Earlier today, we covered reports coming out of Vancouver that the Canucks had made it known across the league that key veteran players, namely, their pending unrestricted free agents, were available to other teams in trade talks. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance provided some more detail on the situation in Vancouver, reporting that the club’s “hockey operations leadership spent much of the day in high-level meetings” and emerged with “a growing belief that the time has come to proactively chart a clear direction for the franchise.” While Drance clarified that the team is unlikely “to publicly brand their overall approach” as a “rebuild,” the Canucks have decided to realign their priorities “into a younger overall direction.”
Perhaps the most alarming element of Drance’s reporting, at least for the Canucks’ short-term future, was his revelation that Canucks management “has seen enough to be skeptical of this group’s urgency and will to win on a consistent basis.” That impacts the Canucks’ immediate planning, as the team had long been rumored to be highly interested in acquiring an NHL-ready second-line center. That has now changed, with Drance writing that “the notion of paying futures for a second-line center upgrade will be off the table for the time being.” The Canucks are in a difficult spot, to be sure, and the looming unrestricted free agency of franchise face Quinn Hughes doesn’t help matters. But at the very least it appears the team is engaging in an honest interrogation of its own competitive chances, one that appears to have led to them selecting a more sustainable path to contention.
Other notes from the Western Conference:
- The Vegas Golden Knights are “expected to recall” netminder Carter Hart to their NHL roster as early as next week, according to TSN’s Chris Johnston. Hart, the former starting netminder for the Philadelphia Flyers, hasn’t played in an NHL game since the 2023-24 season. He was acquitted of charges in this past summer’s high-profile trial, and signed with Vegas in October. They sent him to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, in November, and he has played in two games, posting a 1-1-0 record and a .875 save percentage. He’s expected to make one more start on his conditioning stint before joining the Golden Knights’ NHL roster. The Golden Knights remain without Adin Hill due to an injury, and have relied upon Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom in Hill’s absence.
- Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes provided the media, including The Athletic’s Michael Russo, with clarification on the recovery timeline of injured forward Vinnie Hinostroza. Hynes said that Hinostroza is likely to miss four-to-six weeks with his injury, a lower-body ailment he suffered on Nov. 21. Hinostroza, 31, was acquired by the Wild off of waivers from the Nashville Predators last season and has scored 13 points across 46 games with the team.
Canuck’s need to find a trade partner for EP (player and picks) and work to convince Hughes to stay. EP hasn’t been the same since he signed his 8M and that All-Star appearance.
EP40 has no move clause. He’s going nowhere
A no-move clause can be waived. Does Petterson love Vancouver enough to tank his career on a perennially scuffling team?
Sure it can be waived, but why would he? It’s a place he’s comfortable with being. If I were him, just let the team buy him out. Because majority of his contract is paid in signing bonus, most of it guaranteed, so he doesn’t really lose much in this case, and then he’s a free agent and can choose where he goes rather than whoever Vancouver works a deal with.
And on the flip side, who wants the guy? He looks like an overpaid 3rd C.
Pettersson’s on track for a 70 point season. Now that’s not what Vancouver expects, but that’s hardly third-line production. Buying him out will hardly be painless: according to Puckpedia, the hit would be $2.7 MM next year, $4.3 the year after, $6.5 in 2028, ten million for the next THREE years after that, and $2.1 MM from there until 2038.
The question is this: are they going to get someone BETTER than Pettersson’s current production on the savings? Oh hell no. How many 70-pt scoring centers are going to be on the market next year that you can have for only eight million?
IMHO, Vancouver’s doldrums have a lot more to do with Lankinen playing like an ECHL goalie than with Pettersson not being in the league leaders.
Edmonton should have signed Hart, they are toast with their goalie tandem
Oilers and Preds are perfect trade partners; Skinner & Howard & a 3rd for Saros & Joe Willis…
Sure, but now make the money work. The Oilers have like 12$ in space and Saros makes more than 5M more than Skinner. And Nashville has 2 retained slots of 3 taken and cant retain enough to make it possible.
Boosch and Skinner for Saros, Perbix, Bunting at $2.25M salary.
But would Saros waive for that pressure-cooker in Oil country!?!?!?!