Canucks preparing to drop a bombshell on former Stanley Cup winner Braden Holtby

With free agency looming, word out of Vancouver on Tuesday has the Vancouver Canucks preparing to buy out the contract or goaltender Braden Holtby, per The Athletic's Rick Dhaliwal. The news was confirmed a short time later by TSN/The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Word on the street is that the Canucks had tried in earnest to move Holtby this offseason, but were not willing to give up any quality assets as incentive for another team to take on Holtby's $4.3M contract, which is set to expire at the conclusion of this upcoming season.

Dhaliwal suggested that the Canucks were willing to eat some salary to move Holtby, but that they weren't willing to eat more than $500,000. The retention would have lowered Holtby's cap hit to $3.8M.

Holtby, who will soon be 32 years-of-age, appeared in 21 games for the Canucks last season, posting a very forgettable 3.67 GAA and an abysmal .889 SV%.

MUST READ

6 hours ago  |  By Graham Montgomery Top NHL Insider Believes Connor McDavid's Time in Edmonton May Be Coming to an End

7 hours ago  |  By Daniel Lucente Fans and Analysts Call on New Jersey Devils to Demote Jack Hughes

10 hours ago  |  By Julien Trekker Montreal Canadiens' Emil Heineman Sends a Message to Fans After Scary Injury Suffered in Car Accident

11 hours ago  |  By Graham Montgomery Top NHL Insider Believes Brad Marchand Will Leave the Boston Bruins Due to Contract Dispute

14 hours ago  |  By Daniel Lucente Chicago Blackhawks Make a Trade With Divisional Rival

14 hours ago  |  By TJ Tucker Pittsburgh Penguins Officially Give Up on Tristan Jarry

19 hours ago  |  By River Hawk Gary Bettman and the NHL Facing Outrage Over Treatment of Hockey Content Creators

19 hours ago  |  By Graham Montgomery Three Canadian Teams Linked to Former Elite Defenseman John Klingberg

MORE STORIES