- Canucks center Elias Pettersson may be ready to return as Vancouver resumes their schedule this week, relays Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. He had been placed on LTIR due to a wrist injury before their COVID-19 outbreak and will now see a specialist on Wednesday with the hopes of getting the final clearance to suit up.
Canucks Rumors
Trade Deadline Summary: North Division
The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the North Division.
Calgary Flames
Status: Neutral
In – F Emil Heineman, 2022 second-round pick (FLA), 2022 third-round pick (TOR)
Out – F Sam Bennett, G David Rittich, 2022 sixth-round pick
Edmonton Oilers
Status: Buyer
In – D Dmitry Kulikov
Out – conditional 2022 fourth-round pick
Montreal Canadiens
Status: Buyer
In – F Eric Staal, D Jon Merrill, D Erik Gustafsson
Out – F Hayden Verbeek, 2021 third-round pick, two 2021 fifth-round picks, 2022 seventh-round pick
Ottawa Senators
Status: Seller
In – F Ryan Dzingel, F Michael Amadio, D Brandon Fortunato, 2022 third-round pick (BOS), 2022 seventh-round pick (NYI), 2023 seventh-round pick (NSH)
Out – D Mike Reilly, D Erik Gudbranson, D Braydon Coburn, F Cedric Paquette, F Alex Galchenyuk, D Christian Wolanin,
Toronto Maple Leafs
Status: Buyer
In – F Nick Foligno, G David Rittich, D Ben Hutton, F Alex Galchenyuk, F Riley Nash, F Stefan Noesen, F Antti Suomela, G Veini Vehvilainen
Out – F Alexander Barabanov, D Mikko Lehtonen, D David Warsofsky, F Yegor Korshkov, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2021 fourth-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick, conditional 2022 seventh-round pick
Vancouver Canucks
Status: Neutral
In – F Matthew Highmore, D Madison Bowey, 2021 fifth-round pick (CHI), 2021 sixth-round pick (WPG)
Out – D Jordie Benn, F Adam Gaudette, 2021 fourth-round pick
Winnipeg Jets
Status: Buyer
In – D Jordie Benn
Out – 2021 sixth-round pick
Madison Bowey Traded To Vancouver
After moving Jordie Benn out, the Vancouver Canucks will bring in a potential replacement. The Chicago Blackhawks have traded Madison Bowey and a 2021 fifth-round pick to the Canucks for a 2021 fourth-round selection.
Bowey, 25, has played 156 NHL games in his NHL career so far, but only two of those came for the Blackhawks. Originally selected in the second round of the 2013 draft, the 6’2″ defenseman eventually became a regular with the Washington Capitals during the 2017-18 season. He was pushed out of the lineup when the team acquired Michael Kempny and then when the Capitals extended the newcomer, Bowey’s future in Washington was completely erased.
By the next deadline he was traded to Detroit in a package that landed Washington Nick Jensen, another defenseman that they believed could have a bigger impact than Bowey. After being left unqualified he became an unrestricted free agent, signing a two-year deal with the Blackhawks after this season began.
Vancouver is likely Bowey’s last chance to become a regular in the NHL, as he’ll be 26 in just a few days. More likely he’ll find himself on waivers at the beginning of next season in order to go to the Canucks’ AHL affiliate as injury depth.
Winnipeg Jets Acquire Jordie Benn
The Winnipeg Jets have landed their defensive upgrade right at the deadline, acquiring Jordie Benn from the Vancouver Canucks according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Jets will send a 2021 sixth-round pick to Vancouver.
The quality of the player and the timing of the deal point in one direction: GM Kevin Cheveldayoff ran out of time and options. There was perhaps no team in the NHL with a more identifiable need than the Jets and their blue line. The team has needed another defenseman all season and was expected to be in the running for the best available names. The team even signaled that a trade was on the way by moving Nathan Beaulieu to Long-Term Injured Reserve to open up more cap space.
Instead, they leave cap room to spare and leave their fans wanting more with the addition of Benn. In fairness, the respected veteran is having a good offensive season by his standards and brings experience and leadership to the fold. However, he has only been playing bottom-pair minutes in Vancouver this season and has been regularly exposed on defense. Benn is simply a depth addition for Winnipeg, not the game-changing presence that was hoped for.
Chicago Blackhawks Acquire Adam Gaudette
The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired Adam Gaudette from the Vancouver Canucks sending Matthew Highmore the other way. Of note, Gaudette is now out of the COVID Protocol and can travel to Chicago to join the Blackhawks.
It’s a swap of depth forwards, but the Blackhawks have certainly added the one with the higher offensive ceiling. Gaudette, a former Hobey Baker Award winner, had 33 points in 59 games last season with the Canucks and has a history of scoring at every level. His numbers dropped this year–just seven points in 33 games–but there’s always a chance that Gaudette finds his game in Chicago.
Highmore meanwhile comes to Vancouver as a fourth-line option, but importantly he is signed for next season at just $725K. Gaudette is in need of a new contract as a restricted free agent and will be eligible for arbitration, a process that the Canucks may not really be able to afford. With Highmore’s deal, the 25-year-old forward provides depth for little more than the NHL minimum.
