 2024
The longer the two sides go without a new contract in place, the higher the chance that Boeser will be moved ahead of the trade deadline. It would be risky for the organization to go to July 1 without an agreement and let other teams lure the sniper away.
Boeser is more than just a top-six scoring winger for this club. He’s also the longest-tenured player on the team and is a massive presence in the dressing room. If the Canucks do trade him or let him walk, they’ll leave a hole that will be difficult to replace.