Trade Deadline Summary: Winners & Losers Of The Metropolitan Division
The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, and while it wasn’t the most exciting deadline day in recent memory, there were quite a few notable moves. Here are the winners and losers of the dominant Metropolitan Division:
Winners
Carolina Hurricanes:
- Acquired 2017 second-round pick and Danny Kristo from Pittsburgh Penguins for Ron Hainsey
- Acquired 2017 third-round pick from the Ottawa Senators for Viktor Stalberg
Not all that much happening in Raleigh, but what GM Ron Francis did do, he did well. Both Hainsey and Stalberg brought back returns that were greater than their market value. It was also nice of Francis to send Hainsey to a team where his career-long playoff drought would definitely be snapped. Not sure why Jay McClement wasn’t moved, but there simply may not have been interest. The Hurricanes have a ton of salary cap space and have to dip into their depth on defense sooner or later, but this year’s deadline was definitely not the time for big moves. Expect Carolina to be a major player in the off-season trade market.
New Jersey Devils:
- Acquired Dalton Prout from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Kyle Quincey
- Acquired 2017 sixth-round pick from the Nashville Predators for P.A. Parenteau
The Devils didn’t really have any trade capital today other than Quincey and Parenteau, so good on GM Ray Shero for doing what he could with what he had. It’s strange that New Jersey was able to get a higher pick from the Predators for Vernon Fiddler earlier this season than they did for Parenteau, but injuries may have played into that. A full season of production and a draft pick in compensation isn’t that bad a return for an early-season waiver claim. The Quincey deal was the real star of the show though. The Devils went from taking a risk on an older, washed-up defenseman this off-season to trading him for a young, strong defensive defenseman who can be a starter for years with the team. Shero played the long con on the league this year, and it paid off.
Deadline Day Waiver Update
One player is headed to a new team today, and not via trade. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Vancouver Canucks have claimed forward Joseph Cramarossa off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks. Cramarossa was one of seven players placed on the waiver wire yesterday, but Friedman reports that Eric Fehr (PIT), Marc-Andre Bergeron (CBJ), Jyrki Jokipakka (CAL), Mike Weber (MIN), Chris DiDomenico (OTT), and Gabriel Dumont (TB) have all cleared today.
Cramarossa, 24, had finally developed into an NHL-caliber player this season in Anaheim, after earning skating in his first pro game earlier this season. The rookie winger has been a mainstay on the Ducks’ fourth line, skating in 49 games and recording ten points, while playing a physical two-way game. He’ll now bring that aggressive, high-energy style to Vancouver. A third-round pick of the Ducks in 2011, it may have taken Cramarossa a while to get to the NHL, but the Canucks can now capitalize on years of development in Anaheim by bringing an NHL-ready checking line forward into the fold.
Cramarossa will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so expect the stretch run to be a tryout for an extension in Vancouver.
San Jose Sharks Acquire Jannik Hansen
The trade deadline doesn’t sleep. After much of the east coast media has gone to bed, the west coast teams are still working. The San Jose Sharks have acquired Jannik Hansen from the Vancouver Canucks. In return, the Canucks have sent Nikolay Goldobin and a conditional fourth-round pick. Amazingly, the condition is that if the Sharks win the Stanley Cup this season, the fourth would become a first-rounder. 
While Hansen is a nice player for the Sharks to add to their playoff run, this is an incredible return for the Canucks. Hansen will turn 31 on March 15th and is signed for through next season at $2.5MM. Vancouver will retain 20% on that contract through 2017-18. He scored a career-high 22 goals last season, but it took an aggressively high shooting percentage to do it. That 18.8% mark was quite a bit higher than his career mark, though perhaps some of it comes from playing with better players.
After missing a good chunk of this season with a knee injury, he has scored just 13 points in 28 games. He does give the Sharks some more playoff experience, as he has suited up 64 times in the postseason. It’s unclear where he’ll fit into the San Jose lineup, though Hansen has proven he can play basically anywhere up or down the roster and give you dependable defense with some offensive upside.
