For salary reasons, coaching reasons, and a whole lot more, it's safe to say we can expect the Vancouver Canucks to look a whole lot different next season.
With four NHL free agents and only $14 million in cap space to work with, it's likely the Canucks are going to have to make the hard decisions come July 1. Some of those decisions will come harder than others, but the fate of one free agent appears to have already been decided.
#1: Brock Boeser, RW
The relationship between Brock Boeser and the Canucks is not in the greatest place, and it's not hard to see why.
The two sides failed to make any sort of meaningful progress on a potential contract extension since the offseason, then, with no future in Vancouver apparent, failed to at least deal Boeser to a Stanley Cup contender for any kind of asset.
It is, apparently, possible that Boeser remains with the Canucks out of pure desperation from the front office, but there are currently no indications that Boeser's camp is willing to facilitate such a turnaround at this time.
Truthfully, the Canucks really are not in a position to pay up to Boeser's lofty contract demands, and if they do not have a concrete solution to the Quinn Hughes conundrum, they will not be a competitive team for that much longer.
That's something Boeser and his crew will have to consider, and it ultimately may drive him away for good. If Boeser does re-sign with the Canucks, it will most likely only be temporary as part of a sign-and-trade deal ahead of the start of free agency on July 1.
#2: Pius Suter, C
Much like Boeser, Pius Suter will be a highly sought-after player on the free agent market this year, thanks in large part to his career-high 25 goals and 46 points after being pressed into a top-six role for much of the 2024-25 season.
Suter is a versatile forward who, at the age of 29, is not getting any younger and is likely starting at his last opportunity to earn a lucrative, long-term contract at the NHL level.
The Canucks saw some success playing Aatu Raty regularly down the stretch to conclude the season, and the youngster seems like a natural fit to replace the aging and expensive Suter.
Departed head coach Rick Tocchet was an admirer of Suter's, and it's possible the Swiss center follows Tocchet to the Philadelphia Flyers with the Orange and Black in desperate need of some center depth.
Simply put, though, the Canucks just aren't in a position to overextend themselves to pay a bottom-six center who played his best hockey in a role he won't see again under ordinary circumstances.
#3: Noah Juulsen, RD
If there's one free agent the Canucks should have no desire in keeping at all, it should be defenceman Noah Juulsen.
Juulsen, 28, emerged as a coaching staff favorite due to his experience and willingness to throw hits and block shots, but these are two qualities that can only be displayed when the Canucks are chasing the puck. Juulsen's production followed in lockstep.
In 35 games this season, the former first-round pick did not score a single goal or pick up a single assist, en route to posting a 34.3% goals percentage - the worst of his NHL career by a whopping 13%.
The Canucks have a number of impressive youngsters who need the NHL experience and would benefit from the ice time vacated by Juulsen. Prospects like Victor Mancini, Elias Pettersson, and Tom Willander will all threaten for roles with the big club next season, making retaining an ineffective journeyman like Juulsen completely needless.
At this stage in the team's timeline, the focus should be on getting younger and better at all positions, and defence is no exception.