Still, even at that bargain-basement price, it’s hard to see how Highmore can really become an impact player for Vancouver. He has just four goals and 10 points through his 73-game NHL career and has rarely shown the ability to create chances for himself or his linemates. An undrafted forward out of the QMJHL, he’s done well to even make it to this level.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/11/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. While the league is still waiting for a report from the Blues, here is the updated list for today from the other 30 teams:
Boston – Jaroslav Halak
Colorado – Bowen Byram
Florida – Brandon Montour*
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
St. Louis – TBA
Toronto – William Nylander
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Nils Hoglander, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Nate Schmidt, Brandon Sutter, Jake Virtanen, Jay Beagle*
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: Adam Gaudette, Vancouver Canucks
As reported earlier, another Canucks player hit the CPRA list today in injured veteran Beagle, delaying the team’s return to action by at least a day. At least one player has been cleared, as Gaudette – the first player to hit the list at the start of the Vancouver outbreak – has been removed. Hopefully more and more Canuck names continue to come off the list in the coming days.
The only other name that is new to the list today is Montour, who is in a short quarantine period after understandably choosing to fly from Buffalo, New York to Sunrise, Florida rather than make the 20-hour drive to join his new team. So all things considered, this is a net even day for the league’s COVID cases.
*denotes new addition
Latest On Vancouver Canucks Return To Play
Sunday: The league announced that as a result of another Canucks player being place on the COVID protocol list, the Vancouver Canucks’ facilities will not re-open Sunday as had been planned. The league announced the facility will not re-open until Monday at the earliest.
While the name of the new player has yet to be revealed, the announcement states the player has not been around the facility since the outbreak began on March 31. Regardless, it was decided that the team should keep their facility closed for at least one extra day. The decision should not impact the Canucks’ return to play on Friday.
Saturday: Pending today’s coronavirus test results, the Vancouver Canucks are scheduled to re-open their practice facilities tomorrow. The league currently expects the team to resume their regular season schedule on Friday, April 16 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Canucks had eight games postponed during their coronavirus outbreak; those games have now been rescheduled, with Vancouver’s season now stretching through May 16, a week after the regular season was originally expected to end.
The league has announced the following changes to the North Division schedule:
- Game #829, Edmonton at Vancouver, scheduled for May 4, is now scheduled for Friday, April 16 at 9 p.m. ET
- Game #567, Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for March 31, is now scheduled for Wednesday, April 21 at 10 p.m. ET
- Game #792, Vancouver at Toronto, scheduled for April 30, is now scheduled for Thursday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Game #647, Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 10, is now scheduled for Monday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET
- Game #593, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 3, is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 4 at 9 p.m. ET
- Game #662, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 12, is now scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at 10 p.m. ET
- Game #720, Ottawa at Calgary, scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for Sunday, May 9 at 8 p.m. ET
- Game #602, Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 4, is now scheduled for Monday, May 10 at 8 p.m. ET
- Game #619, Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 6, is now scheduled for Tuesday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET
- Game #833, Toronto at Ottawa, scheduled for May 10, is now scheduled for Wednesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Game #673, Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 14, is now scheduled for Thursday, May 13 at 9 p.m. ET
- Game #864, Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for May 8, is now scheduled for Saturday, May 15 at TBD
- Game #634, Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 8, is now scheduled for Sunday, May 16 at TBD
The league will not announce definitive dates for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs until later in the season, and admit that the first round for the East, Central and West could open a few days earlier than the North now that things have been pushed.
Early Contract Talks For Elias Pettersson And Quinn Hughes Focused On Term
- While the Canucks have started contract discussions with pending restricted free agents Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson, GM Jim Benning indicated to reporters, including NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley, that those talks have been centered around term and not money so far. Vancouver has over $64MM in commitments to just 12 players for next season per CapFriendly which would make it difficult to sign both to long-term deals. If one is amenable to a bridge deal, that could give Benning a bit more cap flexibility to work with this offseason. Discussions are expected to pick up over the next few weeks.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/09/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:
Boston – Jaroslav Halak
Colorado – Bowen Byram*
Los Angeles – Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
Toronto – William Nylander
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Jalen Chatfield, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Nils Hoglander, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Marc Michaelis, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Nate Schmidt, Brandon Sutter, Jake Virtanen
Winnipeg – TBA
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol
Players removed today: None
Earlier today the Avalanche canceled morning skate because of a positive test result. Their game tonight against the Ducks is still currently scheduled to continue, though obviously, Byram won’t be part of it.
Otherwise, another good day for the NHL as the Canucks have not added anyone to the protocol. Vancouver GM Jim Benning and team physician Jim Bovard spoke with the media today and explained that the team is “moving away from the new infection phase” and starting recovery. The Canucks remain optimistic that their season can continue at some point in the near future.
*denotes new addition
Trade Deadline Primer: Vancouver Canucks
We are now just a few days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Vancouver Canucks’ season was over well before this ongoing team-wide battle with the Coronavirus. Their current extended stoppage is just the final nail in the coffin of a disappointing campaign. At least the team can move some expiring contracts, add some futures, and get ready for next year, right? Well, there are a few different factors working against the Cancuks making much of an impact as a seller at the trade deadline.