Goldobin is a tough prospect to part with though, as he has done nothing to lower his stock since being drafted in 27th overall in 2014. His AHL numbers are outstanding with 90 points in 115 games, though he hasn’t yet been able to crack the Sharks lineup with any regularity. When paired with Jonathan Dahlen who was acquired yesterday in the Alex Burrows deal, the Canucks have added two prospects that would immediately rank near the top of their system.
The fact that the fourth-round selection was added is amazing in itself, but the condition is just gravy for the Canucks. The Sharks were two victories away from winning the Stanley Cup last season, and are poised to go on a deep playoff run once again. The chance of gaining a first-round pick in addition to Goldobin is slight, but still an unbelievable possibility for a rebuilding squad.
After hanging around the playoff chase for a while this season, the Canucks have had a very good few days before the deadline. Moving out aging veterans and not settling just for draft picks will supercharge any rebuild they attempt. They need it after handing out a questionable deal to Loui Eriksson this summer and still having the Sedins under contract.
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN was first to report the trade on Twitter, while Bob McKenzie of TSN gave us the return. LeBrun also noted that the Canucks are retaining on Hansen’s salary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Pacific Notes: Kings, Miller, Oilers, Canucks
While the Kings could still stand to add some offense before tomorrow’s trade deadline, it appears likely that they’ll be quiet on the trade front, suggests Elliott Teaford of the Daily Breeze. He notes that one of the challenges for GM Dean Lombardi will be to find trade assets that teams will be interested in. It’s well-known that the team wouldn’t mind moving on from wingers Dustin Brown (who has five years left after this one) at a $5.875MM cap hit) and Marian Gaborik (four years at a $4.875 cap charge) but they won’t be able to get quality assets in return for either of them.
There’s a good chance that this played a factor into their decision to add Ben Bishop and basically double down on a strength even though it doesn’t address their scoring concerns (heading into Tuesday’s action, Los Angeles sits 11th in the West in goals). They do still have some cap space to play with though as they can add another $3.2MM in a full-season cap hit, per CapFriendly.
More from the Pacific:
- The Canucks are looking into the possibility of trading pending UFA goaltender Ryan Miller, TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie reports (Twitter link). With the team now in sell mode, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them try to give Jacob Markstrom some more starts down the stretch and moving the 36 year old veteran would be one way to do so. Lavoie suggests that the Flames and Sharks are among the teams looking at goaltending help. However, both teams are tight to the cap which could make it a challenge to find the right fit, even if the Canucks retain on Miller’s $6MM deal.
- The Oilers are also on the lookout for goaltending help behind Cam Talbot. It was reported earlier today that the team is interested in Islanders netminder Jaroslav Halak while Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal adds that Buffalo’s Anders Nilsson is someone they’ve kept tabs on lately. Nilsson wouldn’t be an overly expensive upgrade while his 2.69 GAA and .921 SV% would represent a considerable improvement over what they’ve received from Jonas Gustavsson (3.10, .878) and rookie Laurent Brossoit (2.89, .910). Matheson suggests a fourth round pick might be enough to get a deal done.
- A pair of Canucks who presented with mumps symptoms earlier have received the green light to play, notes Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Province. Defenseman Ben Hutton and forward Markus Granlund both tested negative and are expected to play tonight against Detroit. However, forward Michael Chaput has tested positive and as a result, will be out indefinitely until the symptoms subside.
Vancouver Canucks Trade Alex Burrows To Ottawa Senators
Following the Maple Leafs’ acquisition of Brian Boyle, the Ottawa Senators have made their own deal up front. The Vancouver Canucks have sent Alex Burrows east in exchange for Jonathan Dahlen, a prospect selected in the second round this summer. The deal includes a two-year extension for Burrows which will pay him $2.5MM per season.
Ottawa has needed help on the wing since Bobby Ryan broke a finger and was ruled out for more than a month if not before. When Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman were both injured the next day, it proved just how fragile their depth at the position was. Burrows adds to that depth in a big way, despite not being the 30-goal scorer of his youth. His production has dropped to that of a third liner in recent years, though he does give you some special teams flexibility with experience on both the powerplay and penalty kill.
