To rebound back to their successful 2023-2024 campaign, Vancouver Canucks front office has got a lot of work to do to get that back to that level.
The biggest issue the Canucks face to get back to where they want to be, is finding a second line centre – plus a few other pieces on offence. Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford acknowledged the teams needs in his end-of-season media availability, and shared that while it will be expensive to fix that issue, it would be more costly to the team to not make a move like this:
“It’ll be expensive, but it’ll also be very expensive not to get one. So we’re going to be open to do whatever it takes and probably on the trade market to get that player. It depends what level the player is at.”
Considering the free agent centre market isn’t necessarily the strongest this offseason, Rutherford mentions that they will likely have to do their work through the trade market to fill their current void.
Looking at the current Canucks, their strengths are on the blueline and in the crease.
They currently have a plethora of defencemen after signing 2023 first-round pick Tom Willander, and the emergence of both Elias Pettersson (during the regular season in Vancouver) and Victor Mancini (during the Calder Cup run in Abbotsford).
In the crease, Vancouver has one of the strongest 1A/1B situations in the entire NHL with 2023 Vezina runner-up Thatcher Demko and last year’s standout Kevin Lankinen. Not to mention Arturs Silovs, who is currently developing in the AHL, has proven he can play under pressure in the 2024 NHL postseason.
So could the Canucks trade from one of their positions of strengths (defence/goaltending) to help their second-line centre woes?
Quite honestly, this team is two big trades away from competing. Not only do they need that 2C, but they could use another top-six forward. Management could trade one part with one of their positions of strength in one trade and then use futures to acquire the other.
Which brings us to potential options.
While we’ve already looked into Dylan Larkin, Marco Rossi, Anthony Cirelli and Bo Horvat as potential trade targets, there are other potential options who could fit a similar build to a trade we recently saw in the NHL last offseason:
The Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper trade
After a disappointing first season in Los Angeles for Dubois (16 goals, 40 points, minus-9 rating in 82 games), Kings GM Rob Blake had a decision to make before his full no-movement clause kicked in: double down on the talent or don’t risk getting stuck with a bad contract (seven more years at $8.5 million annually).
Blake moved on from Dubois, and the Washington Capitals took a swing on him, trading goaltender Darcy Kuemper in return. Kuemper had fallen out of favour in Washington after starting just 30 games on the season and losing the starter’s crease to Charlie Lindgren.
And it made sense for both of these teams to make this trade.
The Kings needed to make room down the middle of the ice for their budding star centreman in Quinton Byfield, and they so desperately needed a goaltender. While the Capitals had Lindgren, who looked primed to take over the starter’s crease, and Hunter Shephard performing well in the AHL, they were in the position to trade a strength for a weakness. Washington had weak centre depth outside of Dylan Strome, so taking a risk on Dubois’ talent made sense.
This trade was looked at as just an exchange of declining players. However, the trade turned out to be a win-win for both teams. Dubois went on to centre the second line, bouncing back with a 20-goal, 66-point season. The same can be said about Kuemper, who went 31-11-7 with a 2.02 goals against average (GAA) and a .922 save percentage (S%). His efforts earned him a nomination for the Vezina trophy.
It goes to show that this type of trade is out there and can work for both parties. Could the Canucks make a trade like this? But a better question may be, would the Canucks be willing to part ways with one of their netminders?
Would they trade Lankinen or Demko?
That’s where it gets a little scary for the club. In today’s NHL, teams have transitioned to a 1A/1B tandem in goal. So, trading one of their two goalies and leaning on one to play around 60 games would be a big ask.
However, trade either goaltender shouldn’t entirely be off the table.
Kevin Lankinen
Lankinen had a fantastic first season in Vancouver. He started 49 games for the Canucks, finishing with a 25-15-10 record, with a 2.62 GAA and a .902 S%. While his efforts earned him a five-year, $4.5 million AAV contract extension, he does have a small resume for a starting goalie. The Finnish netminder hadn’t started more than 37 games in his previous four seasons, spending most of his career as a backup.
