June 3rd, 2024
Alex Rickman
The 2024 offseason could prove to be one of the most important in Canucks franchise history. Following the surprise success of the 2023-24 season, this is an offseason that could set the Canucks up to keep their momentum from a strong season and come back stronger following a disappointing playoff exit, or could lead to a stagnant team unable to get over the hump as we saw after the second round exit in the 2020 playoffs. So what should Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin do to avoid making the same mistakes as the previous regime? Let’s take a look at what I would do if I were in their shoes.
Trades
Before getting into what I hope to see the Canucks do in free agency, there are a couple of trades I would like to see made. Firstly, while I would normally not support trading a player while their value is low, the Canucks will need cap space in order tote other important moves, so parting with Ilya Mikheyev may be a necessary evil. In this scenario, I have him going to a bottom-feeder team looking to bring in futures alongside a second-round pick in exchange for a fifth, but this does not have to be taken as an exact template for a Mikheyev trade. The draft picks involved may vary depending on different front offices’ assessments of the value attached to Mikheyev, as well as the Canucks potential willingness to retain some salary in the deal. Parting with a draft pick will be painful, but to take that next step, the Canucks need to be willing to part with certain pieces that some may prefer not to lose.
In addition to trading away Ilya Mikheyev, I, potentially controversially, believe that now may be the time for the Canucks to part with Filip Hronek. Hronek got off to a flying start to his time in Vancouver but was not the same player he was during the first half of the regular season down the stretch, and was downright invisible for the majority of the postseason. Factoring this and the rumours that Hronek is asking for around $8 million per year on a new contract, I think it may be in the Canucks best interest to part with the Czech blueliner.
With the Canucks in need of help on the wings and the Hurricanes seemingly not planning on extending Hronek’s countryman Martin Necas, I believe a straight swap of the two could be in the best interest of both teams. In Necas, the Canucks would gain some much-needed help on the wing and an ideal partner for Elias Pettersson, who has had to play with several wingers who have not been up to his standard in recent months. Meanwhile, Carolina has several defencemen set to hit the market on July 1st, so adding Hronek gives them a strong replacement for whoever they may lose this summer. At the end of the day, so long as the Canucks can find a replacement for Hronek before the start of next season, a move for Necas could prove to be a savvy way to cash in on what was overall a good season from the defenceman.
Extensions
The Canucks have many a free agent of their own this summer who will need to be extended, so tough choices will have to be made about who to extend and who to let walk. After trading away Hronek, the Canucks would have one less major extension to deal with, but would still have to try and extend the likes of Nikita Zadorov, Dakota Joshua, and Elias Lindholm, among others, while leaving room to afford the newly acquired Necas and others to bolster the roster. Ultimately, not everyone will be able to be brought back, so who should the Canucks focus on extending?
Barring unreasonable demands from their camps, Nikita Zadorov and Dakota Joshua should be high priorities on the Canucks to-do list this summer. While the start of his time in Vancouver was rocky, Zadorov settled down nicely as the season progressed, and was among the Canucks most important players in the postseason. Zadorov’s ability to step up in big moments would make it hard to justify letting him go should the Canucks be able to get him for under $5 million a year. As for Joshua, the energy he and Conor Garland brought to the lineup was unmatched by anyone on the team, and he would be leaving a significant hole in the roster if he is allowed to walk. A Joshua extension should be a no-brainer for anything under $4 million a year.
In addition to Joshua and Zadorov, Teddy Blueger is a player who should be high on the Canucks list of priorities. Blueger has been among the best depth centres we’ve seen on the Canucks roster in years, and shouldn’t be set for a massive pay raise from his current $1.9 million cap hit. For one or two years at around $2 million, keeping Blueger in Vancouver makes too much sense not to do. As for depth signings, restricted free agents such as Linus Karlsson and playoff hero Arturs Silovs should be brought back on cheap deals, as should several current Abbotsford Canucks, including defenceman Cole McWard.
In a world where a Hronek for Necas swap is made, we would of course also have to extend our new winger. Signing Necas to a bridge deal similar to what Brock Boeser signed a few years ago could be in the Canucks best interest in this case, giving the Canucks a few years of Necas at a reduced cap rate and allowing them to decide on Necas’s long term future after having seen how he fits in Vancouver rather than immediately committing top dollar long term. Something in the range of three years at $6-7 million dollars, around what Boeser is currently making, could be in the best interest of everyone, giving the Canucks a little more cap room now while allowing Necas to bet on himself to earn an even bigger contract upon the expiration of this deal.
Unfortunately, there won’t likely be room to bring back Elias Lindholm, as well as players like Sam Lafferty, Casey DeSmith, and, as expected, Ian Cole after a very rough second round. Players like Tyler Myers and Mark Friedman, meanwhile, I could take or leave. While I have nothing against keeping them around for the right price, there could be players set to hit the market that appeal more to the Canucks. Per reports from Rick Dhaliwal, Tyler Myers is currently expected to re-sign with the Canucks for a cap hit below $3 million, but as we shift our focus to the open market, let’s assume that this deal collapses and the Canucks are now unable to sign the Chaos Giraffe. Who should the Canucks look to bring to Vancouver on July 1st to replace those who they have opted not to extend?