Burrows is currently earning a full season salary of just $3MM, though his cap-hit comes in at $4.5MM. For a team like Ottawa who does not spend right up to the cap, having a lower actual salary is a big plus.
Despite having his offensive production slip in recent seasons, Burrows still provides an ample amount of sandpaper to any game, getting under the skin of star players and often forcing teams into bad penalties. His style of play and general demeanor will be welcome on an Ottawa team that has missed that kind of play from Chris Neil due to being scratched or only playing a handful of minutes. Burrows would immediately become a hated target in the Atlantic Division, and a valuable playoff asset.
Burrows had a full no-trade clause in his contract, and may have only been willing to waive it after agreeing to an extension with the Senators. There was no guarantee he would get a two-year deal on the open market this summer, especially at the age of 35. With the Atlantic crown is clearly up for grabs, the Maple Leafs and Senators have pushed some of their chips forward as they reach for the top. We’ll see if the Montreal Canadiens now answer with a move of their own (turns out they will).
In Dahlen, the Senators have paid a very high price for the addition of grit and depth. The Swedish prospect was selected at #42 in this summer’s draft and is tearing up the Swedish second league with 41 points in 43 games. The 19-year old forward is an exceptionally skilled offensive player that dropped in the draft due to his small stature. The Canucks, dealing with a nightmarish season have pried a very good return out of a rental with a no-trade clause. While they didn’t receive any draft picks, Dahlen should be considered no worse than a late-first/early-second round pick in this year’s draft.
It’s a hefty price to pay for Burrows, even if he does fit the Senators lineup well. We’ll see if Ottawa has any more additions in the next few days, as teams load up for a dogfight in the last two months.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun was the first to announce that the two were finalizing a deal, though Joshua Kloke of The Athletic heard rumors of the deal earlier today. Kloke would include that it came with an extension, one that Dan Murphy of Sportsnet gave us the financials on.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Deadline Primer: Vancouver Canucks
With the trade deadline now just days away, we continue to take a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
It has been a strange season for the Vancouver Canucks. Early on, they were a popular pick to finish near the bottom of the standings but were hovering near a postseason spot for a good chunk of the year. Now, they have several players potentially dealing with the mumps. They’ve fallen back recently and as a result, are likely to make a handful of moves over the next few days.
Record
26-29-6, 6th in Pacific Division
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$0 ($2.4MM with LTIR) – full-season cap hit, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Draft Picks
2017: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 7th
2018: VAN 1st, VAN 2nd, VAN 3rd, VAN 4th, VAN 5th, VAN 6th, VAN 7th
Trade Chips
For starters, GM Jim Benning will be looking to get something in return for his pending unrestricted free agents and has approached his players with no-trade clauses to see where they may be willing to go. Unfortunately for them, they’re only likely to receive interest in two or three rental players; their other expiring UFAs are mostly depth players that contending teams already have in their system.
Many expect that right winger Jannik Hansen will draw some interest even though he’s not eligible for free agency until 2018. He’s someone that’s right on the borderline of being protected for June’s expansion draft and as a result, the Canucks could move him now. He has an eight team trade list that was submitted to the team earlier this week and is affordable with a cap hit of just $2.5MM. Defenseman Ben Hutton has also been thought of as a possibility to move and his exemption from the expansion draft (plus a reasonable bridge deal starting next season) should result in some trade suitors although he has now been isolated from the team due to potential mumps symptoms.
2014 first round pick Jake Virtanen could also be one to watch. He has struggled at both the NHL and AHL levels this season and is someone that could potentially use a change of scenery. However, Vancouver would be selling low on the 20 year old and there’s no indication that the team has completely given up on him yet.
Five Players To Watch For: W Alexandre Burrows, RW Jannik Hansen, D Ben Hutton, D Philip Larsen, G Ryan Miller
Team Needs
1) Scoring Help – Vancouver is the second lowest scoring team in the conference in terms of goals per game and the same thing can be said for their AHL affiliate in Utica. (To make matters worse, several of their top scorers in the minors are minor league veterans instead of prospects.) While the Canucks aren’t going to be in the market for established players who will help them until the offseason, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them target some AHL forwards that they could give an NHL look to down the stretch (or at the very least bolster the playoff hopes of the Comets in the minors).