There’s no reason he couldn’t replicate what he did last season, but there’s also no guarantee of it, given his lack of starting experience.
Thatcher Demko
Demko is the bigger question mark, while also being the more intriguing option for another team.
The American netminder is just one season removed from his runner-up Vezina campaign. However, injuries from last season held him out until mid-December. But even when Demko returned, he couldn’t stay healthy. He had multiple other stints on the IR, resulting in him starting only 23 games, finishing with a 10-8-3 record, with a 2.90 GAA and a .889 S%.
And that’s the biggest concern with Demko. Can he stay healthy enough to return to an everyday starter?
There is mutual interest from both Demko and the Canucks to get an extension done. Demko said he’s “always wanted to be a Canuck,” while Rutherford shared the same desire, but presented the risk for both sides:
“It’s a tricky one, and there’s risk to it. There will be risk on both sides if there’s an extension. We would like to extend him. Now the question is going to be a matter of how much risk the team is willing to take. And then, how much risk is he willing to take?”
From an outsider’s perspective, Demko would hold more value and could be looked at as a lottery ticket. He’s a player with such a high ceiling (as he showed in 2023-2024) that the trade would look like a homerun if he can stay healthy. In comparison, a trade for Lankinen wouldn’t fetch you as high of a return, with questions about him replicating his form from the previous season.
However, there are some desperate teams who need of a goalie and could be a perfect match for the Canucks to pull off their own version of the Dubois/Kuemper trade.
Trade options
Buffalo Sabres
Now, why would the Sabres want to trade for another goalie after extending Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen last offseason? Well, it wasn’t a great first season under his new contract for Luukkonen, finishing with a 24-24-5 record, a 3.20 GAA and a .887 S%.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts that teams who are looking for a goalie believe that Luukkonen could be available. This could be a move to give Devon Levi a clear run at the number one job; however, he was less than inspiring at the NHL level this season.
So, it does make sense for the Sabres to be looking for an upgrade, considering GM Kevyn Adams has preached wanting to win.
The Sabres have two potential options the Canucks could target.
Josh Norris is a name well known in this market as there were rumours of the Canucks poking around him when they were searching for a second-line centre. His nagging shoulder injury would be a concern, but his 6’2″, 196-lb frame and his goal-scoring ability is something that fits both of the Canucks’ needs – not to mention he is close friends with Quinn Hughes.
Norris is locked up for five more seasons at $7.95 million annually.
JJ Peterka is the more intriguing name. Now, he doesn’t fill the centre role the Canucks need, but they also need top-six scoring, and that’s what Peterka does best. Peterka has back-to-back seasons with 27 and 28 goals, setting a career-high 68 points in 77 games this season.
Peterka is an RFA and will need a healthy raise (and the desire to play in Vancouver), but if he doesn’t want to re-sign in Buffalo, the Sabres would be forced to trade him.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets have been searching for a starting goaltender since Sergei Bobrovsky left in the 2019 offseason. Elvis Merzlikins took over for him, but after four straight seasons of above a 3.00 goals against average and just one season of those with a .900 save percentage or better, they should certainly be interested in upgrading their goaltending room.
Columbus have plenty of potential targets that the Canucks should be interested. But who would the Blue Jackets be comfortable parting ways with?
Young forwards such as Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Kirill Marchenko are likely the young core they want to build around. We’ve brought him up before at CanucksArmy, but a name like Cole Sillinger would make sense as an asset to acquire.
He’s had experience as a centre at the NHL level, but would probably peg him as more of a winger at the professional ranks. Can that change with some training? Of course. The Blue Jackets would likely have to add to get this across the finish line, but taking a swing at a player who posted 0.50 point-per-game last season (33 points in 66 games), might be a nice buy-low target that the Canucks can catch before his breakout.
Sillinger has one year remaining at $2.2 million AAV, but the 22-year-old will still be a restricted free agent under team control. The Blue Jackets could make him available, considering they have another young centreman in Cayden Lindstrom, who, if he can stay healthy, will be a nice in-the-system replacement to upgrade their crease.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings fit the bill of needing a goaltender if they want to compete in the near future. They have one of the best goaltending prospects in Sebastian Cossa coming, but it’s been nine years since Detroit made the playoffs. Can Steve Yzerman really afford to wait if another missed postseason could jeopardize his job?