New Signings
Firstly, the Canucks will need to add a defenceman to replace Filip Hronek. A few names stand out as possible options, but one stands out as the ideal replacement. After acquiring Martin Necas from the Hurricanes, why not add his current teammate Brett Pesce to our ranks? Pesce seems unlikely to re-sign in Carolina, and could immediately slot in on the top pair with Hughes, bringing veteran experience and a rock-solid defensive game. Pesce lacks the offensive ability that Filip Hronek brings, but is a sturdier defensive player and is far better versed in playoff hockey and performing in big games. The Canucks could also look to players like Sean Walker or former Canucks Jalen Chatfield and Chris Tanev to join the team and step into the top four, but for a few reasons, Brett Pesce stands out as the best available player to replace Hronek should the Canucks send him away. Pesce is expected to be available for less money than Hronek is asking for as well, so a five-year, $6-6.5 million dollar offer should be enough to bring the American blueliner to Vancouver.
Deeper down the roster, the Canucks will still need some help on defence to replace Ian Cole and potentially Tyler Myers. One player who could be a very cost-effective replacement for one of these players is local product Brendan Dillon, who reportedly is very open to signing with his hometown team. The 33-year-old Surrey native is coming off of a strong campaign in Winnipeg and perfectly fits the profile of a Rick Tocchet defenceman. If Dillon is available to the Canucks for around $2.5 million, they should not think twice about signing the 6’4 defenceman.
As for additional help on defence, there are a few ways the Canucks could go about completing their top six. Noah Juulsen, who had some success in the regular season, could be deployed on the bottom pair, as could a player from the AHL like Cole McWard, who showed a lot of promise in Abbotsford this past season, as well as during the 2023 preseason. The Canucks could also choose to add from the market, targeting a player like Ilya Lybushkin, old friend Troy Stecher, or possibly even the likes of Alec Martinez or Kevin Shattenkirk, who could be available for cheaper than expected on a short deal due to their age. If a player like Martinez is available then the Canucks should be all over it, but if not, trusting their prospect development and giving McWard a shot could prove to be a worthwhile gamble. However, if it’s decided that McWard is not yet ready to make the jump full-time, a steady-depth piece like Lybushkin would be a welcome addition.
Moving to the Canucks forwards, after acquiring Necas there isn’t too much more to do. However, the Canucks do feel at least one forward short, so one more player should be targeted who could make a difference in the top six. With the versatility offered by Pius Suter, who can slot in as a third-line centre or a winger in the top six, as well as Blueger’s ability to play on both the third and fourth lines, the Canucks could opt to target either a winger or a centre as that additional piece. Should they choose to look to add a winger, players like Jason Zucker, who was reportedly targetted by Rutherford and Allvin around the trade deadline, Anthony Mantha, and Anthony Duclair could be potential targets, all providing potential upgrades over other options currently in the organization.
Mantha would be my favourite target out of those listed but may be a bit too pricey for the Canucks given their cap situation. Should this be the case, Duclair’s inconsistency is a bit of a scare, especially at the cap hit he is likely to command, so a short-term deal to add Jason Zucker may be the Canucks best course of action in upgrading their wings. No matter who the Canucks sign though, it’s important to remember that Jonathan Lekkerimäki should be ready for NHL action in the not-too-distant future, so committing big money long-term to a winger may not be in their best interest.
If the Canucks are content to continue using Pius Suter as a winger in the top six, an upgrade at centre that would allow Teddy Blueger to play on the fourth line could prove to be a wise decision. A player like Alex Wennberg, who split last season between the Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers, or even Oilers centre Adam Henrique could be worthwhile additions for the Canucks, providing talent in a position where the Canucks have lacked depth for years, and which will not benefit from the potential loss of Elias Lindholm. Finding an upgrade on Lindholm will likely be impossible at a price point that the Canucks can afford, and Suter and Blueger have both shown what they can do on the third line when partnered with Garland and Joshua, so I would prefer to see the Canucks target a winger over a centre. That being said, I would not be unhappy to see either position bolstered in the free agent market.
With all that being said, my hope is that the Canucks can land Brett Pesce, Brendan Dillon, one of Alec Martinez or Ilya Lyubushkin, and one of Jason Zucker and Anthony Mantha to solidify the NHL roster. Should Pesce prove to be unavailable, players like Chris Tanev and Jalen Chatfield could be good alternatives, but at the end of the day Pesce is far and away the best candidate to replace Filip Hronek should he be moved.
New Look Roster
By making moves similar to what has been outlined here, I believe that the Canucks will be able to keep up much of the momentum they had from a positive 2023-24 campaign. Pieces like Pesce and Necas provide the team with important quality in positions of need. Players like Brendan Dillon and one of Jason Zucker or Anthony Mantha, meanwhile, may not be as high-end as the other two but will solidify important areas on what should be cost-effective deals. While moving away from some of the pieces that the Canucks will have to part with may be painful, especially with what getting rid of Mikheyev will take and with what it took to acquire Lindholm, making tough decisions is an important part of taking the next step as a team. It’s hard to know how the Canucks will approach this offseason until moves actually begin being made, but it’s an exciting time to be a Canucks fan and to wonder what may be coming up next for our team.
Managing the cap and keeping this team competitive while not destroying hopes of future success won't be easy for Rutherford and Allvin, but to date, they have yet to do enough to make me think that they aren’t up to the challenge. Now all we can do is wait and see what happens in the coming weeks, and how the Canucks are able to build off of their breakout season.