2) Draft Picks – As things stand, the Canucks just have five draft picks as a result of deals for Larsen and Emerson Etem made last year. This comes on the heels of a draft where they had just two selections in the first four rounds. It’s widely believed that the team needs to rebuild but in order to do that, they need to replenish their draft picks. Vancouver doesn’t have the trade pieces to bring in a first rounder over the next few days but they should be able to add at least two or three more selections in the upcoming draft which is at least a good start.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Deadline Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins
With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re going to start taking a closer look at each team. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?
The defending Stanley Cup champions are aiming to be the first team to win two in a row since the Red Wings did so in the late 1990s. However, their quest to repeat will be hampered by injuries and a severe lack of cap space. Captain Sidney Crosby is dominating, leading the NHL in goals with 34 and second only to Connor McDavid in points, despite playing in eight fewer games. GM Jim Rutherford has a goaltending controversy on his hands, but appears comfortable waiting until the summer to deal with it.
Record
38-14-8, 2nd in the Metropolitan Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
Current cap space: $0
Deadline cap space: $0
LTIR: $4.495MM
45/50 contracts, via CapFriendly
Draft Picks
2017: PIT 1st, PIT 3rd, PIT4th, OTT 5th*, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th
2018: PIT 1st, PIT 2nd, PIT 3rd, PIT 4th, PIT 5th, PIT 6th, PIT 7th
* The Penguins acquired Ottawa’s fifth round pick back in November for Mike Condon. Condon played just one game for the Penguins after they claimed him off waivers from the Canadiens to cover for an injury to Matt Murray.
Trade Chips
The Penguins have already traded their second round pick to acquire Ron Hainsey from the Hurricanes. They could also be willing to move their first round pick in a weak draft to bolster their lineup, but they would need to send money out in almost any deal made. In addition to draft picks, the Penguins could trade someone like Derrick Pouliot. The young defenseman has struggled to earn a permanent slot in the Penguins lineup, and would be of interest to building teams.
Of course, Rutherford could take the nuclear option and trade Marc-Andre Fleury. It would clear $5.75MM off their cap, in addition to the player(s) coming back. While Rutherford has said he would prefer to wait until the summer to make a goaltending move, he has also said what he does will depend on how Fleury feels.
Player To Watch
G Marc-Andre Fleury, D Derrick Pouliot
Team Needs
1) Goaltending clarity – The Penguins will need to make some kind of move in the blue paint before the expansion draft. Because Fleury has a no-move clause (NMC), he must be protected; that would leave Murray vulnerable, and Vegas would need to be heavily bribed not to select him. Instead, expect the Penguins to either convince Fleury to agree to a trade now or before the expansion draft, or at worst to waive his NMC and head to Vegas. The Penguins could make a move now and acquire a goaltender in return for Fleury to maintain their depth, but improve their roster elsewhere. Despite below-average numbers this season, Fleury still has value. What Rutherford needs to determine is whether Fleury has more value on the bench during the playoffs or in a trade.
2) Good health – The Penguins have a solid defensive core and three of the best offensive players in the game. While they can’t acquire “health” at the deadline, they can improve their overall depth to fight back against injuries. Look for a few minor additions from Rutherford to boost the depth of their roster as they prepare for another long playoff run.
Vancouver Canucks Announce Mumps Outbreak Among Players
UPDATE (2/27/17): The mumps didn’t stay quarantined in Vancouver for very long. As expected, the virus has spread, as the Minnesota Wild announced that Zach Parise and Jason Pominville have been diagnosed with the mumps and the team has begun measures to isolate the pair and examine and vaccinate the rest of the team. However, it will have to wait until tomorrow, as the team made the announcement not long before the puck-drop on their game against the Los Angeles Kings. For those worried about the Kings players being infected, the Wild are coming off of their bye week, have not played the Canucks since February 4th, and have not played any opponents who faced Vancouver any later than that, so direct exposure is not the problem.
