On January 17, 1999, after three-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers, Jovanovski was traded in a seven-player deal to the Vancouver Canucks. He was sent with Dave Gagner, Mike Brown, Kevin Weekes and a first-round draft pick in 2000 (Nathan Smith) in exchange for Pavel Bure, Bret Hedican, Brad Ference and a third-round pick in 2000 (Robert Fried). Joining the Canucks in the midst of a rebuilding period for the franchise, Jovanovski quickly established himself as a top defenceman in Vancouver's lineup. His ability to join the rush as a defenceman complemented the Canucks' up-tempo style of play.