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As the Vancouver Canucks continue to search for a second line centerman, a potential target has been confirmed to be hitting the free agent market on Canada Day.
With the start of the National Hockey League's Entry Draft and Free Agency period coming within the next week to 11 days, action is going to pick up any day now and the Vancouver Canucks hoping to be in the thick of things as they look for upgrades for their forward group.
One area of need the Vancouver Canucks have heading into the offseason is at the second line center position and while they've been linked to a number of players recently, a new target is set to hit the open market on July 1st, according to an NHL insider.
Former first round pick set to hit the free agent market on July 1st
In a post on social media on Thursday night, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period revealed that former first round pick Nick Bjugstad will not be re-signing with the Utah Mammoth and will be hitting the open market in a little over a week.
"Among some of the changes coming Utah's way - including dangling the 4th overall, shopping Maccelli, etc. - big forward Nick Bjugstad will be hitting the UFA market come July 1." Pagnotta said.
Bjugstad, a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was selected 19th overall back in 2010 by the Florida Panthers and spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Utah Hockey Club (now Mammoth) after their players, coaches and hockey operations staff were moved out of Arizona to Salt Lake City in April 2024.
In 66 games with Utah, the 32-year-old had 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists), 16 penalty minutes and was a minus-two and with General Manager Bill Armstrong looking to make some big moves this summer, it's understandable that they decided to move on from Bjugstad.
If the Vancouver Canucks were to offer Nick Bjugstad a contract this summer, they likely won't have to break the bank at all, with AFP Analytics projecting that he's in line for a two-year contract with an annual salary around $2.325 million US.
While Bjugstad might not be the most ideal candidate for Vancouver's second line center hole, he would bring plenty of size and experience to the Canucks and could be a good leader in the dressing room, which the team desperately needs after a drama-filled 2024-25 campaign.
