Rumor: Canucks Now Looking to Add Mid 20s Impact Forward

[Ducks]

Little to no chance barring an extreme overpayment we move Willander.......he's just not on the table or even in conversations. He's a top smooth skating RHD who's gonna be an affordable staple on our right side for the next decade. Guys like this don't grow on trees......

Neither do NHL proven, young impact forwards? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[FiveTacos]

Neither do NHL proven, young impact forwards? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I mean, I'd get it if Willander were a franchise-level D prospect. But he is not at that level. If you were shopping him for a draft pick, I doubt someone would give you, say, a 5th overall for him. Yet I bet a number of teams would gladly offer up a 5oa for a legit young NHL scorer ... but the team with that playe probably wouldn't take it.

Reverse the situation, if I had a young impact dman, vs. a good but not considered franchise level forward prospect, would I trade the latter for the former? In a heartbeat. The proven impact player is more valuable than the vast majority of prospects. Take a typical mid 1st round pick, and you're far more likely to be able to replace a Willander level prospect than you are to be able to flip that into a mid 20's impact player at any position.

 

[CowbellConray]

Cozens still makes sense from my view. He needs a change of scenery but is a for sure 3rd line player and most likely will be a low end top line forward in his prime

 

[Peter Griffin]

Cozens still makes sense from my view. He needs a change of scenery but is a for sure 3rd line player and most likely will be a low end top line forward in his prime

I think he might make more sense as a trade before the draft. I know Sabres’ fans don’t want to hear “picks/prospects” but dumping Cozens sizeable contract and getting what they want in the same transaction might not be realistic. Maybe they take some of those picks/prospects acquired in a Cozens trade, add them to their own, and go after someone else?

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I think he might make more sense as a trade before the draft. I know Sabres’ fans don’t want to hear “picks/prospects” but dumping Cozens sizeable contract and getting what they want in the same transaction might not be realistic. Maybe they take some of those picks/prospects acquired in a Cozens trade, add them to their own, and go after someone else?

We’ve won 4 in a row- we’re still way back, it’s certainly nothing, but until the window is nailed closed I feel like trading Cozens for non-nhl parts might cause a riot.

 

[Peter Griffin]

We’ve won 4 in a row- we’re still way back, it’s certainly nothing, but until the window is nailed closed I feel like trading Cozens for non-nhl parts might cause a riot.

Well I did say the draft.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Well I did say the draft.

Whoops, skipped right over that- ok ya, good time to discuss it. Vancouver should take some time to see what they are anyways, and maybe Cozens improves- or he needs to move and we gotta replace him in the same offseason.

 

[Viking10]

What would Buffalo add to Cozens for ep40?

Would they as a young F, or D or decent prospect as well as some form of draft capital.

I think ep40 could thrive in a quieter market like Buffalo and playing with Dahlin, Tuch, Tage etc gives him some quality linemates 5 on 5 or on PP.

Could any sabres fans on here chime in?!?

 

[jlb124]

What would Buffalo add to Cozens for ep40?

Would they as a young F, or D or decent prospect as well as some form of draft capital.

I think ep40 could thrive in a quieter market like Buffalo and playing with Dahlin, Tuch, Tage etc gives him some quality linemates 5 on 5 or on PP.

Could any sabres fans on here chime in?!?

Buffalo is of course closer to Europe and NYC. Petey would like this. He gets so much attention in Vancouver. A trade like this could backfire on the Canucks, as Petey does not seem have to any injury of concern. But, I would trade Him for a grittier center like Cozens plus a good prospect and/or a pick. I think some in the Vancouver market have lost interest in Petey. JT Miller has allot of fans here. Petey isn't keen on the media's behavior here and it shows. He can be surly with them.

 

[RandV]

I mean, I'd get it if Willander were a franchise-level D prospect. But he is not at that level. If you were shopping him for a draft pick, I doubt someone would give you, say, a 5th overall for him. Yet I bet a number of teams would gladly offer up a 5oa for a legit young NHL scorer ... but the team with that playe probably wouldn't take it.

Reverse the situation, if I had a young impact dman, vs. a good but not considered franchise level forward prospect, would I trade the latter for the former? In a heartbeat. The proven impact player is more valuable than the vast majority of prospects. Take a typical mid 1st round pick, and you're far more likely to be able to replace a Willander level prospect than you are to be able to flip that into a mid 20's impact player at any position.

The Canucks aren't going to trade Willander for a forward because the RD position is just as critical. Doesn't matter that there are better D prospects out there, the Canucks don't need him to be a franchise level player but rather the high expectations we'd be ecstatic with would be a Dan Hamhuis level player.

And the Canucks are looking to add an impact forward, no one would ever say no to a 'franchise' level player but that's not required here. Even then if a Jack Eichel was available they'd probably be starting with Elias Pettersson (F not D) and be able to work around not including Willander.

 

[VancouverJagger]

The Canucks aren't going to trade Willander for a forward because the RD position is just as critical. Doesn't matter that there are better D prospects out there, the Canucks don't need him to be a franchise level player but rather the high expectations we'd be ecstatic with would be a Dan Hamhuis level player.

And the Canucks are looking to add an impact forward, no one would ever say no to a 'franchise' level player but that's not required here. Even then if a Jack Eichel was available they'd probably be starting with Elias Pettersson (F not D) and be able to work around not including Willander.

Yeah when they say "impact forward" they could very well mean someone like Cozens - who I won't scoff at - isn't necessarily a guy (right now at least) that many of us would say is an impact forward.

Willander is a top 4 RHD for us for the next decade........unless we getting a really good C with 1 C upside or a superstar winger he's off the table......