Their current goaltending room of Petr Mrazek and Cam Talbot is solid, but it’s not a tandem that could earnestly contend for playoff success.
The only problem with Detroit being a fit for a potential deal like this is that the Red Wings don’t have a feasible return option. Sure, we’ve speculated on Larkin, but the Red Wings would need a centreman in return if they’re trading Larkin. Lucas Raymond is out of reach for a return like that, and Alex DeBrincat did not want to play in a Canadian market with the Ottawa Senators, so why would he want to re-sign in Vancouver?
Centremen like JT Compher and Andrew Copp just wouldn’t move the needle for the Canucks’ needs. So, if you have any ideas on a return, leave them in the comment section below. But the Red Wings are surely a match for a move like this.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are probably the team that needs a starting goalie the most. Their current situation with Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov doesn’t provide much confidence as a tandem.
Ersson finished the season with a 22-17-5 record, with a 3.14 GAA and a .883 S%. Meanwhile, Fedotov had a 6-13-4 record with a 3.15 GAA and a .880 S%. The difference between the Flyers and the Red Wings is that the Flyers don’t have anybody in their goaltending pipeline who can take the goaltending reins in the future.
Let’s not forget that there’s a certain someone who now coaches the Flyers, who might have some familiarity with one of the Canucks’ goalies. Both Demko and Lankinen had the best seasons of their careers under Rick Tocchet. So it would make sense for them to reunite Tocchet with one of his ex-goalies if one became available.
In terms of Canucks targets, there isn’t a pletheroa of options. Philadelphia is in a similar position to Vancouver in terms of needing centre help. They are fairly weak at forward, but one name could pique some interest.
Owen Tippett could be a perfect Brock Boeser replacement. Tippett is a goal-scoring winger who’s had three consecutive 20-goal seasons. There’s been no word that the Flyers would make Tippett available, but looking into his season logs, he has seen his minutes decline over the last three seasons.
Now, of course, that is more of a coach’s decision. So all of that could change under a new coach. But is he somebody that Flyers management would be willing to move if they could fix their goaltending? Perhaps, if the Canucks added. But don’t be surprised to see the Canucks and Flyers make some sort of move if Tocchet wants to bring some of his old players with him.
Tippett has seven years remaining at his $6.2 million AAV contract. This is the 26-year-old’s final year before his 10-team no-trade clause kicks in.
Edmonton Oilers
This potential fit may not be around this offseason, depending on how the Oilers finish this postseason run. If they win a Stanley Cup with Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, they’ll likely roll with the same tandem again next season.
However, if one or both crumble, the Oilers can’t afford to waste another season of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s prime because of poor goaltending.
If that happens, how desperate would the Oilers get? Would they be willing to part ways with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
The Burnaby native would fix Vancouver’s centre needs. He’s two seasons removed from his first 100-point campaign, with 220 points in 240 games over the previous three seasons. He’s defensively responsible and has plenty of veteran leadership that could help a broken Canucks locker room.
One issue with that fit is that Nugent-Hopkins has a full no-movement clause and would have to sign off on any trade. It might seem unlikely that he would waive to go to a rival, who isn’t as close to contending as his current team, but we’ve seen players be willing to waive to return home.
Trading within division is a risky game to play, but we’ve seen this Canucks management group already do so with the Calgary Flames…twice.
Outside of Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers don’t really have another asset that would fit the bill for the Canucks to trade and give their biggest rivals exactly what they need. But hey, crazier things have happened in the NHL.
Nugent-Hopkins has four years remaining on his contract, which pays him $5.125 million annually.
What do you think, Canucks fans? Which of the Canucks goalies would you be comfortable to moving if they could return a similar win/win trade like we saw with the Pierre-Luc Dubois for Darcy Kuemper trade? And for what return?
