NHL Rumors: Senators & Canucks Linked To Trade
The report adds another name to Ottawa's top-six shopping list alongside Mason McTavish and solidifies what has been the organization's most consistent offseason priority.
Why DeBrusk Makes Sense for Ottawa
DeBrusk scored 23 goals and 42 points in 81 games this season, making him one of the more reliable 20-goal wingers available anywhere on the trade market.
He has scored 20 or more goals in four of the last five seasons across his time in Boston and Vancouver, a consistency that fits exactly what Steve Staios said he's looking to add alongside Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.
In total, he's scored 122 goals across his last 384 games played, which dates back to the 2021-22 season.
Bruce Garrioch is reporting that Jake Debrusk may emerge as the leading target for the Ottawa Senators
— Jammy 🐝 (@SensBuzz) June 11, 2026
Cost-effective, can skate, can score on the Powerplay, and the Canucks are signalling they're heading towards a full rebuild 👀
Is Jake Debrusk the kind of guy you'd bring… pic.twitter.com/cnJMK5dTro
His $5.5 million cap hit runs through 2030-31, a commitment Ottawa can absorb with nearly $17 million in projected cap space.
Per the Ottawa Citizen, the Senators' offseason priorities include a top-six forward, a top-four right-shot defenseman, and a backup goalie. DeBrusk would check the first box off the list.
Why Vancouver Would Move Him
DeBrusk signed a seven-year, $38.5 million deal with the Canucks in July 2024, but the organizational landscape changed dramatically when the Canucks finished last in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record and fired their head coach and GM.
The rebuild under new GM Ryan Johnson will likely span most of the five years remaining on DeBrusk's contract, at which point he will be nearly 35 years old.
That timeline mismatch is the driver behind his availability.
Morning Cuppa Hockey (June 11): Some notes from David Pagnotta's hit...
— NHL Trade Alert (@NHLTradeAlert) June 11, 2026
• Jake Debrusk would like to be moved.
• Vancouver still has a decision to make on Elias Pettersson.
• Montreal still looking for a 2C and a RHD. Are they looking for a winger or where they after Knies…
The belief is that Vancouver may not be seeking much in return because they would like to shed the contract rather than maximize the return on his remaining value.
The Canucks are also not in the business of surrendering draft capital for aging wingers, and any deal is more likely to involve salary cap matching or a modest asset package than a traditional star-for-prospects exchange.
The No-Movement Clause
DeBrusk holds a full no-movement clause that does not convert to a 15-team no-trade list until July 2027, meaning he has complete control over whether he accepts a trade to Ottawa.
He is from Edmonton, and a move to the nation's capital from Vancouver, where he did not sign up for a rebuild, is a conversation that obviously requires DeBrusk's buy-in before any organizational interest can become a transaction.
Ottawa's only first-round pick is 32nd overall, and the Senators do not have a 2026 second-round selection, which limits what they can offer in terms of picks.
Three third-round picks give Staios some packaging flexibility, and Vancouver could potentially sweeten a deal with a lower selection to acquire the 32nd pick if the cap matching works.
Over his nine-year career, DeBrusk has recorded 189 goals and 356 total points across 628 games played.
Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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