 

[Raistlin]

the reason why they cant trade Willander is because management don't want a rebuild, and prospects with Willander's specs can only be acquired with a top 7-10 pick, something that Vancouver is not likely to draft from for the next few years, not in the window while Hughes plays like an MVP.

On top of that, you then have to roll the dice that he develops. Since he's already trending like a sure fire top4 in his D+2, its a lot more trouble to acquire a comparable than to somehow sign/draft or trade for a impact forward.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Josh Norris is apparently someone we've looked into big time.

According to Seravalli, Ottawa has been willing to move Norris all season long, they just cant find a dance partner.


Other forwards I think the Canucks should inquire about is:

Robert Thomas
Jordan Kyrou
Lawson Crouse
Trent Fredric
Peterka
Kulich
Dawson Mercer
Kent Johnson
Sillinger
Chinakov
Bjorkstrand
Mctavish
Zegras

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Josh Norris is apparently someone we've looked into big time.

According to Seravalli, Ottawa has been willing to move Norris all season long, they just cant find a dance partner.

...Norris is made of Papier Mache...that's why Ottawa wants to get out from his contract...

 

[LuckyDay]

If your only real asset is cap space, you're probably not getting a high impact forward. But they could get Casey Mittelstadt.

He was certainly noticeable last night.
Maybe he was trying to get traded here.

 

[SEALBound]

Josh Norris is apparently someone we've looked into big time.

According to Seravalli, Ottawa has been willing to move Norris all season long, they just cant find a dance partner.


Other forwards I think the Canucks should inquire about is:

Robert Thomas
Jordan Kyrou
Lawson Crouse
Trent Fredric
Peterka
Kulich
Dawson Mercer
Kent Johnson
Sillinger
Chinakov
Bjorkstrand
Mctavish
Zegras

I don't think many of those guys would actually be available.

I wonder if either team would entertain Lekkerimaki for Mercer. With Mercer cooling off a bit, it would be an opportunity to bring in a premium young guy and about $3mil in space which means you could bring in nearly any rental you want. Then it opens up a lot of space for next year. Adding Boeser in FA would be slick.

Meanwhile, Vancouver gets the "helps now" guy who is only 23 and signed to a 2 year extra deal. Could easily turn it around if he's getting top time with EP40.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

No we love Garland.take Boeser

Absolutely not. You don’t take Lindholm for free. He’s terrible.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

Man this thread is basically about Willander and honestly I have never seen a more unremarkable prospect in my life. He’s not ever taking Hughes off of PP, he’s not physical, he’s not a Slavin level defender, his skating is maybe above average a dman like Pellika blows his skating out of water. I see zero upside with this guy. Maybe like a Travis Dermott

LMAO

How many defenders in the league take Quinn Hughes off the power play ? Literally… any? Weird statement. Everything else is equivalently gibberish.

 

[platotld]

I mean, I'd get it if Willander were a franchise-level D prospect. But he is not at that level. If you were shopping him for a draft pick, I doubt someone would give you, say, a 5th overall for him. Yet I bet a number of teams would gladly offer up a 5oa for a legit young NHL scorer ... but the team with that playe probably wouldn't take it.

Reverse the situation, if I had a young impact dman, vs. a good but not considered franchise level forward prospect, would I trade the latter for the former? In a heartbeat. The proven impact player is more valuable than the vast majority of prospects. Take a typical mid 1st round pick, and you're far more likely to be able to replace a Willander level prospect than you are to be able to flip that into a mid 20's impact player at any position.

What you just stated is the most false thing i've hard on these boards in a long long time. D Men of high calibar always outweight forwards unless it's a generation talent like Crosby or Mc Jesus. Make them Right Handed and that's a golden goose.

 

[FiveTacos]

What you just stated is the most false thing i've hard on these boards in a long long time. D Men of high calibar always outweight forwards unless it's a generation talent like Crosby or Mc Jesus. Make them Right Handed and that's a golden goose.

But you're talking about a prospect RD vs a proven young NHL impact player. If you have a high caliber proven NHL RD then sure. That's not what were talking about here though. You're already assuming Willander is going to be a high caliber NHL RD. The reality is that it's still unknown.

There are a number of RD prospects around the league in that same tier or better ... You telling me they're ALL worth more than an impact young scorer? If that's true, there's a couple of those teams who need scoring who would like to make that trade today.

 

[Unbiased Fan]

LMAO

How many defenders in the league take Quinn Hughes off the power play ? Literally… any? Weird statement. Everything else is equivalently gibberish.

Well what’s he going to do in Vancouver is my point? Is he really a PK guy? Is he gonna log minutes on Hughes line? For me I’d want a more Physical guy than him. Just don’t see any comparable. Maybe Travis Dermott, good skater with defensive awareness who ran top pp on the Erie otters looked good at the WJC.

 

[sandwichbird2023]

For the right center, I would deal Willander. Like if we can package Willander + for a guy like Fantilli (as an example, not saying he is available), I would be all over it. As valuable as a smooth-skating puck-moving defensively-reponsible top 4 RHD is, a 1C is more valuable and impactful.

We are fairly strong on LSD now, so it wouldn't be the end of the world to ask them to carry some weaker RSD going forward. It is doable. What isn't doable is having EP40-Chytil-Suter-Blueger as our centers and expecting to be a contender. Until/unless EP40 returns to at least a PPG Selke level C, we desperately need a 1C.

However, young centers with 1C potential doesn't become available, and it wouldn't make sense to trade Willander for anything else, so it is unlikely he gets traded.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Barzal should be the natural target.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Canucks management are targetting speed so Cozens does make sense.

 

[kvladimir]

We are fairly strong on LSD now, so

is that so?