We're less than a month out from the 2026 NHL Draft. With the lack of depth on the unrestricted free agent market, trades are going to be the topic around the league this summer—it will be the only way for teams to get significantly better. And that should start with a vengeance ahead of, or at, the draft. The Vancouver Canucks were supremely disappointed that they didn't get the No. 1 overall pick in the lottery. Instead, they fell to the 3rd pick. San Jose is ahead of them, at No. 2, and the Chicago Blackhawks are right behind them, with the 4th pick.
What will the new front office of Ryan Johnson and the Sedins have up their sleeves to kick-start their reign?
Insider Jeff Marek unveiled on The Sheet podcast on Friday two proposed trades, including a massive three-team deal, that the Vancouver Canucks should look at pulling off. Marek says the idea and the details of these combined bold moves were put together by a current or former NHL front office type—or, as he put it, "A person who's in a position to do things like this."
It's a two-part scenario that starts like this:
Part One:
San Jose Sharks receive:
- Sharks' own 2026 2nd round pick returned
Vancouver Canucks receive:
- Sharks DON'T draft Ivar Stenberg with 2nd overall pick
"If you're Vancouver, you're not looking to get the San Jose pick. You're trying to bribe them to look the other way (in order) to get the Chicago pick (4th overall) and your pick (3rd overall)," said Marek.
Next comes the blockbuster part:
Part Two:
Vancouver Canucks receive:
- 4th overall pick, 2026 Draft
- Ilya Lyubushkin
- Ryan Ellis's contract (1 yr, $6.25M remaining)
Dallas Stars receive:
- Filip Hronek
- Rights to pending UFA Ilya Mikheyev
Chicago Blackhawks receive:
Now THAT'S a mind-melting blockbuster.
Why the Canucks would do it
They're in full rebuild mode. Landing two top-five picks in this draft would be a tremendous leg up on it, and a brilliantly creative way for the new hockey ops department to start their new jobs.
"If you want (Caleb) Malhotra, and you want (Ivar) Stenberg, that's the way to do it," says Marek, referring to the two picks the Canucks would likely make with the #3 and #4 selections.
Yes, Hronek has a full no-move clause, but Marek says the pitch to him to go to Dallas (in addition to being on a winning team that will be in Cup contention), is that he'd be making a lot more take-home salary in the tax-free state of Texas than in the heavily-taxed Canadian province he's in now.
Why the Blackhawks would do it
The Blackhawks would give up the 4th pick to get the established All-Star forward that they're looking for to surround Connor Bedard and/or Anton Frondell with.
"They get Jason Robertson to score goals. Because they need players. They don't need picks and prospects. That 4th (pick) doesn't do anything for them this year," says Marek.
Why the Dallas Stars would do it
For Dallas, they're in a bind in figuring out how to squeeze the RFA Robertson into their cap structure. He's looking at a long-term deal at a potential $12M AAV. With Mikko Rantanen locked in long-term at a $12M cap hit, Thomas Harley at $10.6M, Miro Heiskanen AND Roope Hintz at $8.45M, and Wyatt Johnston at $8.4M, it's no surprise that they have just $10M in cap space available for next season. That doesn't get a Jason Robertson deal done, and they also have RFA Mavrik Bourque who they'd like to re-sign as well.
In return, Dallas gets the premier, top-four, minute-munching right-shot defenseman they need. And Hronek's salary ($7.25M) would be at least $4M less than what Robertson will command.
"I know the thing is, 'How does Dallas replace the (Robertson) goals?'... You can say, 'Instead of, we need to add goals, we need to surrender less.'"
This would be a shocking, seismic, league-altering move, and we're all here to see this kind of excitement in the offseason.
Photo: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
