The hockey world had a pretty good idea where the Vancouver Canucks were going after trading Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild for a bevy of young players and a first-round pick a month ago. That said, the Canucks are a notoriously difficult organization to predict, so there was still some hesitation in officially labeling this as a rebuild.
From the outside, it certainly looked that way – and now recent comments from GM Patrik Allvin have put to rest any remaining doubt.
Allvin spoke with writer Chris Faber at the annual scouting meetings on Sunday and was asked directly about the state of the franchise. His answer left little room for interpretation.
Allvin said:
“We’re going into a rebuild here. Acquiring younger players through the draft, and obviously the draft is very important to us… We still want to continue to acquire young players and draft picks to continue to build a roster. We saw what we did with the Minnesota deal, where we were acquiring some players that were already in the league. I think it’s important for us to continue to do that as we rebuild here,”
There’s no sugar-coating it anymore: the Canucks are officially in rebuilding mode. Now that that’s known, the focus shifts to what comes next, and more specifically, who could be on the move as Vancouver continues to turn around its roster.
Which Vancouver Canucks could be traded next?
Pending UFAs Evander Kane and Kiefer Sherwood are obvious candidates to be traded, but if you’re in the midst of a rebuild, the selloff goes much deeper than that. We’re talking Elias Pettersson, Thatcher Demko, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk and Conor Garland.
Allvin noted that he wants to keep some veterans around to mentor and lead the younger core, so don’t expect all of these names to disappear. That said, you can bet that a few of them will find new homes – possibly before the trade deadline.
Pettersson in particular has the feeling that the situation is over. A fresh start seems necessary for both parties, and Vancouver may soon have to accept parting ways with a player they once considered a cornerstone of the franchise.
Additionally, DeBrusk and Garland stand out as logical trade chips on reasonable contracts that would draw strong interest from contenders looking to add a mid-six score.
Demko and Boeser are much tougher situations. Both have expressed a desire to remain in Vancouver, but sizeable contracts, lingering injury concerns in Demko’s case and Boeser’s struggles this season – currently mired in a 19-game drought – make these decisions much more difficult to make.
One thing is clear: with the Canucks officially embracing a rebuild, no stone can be left unturned, so be prepared for anything as they continue this major transition.
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