Canucks send Mikheyev, rights to Lafferty and a second-rounder to Blackhawks

Vancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev waived his no-trade clause on Wednesday night for a deal that will see him join the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Canucks are also sending a 2027 second-round pick and the rights to pending unrestricted free agent Sam Lafferty to the Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick as part of the deal. 

Vancouver will retain 15 per cent of Mikheyev's salary.

Mikheyev, 29, signed a four-year, $19 million contract, featuring an average annual value of $4.75 million, with the Canucks ahead of the 2022-23 season and has two years remaining on the contract. 

“I would like to thank both Sam and Ilya for their time in Vancouver and wish them both the best moving forward,” said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin. “In Mik’s case, we were really impressed with how hard he worked to come back from his knee surgery. That determination and drive is what makes him such a good player.”

The Russian scored 11 goals and 20 assists over 78 games with the Canucks in 2023-24, but didn't record a point in 11 postseason contests as Vancouver made it to the second-round where they fell to the Edmonton Oilers. 

Mikheyev, who spent the first three seasons of his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, netted 13 goals and 15 assists over 46 games with the Canucks in 2022-23, his first season in Vancouver. 

Lafferty, 29, is coming off a two-year, $2.3 million contract. 

The American forward scored 13 goals and 11 assists over 79 games with the Canucks this season, his first with the team. Like Mikheyev, Lafferty did not record a single point in 11 playoff games this spring.