Center Options Begin to Emerge for Patrik Allvin & the Vancouver Canucks

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

A number of second line center options have begun to emerge for General Manager Patrik Allvin and the Vancouver Canucks to consider on the trade market this summer.

The Vancouver Canucks management group have plenty of business to get done over the summer months in order for this team to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026 and one area that they need to focus on the most the second line center role.

Leading up to the trade deadline in March, Patrik Allvin tried to address that need, but ended up standing pat with his current roster and due to injuries, by the time the season ended, Pius Suter was in the 1C role.

Options begin to emerge for Vancouver Canucks' 2C role

With the Vancouver Canucks now in offseason mode, their attention will soon turn towards ways to improve their roster and with not many quality options available on the free agent market that are worth pursuing (aside from Sam Bennett), Patrik Allvin will likely be forced to add through a trade.

In a recent article on Daily Hive, Noah Strang took a look at four potential options for the Vancouver Canucks, if Patrik Allvin decides to add a centerman via the trade market.

The four centermen mentioned by Strang are Mat Barzal of the New York Islanders, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins and former Vancouver Canuck Jared McCann, who is currently a member of the Seattle Kraken.

"Zacha can play in all situations, including on the power play and the penalty kill. He's 6-foot-3 and alongside Pettersson and Filip Chytil would give the Canucks a very solid looking centre depth chart." Strang said about Boston Bruins centerman Pavel Zacha.

Aside from those four players, one more that could be an intriguing option for the Vancouver Canucks is Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

Zegras is just 24-years-old, so he would fit in well with the age of Vancouver's core and after struggling with injuries and his offensive production in the last couple of years, it's safe to say that a fresh start would do him well.

The Bedford, New York native has been mentioned in trade rumors dating back to the 2023-24 NHL trade deadline, but it's going to cost a lot to acquire him and if that's someone the Canucks will want to pursue, then they'll have to think long and hard about the assets they'd need to give up to a team that's in their division.

It's not going to be easy for Patrik Allvin to find a second line centerman for this team and it's going to cost him quite a lot, but one way or another, the club is confident he'll find one in time for training camp.