The first is that they lack any of the top available rentals and the seconds is that their best trade assets are not really available. The Canucks opted to re-sign Tanner Pearson rather than trade him, removing arguably their top rental from the market. Additionally, veteran defensemen Alexander Edler and Travis Hamonic have No-Movement Clauses and have expressed no inclination to waive them. If Vancouver had any chance of landing a substantial return at the deadline, it would have been by dealing these three players.
Beyond that, the COVID status of nearly the entire roster also does not help. While there is no rule against trading a player on the NHL’s COVID Protocol list, it isn’t exactly an attractive attribute for buyers. While there has been recent progress in Vancouver that suggests the team could be healthy, perhaps even by the deadline, their current status is not encouraging.
So what is there to expect from the Canucks in the coming days? The team still has a few pieces that they may be able to move for moderate returns, but don’t be surprised if it is a relatively quiet deadline in Vancouver.
Record
16-18-3, .473, 5th in North Division
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$0 in full-season space ($5.13MM in LTIR space), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2021: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th
2022: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th
Trade Chips
With Pearson, Edler, and Hamonic off the table, veteran two-way center Brandon Sutter is the Canucks’ top trade chip. The impending UFA is a shadow of his former self, but is still a valuable depth piece due to his experience, versatility, and defensive ability. An ideal fit for a contender as a bottom-six forward, face-off asset, and penalty kill specialist, Sutter is the type of player who ends up being an invaluable acquisition to a team that makes a Cup run. His value isn’t what it used to be, but Sutter could still net a nice return, especially if he has a clean bill of health. The Canucks could boost his value by retaining part of his $4.375MM cap hit as well.
Another intriguing rental will be defensemen Jordie Benn. The veteran has plenty of experience, plays a sound defensive game, and is quietly enjoying the best per-game scoring season of his NHL career despite playing career-low minutes. Benn, who is also one of the few Canucks not currently sidelined by COVID, should be healthy and fresh and ready for a new challenge with a contender. An affordable addition at just $2MM, many buyers could do far worse than adding Benn as blue line depth.
While waiver claims are not usually considered trade assets, the Canucks were pretty high in the waiver order when they snagged forward Jimmy Vesey and Travis Boyd recently and they could shop their pair around to see if they can turn a claim into a draft pick. Could the buried Sven Baertschi also draw interest as a depth piece?
While there are not expected to be many term players dealt at the deadline, the Brett Connolly trade has already shattered the perception that they won’t happen at all. The Canucks stand out as a team that could trade away some players under contract next season and beyond. They have already been shopping forward Jake Virtanen for much of the season and there is no reason to believe that they will not still field offers, if any interest exists. A more interesting move would be if Vancouver decided to make underrated forward Tyler Motte available. Motte has been steadily improving over the past few years, but truly broke out in the playoffs last season and continued to perform at a high level this season, though he has missed time due to injury. At a minimal cap hit through next season, Motte is solid, two-way forward who could provide bottom-six value to a contender beyond just this year. Motte could be this season’s Barclay Goodrow if the Canucks make him available.
One major trade that wouldn’t be much of a surprise if it wasn’t for the fact that his name has not even been whispered on the rumor mill: the Canucks moving Braden Holtby. The veteran goaltender has one season remaining on his contract, but his future is not in Vancouver given the strong play and subsequent long-term extension of Thatcher Demko. Holtby has not performed this season, but was a top goalie in the NHL not long ago and could still draw interest, especially with numerous teams seeking help in net this season and beyond. Holtby might be an attractive pick for the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion Draft, but if Vancouver can instead get something in exchange for the capable keeper, they should do so. As long as they can figure out the expansion ramifications of the move, a Holtby trade would make sense for the Canucks if interest exists.
Others to watch for: D Jalen Chatfield ($700K, Group 6 UFA), D Ashton Sautner ($700K, UFA), D Brogan Rafferty ($700K, UFA), F Tyler Graovac ($700K, UFA), F Zack MacEwen ($825K, 2022 RFA)
Team Needs
1) Picks and Prospects – The Canucks are not your typical seller. The team made a playoff run just last year, have a number of talented young pieces, and are looking to reset for next year rather than rebuild for the future. With that said, Vancouver is not exactly boasting an elite pipeline either. They have some truly great young players on the NHL rosters and several players in the AHL and overseas who will be pushing for NHL roles as early as next year. However, their lack of first- and second-round picks last season and no mid- or late-round surprises in recent years have thinned the pipeline among younger prospects. Especially at center, the Canucks have a major need for some future talent. Adding picks or targeting young prospects is the best way for Vancouver to maximize their rentals.
2) Term Defenseman – The Canucks are looking to reload for next year though and with a whopping seven defensemen in the organization headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, it wouldn’t hurt to look for a blue liner with term on his contract. The addition would also solve an Expansion Draft exposure issue that the team currently has no obvious solution for.