Examining Speculative Canucks Center Targets

Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal of The Athletic took a look at potential trade targets for the Vancouver Canucks as they head into the NHL Trade Deadline. The Canucks have reportedly identified the center position as a spot to improve, which makes sense given that they just shipped out one of their top centers via trade. Vancouver entered the season with sky-high expectations but has had an uneven season, fueled mainly by internal issues between its top stars. However, with J.T. Miller now donning a New York Rangers jersey, the Canucks have heated up, collecting points in seven of their last eight games, despite missing star defenseman Quinn Hughes for an extended stretch.

Drance and Dayal identify Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues as an ideal trade candidate for Vancouver. Darren Dreger of TSN relayed last week that the Blues are gauging the market for their captain. Schenn has significant term remaining on his contract (three years at $6.5MM), but with a rising cap, his contract is less of an issue than it would have been in years past. Schenn isn’t a high-end center but would would provide Vancouver with some offense and physical play. He’s posted 11 goals and 21 assists in 56 games this season and could be a good fit with a pass-first player like Conor Garland.

Another name that pops up is Sabres center Dylan Cozens. The 2019 seventh-overall pick has regressed this season and is on pace for just 41 points, marking a steep decline from the 68 points he posted two seasons ago. Cozens represents an interesting bounce-back candidate for Vancouver, but given that the Sabres will likely be looking for NHL-ready talent in return, Vancouver might not have the pieces to get a deal done.

One player who would carry a lower price tag is Nashville Predators center Tommy Novak. He’s spent most of his career playing sheltered minutes in a bottom-six role for Nashville. Novak could be a player who slides into the top six, but likely not for a team that considers itself a Stanley Cup contender. The 27-year-old has struggled to just 11 goals and eight assists in 45 games this season and probably doesn’t fit Vancouver’s needs.

Another intriguing player is Colorado center Casey Mittelstadt. Like Novak, Mittelstadt’s numbers are down considerably this season, and he does represent a buy-low candidate. Mittelstadt has plenty of skill, and his numbers have likely been affected by the rolling cast of characters that have been his wingers. However, he doesn’t offer much physicality or speed and may not be the best fit down the middle for the Canucks, given the style that their other centers play.

Last on the list is a skilled but injury-prone center, Josh Norris of the Ottawa Senators. Norris is not what you would call a two-way center, but he has been given challenging defensive assignments this season and has responded well while tallying 19 goals and 12 assists in 50 games. His $7.95MM cap hit could be problematic if injuries continue to take a toll on him. However, he is just 25 years old, and with a rising salary cap, it may be less of a deterrent than in previous years. The biggest issue with acquiring Norris might be his availability, as the Senators are still in the playoff picture and won’t be looking to throw in the towel as they try to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

If the Canucks make a move, it will likely happen before the deadline as general manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford typically like to get their business done early. However, if they can’t find what they are looking for, they will be aggressive and could take this hunt right to the deadline.