In a story NHL fans know all too well, the Vancouver Canucks announced today that Troy Stecher has a confirmed diagnosis of the mumps, with several others presenting symptoms. Stetcher along with Chris Tanev, Nikita Tryamkin, Michael Chaput and Markus Granlund will all be quarantined and isolated for at least five days, and vaccines are starting to be administered to all the players that haven’t shown symptoms.
Because it’s not clear when the team discovered the virus, it’s not known how far into their isolation the players are. Ben Kuzma of Postmedia reports that all but Tanev are already ruled out for Saturday’s game, with him being questionable. The team has recalled Alexandre Grenier and Even McEneny to replace the sick players, and will bring up Jordan Subban should Tanev also miss the game.
The NHL has had mumps outbreaks before, on several teams around the league. It caught the attention of international health media in 2014 when Sidney Crosby conducted an interview with a face like a chipmunk, but has long been a problem. Teams have been given booster shots in the past even when they weren’t showing symptoms because of the risk involved. Mumps can result in a large number of symptoms and can even lead to meningitis, which is acute and possibly fatal. While the players are at very little risk of this, the fact that it is so contagious is alarming for Vancouver Coastal Health, who will be handling the situation.
Evening Snapshots: Radulov, Fleury, Oilers
If not for a certain one-for-one swap in late June, Alexander Radulov would have been the most fascinating move of the summer for the Montreal Canadiens.
Radulov spent the better part of eight seasons in the KHL, with two controversial stints in Nashville, before signing a one-year, $5.75MM contract with the Canadiens. The term suggested this was very much a “show-me” contract, and show them he has. Radulov has been one of the Canadiens best players, with 42 points in 59 games thus far. Now, the Canadiens will have to lock up their Russian star long-term.
They won’t be the only team with interest in the big winger. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reported that Radulov is a “strong position” to negotiate with the Canadiens (link in French). Radulov and T.J. Oshie are the only big names under the age of 35 set to hit unrestricted free agency. The KHL is also an outside option for Radulov, but staying in the NHL with Montreal appears to be his first choice.
[Related: PHR’s Midseason UFA Power Rankings]
This advantage give Radulov “every reason” to wait until July 1st, according Lavoie. Even though he’s expressed interest in staying in Montreal, this summer is likely his last chance to hit a home run in free agency. His former coach and friend Barry Trotz suggested he would be “shocked” if Radulov didn’t end up signing long-term in Montreal. Last Saturday, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported that Radulov wants to sign long-term, perhaps even looking for a six-year pact. That would take him to age 37, which might make the Canadiens uncomfortable. Power forwards tend to drop off a cliff sometime in their mid-thirties, so GM Marc Bergevin would be taking a risk to sign Radulov for that kind of term.
Kypreos suggested the Canadiens could offer Radulov a five or six year contract worth somewhere around $4.5 or $5MM per season, but would need to go to the $7MM neighbourhood to keep the term to three years. The Canadiens have some money coming off their cap this summer, but have Radulov, franchise goaltender Carey Price, and captain Max Pacioretty due for new contracts in each of the next three summers. With those big money signings on the horizon, it’s no wonder that Bergevin is considered “all-in” on this playoff run.
- Despite needing to address his goaltending situation before this June’s expansion draft, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford would prefer to keep both Matt Murray and Marc-Andre Fleury for the remainder of this campaign, according to Adam Gretz of NBC Sports. Murray has been significantly better this season, and with Fleury’s no-move clause (NMC), the Penguins need to make a move to avoid losing their young starter. If Rutherford doesn’t trade Fleury before next Wednesday, then the wily GM will have to convince him to waive his NMC in the spring for either the Golden Knights or a trading partner. Two teams to watch are the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets. Bob McKenzie of TSN reported on Thursday that the Flames are looking to improve their current goaltending duo of Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson; while there hasn’t been any reports of interest on the part of Winnipeg, they’re currently two points out of a wildcard spot while only one of their three goaltenders have a SV% above 0.900 (Connor Hellebuyck). Should the Jets get stable netminding, then they could be a darkhorse candidate in the Western Conference.
- Speaking of goaltenders, an interesting tidbit came out of Edmonton today regarding their 2015 acquisition of Cam Talbot. The Oilers acquired Talbot at the 2015 NHL Draft, trading three picks (2nd, 3rd, and 7th) for the then-unproven goalie and a seventh round pick. While discussing the Oilers’ interest in trading for Kevin Shattenkirk, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported that Talbot “told the Oilers point-blank ‘don’t trade for me because I’m not going to re-sign here.'” Just six months later, Talbot signed a three-year extension to stay with the rising Oilers. Talbot has been the Oilers’ MVP (non-Connor McDavid category) with 30 wins and a 0.921 SV% in 54 games so far this season. Seravalli’s anecdote is notable as Talbot and Shattenkirk share an agent, and it shows GM Peter Chiarelli has previously been able to pitch Edmonton to players who were originally not interested in staying long-term.
Shattenkirk “More And More Likely” To Be Dealt As A Rental
We’ve now seen four trades made in the past week as the trade market picks up before next Wednesday’s trade deadline. On the latest edition of Insider Trading, TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, and Pierre LeBrun dropped some tidbits about potential trade activity.
The main topic of discussion was the consensus best player available in St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. McKenzie believes that the likelihood of Shattenkirk being dealt as a rental is becoming “more and more likely” as the days pass. Beginning with the Edmonton Oilers last June, three teams have had trades fall through because Shattenkirk wasn’t willing to sign long-term. The most recent team to have a deal in place was offering a seven-year, $42MM contract, according to McKenzie.
That’s a hefty price to pay for Shattenkirk, taking into account the acquisition cost. Blues GM Doug Armstrong is not wavering on his asking price of a first round pick, a top prospect, plus “something else.” While some teams may balk at that cost, Dreger reports that teams will continue to kick tires until the deadline. Dreger believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning have already been in touch but have concerns about the price.
While Shattenkirk may view himself as a rental, that’s not to say a team couldn’t acquire Shattenkirk with the intention of pitching him on staying beyond this year. As we reported earlier today, TSN’s Frank Seravalli believes that Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli should be confident in his ability to pitch his team to Shattenkirk, as they appear poised to be a top-ten team in the NHL for the next decade.
In other notes from the TSN insiders, the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Chicago Blackhawks are all interested in bolstering their forward cores before the trade deadline. Minnesota and Chicago are likely pretty happy with their rosters as they sit atop the Western Conference. While neither team will be looking at making a big splash, both would like to add a depth forward. Specifically, the Blackhawks would like a player with a low cap hit who could be acquired with just a draft pick. That’s not likely to be a high draft pick, however, as Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman wants to keep picks for the upcoming draft, which will be held in Chicago. The suddenly hot Panthers aren’t necessarily buyers, despite winning eight of their last 10 games. If they do make a move, LeBrun believe they would be interested in adding a top nine forward in a rental capacity.
Those three teams will likely have interest in Dallas Stars winger Patrick Eaves. With 21 goals in 59 games and a $1MM cap hit, Eaves is drawing plenty of interest from around the NHL. There are as many as 10-12 teams inquiring about the gritty winger according to Dreger.
[Related: PHR’s profile of Patrick Eaves]
Another forward likely on the move is Martin Hanzal; LeBrun reports that most of the teams inquiring about the 6’6 center are from the Western Conference, but Montreal is one of the most interested clubs. Despite missing nine games this season, Hanzal already has 15 goals, which is one off his career-high from 2010-11. The Coyotes would like to move Hanzal by the end of the weekend, according to LeBrun. Of course, that’s depending of the offers available to rookie GM John Chayka.
[Related: PHR’s profile of Martin Hanzal]
The Vancouver Canucks are among the growing group of sellers, but the player drawing the most interest from rival teams is not a rental. Jannik Hansen has one year left at $2.5MM and has lots of teams interested in acquiring him. However, the Canucks aren’t looking for a draft pick in return; GM Jim Benning is asking for a top prospect or young NHLer in return for the long-time Canuck. That’s a steep price for a middle-six player who’s never scored more than 39 points in a season.