Rumor: RHD Targets to play with Quinn Hughes?

[Vector]

Here's the big dumb trade target list I came up with this morning.

Spoiler: Thought Process:

-listed every right-handed defenceman in the organization
-didn't include ELCs
-added ELCs with significant NHL experience
-remove players signed as free agents
-remove players that signed extensions
-remove players claimed off waivers
-remove players placed on waivers
-remove injured players
-remove players acquired via trade
-remove superstars
-remove bad players
-removed offense-first players
-removed the guys that just aren't getting traded

Spoiler: Big Ol' List:

Role	Team	Contract	Age	Misc.
Depth
Ian Mitchell	Bruins	1y/0.775	24	RFA
Isaak Phillips	Blackhawks	1y/0.859	22	ELC-RFA
Marcus Bjork	Blue Jackets	1y/0.775	25	RFA
Vincent Desharnais	Oilers	1y/0.7625	27	UFA
Philip Kemp	Oilers	1y/0.775	24	RFA
Casey Fitzgerald	Panthers	1y/0.775	26	UFA
Grant Hutton	Islanders	2y/0.775	28
Mark Friedman	Penguins	1y/0.775	27	UFA
Bottom Pair
Ilya Lyubushkin	Ducks	1y/2.75	29	UFA
Joshua Brown	Coyotes	1y/1.275	29	UFA
Henri Jokiharju	Sabres	1y/2.5	24	RFA
Jalen Chatfield	Hurricanes	1y/0.7625	27	UFA
Dylan Coghlan	Hurricanes	1y/0.85	25	RFA
Andrew Peeke	Blue Jackets	3y/2.75	25
Nick Blankenburg	Blue Jackets	1y/0.825	25	ELC
Jani Hakanpaa	Stars	1y/1.5	31	UFA
Jordan Spence	Kings	1y/0.82	22	ELC-RFA
Jonathan Kovacevic	Canadiens	2y/0.767	22
Justin Barron	Canadiens	1y/0.925	21	ELC-RFA
Alexandre Carrier	Predators	1y/2.5	26	UFA
Dante Fabbro	Predators	1y/2.5	25	RFA
Colin Miller	Devils	1y/1.85	30	UFA
Chad Ruhwedel	Penguins	1/0.8	33	UFA
Matt Benning	Sharks	3y/1.25	29
Jan Rutta	Sharks	2y/2.75	33
Will Borgen	Kraken	2y/2.7	26
Cale Fleury	Kraken	2y/0.8	24	RFA
Robert Bortuzzo	Blues	1y/0.95	34	UFA
Timothy Liljegren	Maple Leafs	1y/1.4	24	RFA
Brayden Pachal	Golden Knights	2y/0.775	24
Kaeden Korczak	Golden Knights	1y/0.789	22	ELC-RFA
Middle Pair
Chris Tanev	Flames	1y/4.5	33	UFA
Connor Murphy	Blackhawks	3y/4.4	30	10-NTC
Josh Manson	Avalanche	3y/4.5	31	NTC
Matt Roy	Kings	1y/3.15	28	UFA
David Savard	Canadiens	2y/3.5	32
Braden Schneider	Rangers	1y/0.925	22	ELC-RFA
Justin Faulk	Blues	4y/6.5	31	15-NTC
Neal Pionk	Jets	2y/5.875	28	6-NTC
Dylan DeMelo	Jets	1y/3.0	30	6-NTC
Trevor van Riemsdyk	Capitals	3y/3.0	32
Top Pair
Brandon Carlo	Bruins	4y/4.1	26	10-NTC
Brett Besce	Hurricanes	1y/4.025	28	UFA
Jacob Trouba	Rangers	3y/8.0	29	NMC

 

[Breakers]

incredibly unprofessional is trading a 2nd round pick in that trade

 

[krutovsdonut]

i think hughes has to play with soucy or cole tonight. even if they plan to start with mcward, they have to have a plan c.

which is to say mcward is plan b. they must have had a plan a for the right side before the season started that did not count on mcward emerging. so what happened to that plan? on paper it looked like one of soucy or cole would take the right side and wolanin or brisebois take up the left side slack.

did soucy flunk the audition? if so, why have they not tried cole?

i has a confuse

 

[kranuck]

You don’t address this now.

Trading more draft capital now is idiotic
Saw this same mindset unfold last year about this time

Trading draft capital is absolutely if you are actually getting value back.

 

[krutovsdonut]

They said they liked stillman
LOL

He was one of the worst defenceman I have ever seen
Trading now is trading from a point of weakness which this organization had excelled at for a long damn time.

Just take advantage of waivers

even if that was hype and they did it to clear cap alone, they at least held out for an additional asset with enough upside that stillman was tradeable later in the year. same thing with the desmith deal. if it was to move salary, at least they held out for a goalie upgrade.

 

[kranuck]

In casting around for potential right shot d-men who have decent size are in the 23-24 age range, I settled on Cal Foote. I realize he isn't coming here because of the Canucks coaching situation.

But did you know that the Nashville Predators traded Tanner Jeannot to the Lightning for Cal Foote; a 2023 third round pick; a 2023 fourth round pick; a 2023 fifth round pick; a 2024 second round pick; and a 2025 first round pick, which is top-10 lottery protected.

Pretty obvious the Preds didn't have much interest in Foote, since they let him leave as a UFA. But shiver-me-timbers, why can't the Canucks ever make a deal like that?

Because they rarely draft players worth trading (at least not for any real value).

After watching the preseason, I’m questioning where we replace the 5v5 offense if we dump someone like Garland. This team is not close to be mortgaging futures like we will be to do this

Why the heck are you placing any stock in the farce that is preseason hockey?

You don’t do it now
You’re essentially just admitting you’re desperate when teams are finalizing rosters

This team has had the worst poker face for far too long

Do it in the regular season when it’s an obvious problem?

Do it in the off-season when it’s an obvious problem, but slightly less pressing?

Where exactly is this mythical point where the Canucks are obviously desperate to find a RHD?

 

[Breakers]

Because they rarely draft players worth trading (at least not for any real value).

Why the heck are you placing any stock in the farce that is preseason hockey?


Do it in the regular season when it’s an obvious problem?

Do it in the off-season when it’s an obvious problem, but slightly less pressing?

Where exactly is this mythical point where the Canucks are obviously desperate to find a RHD?

Umm around free agency and July 1st
Not when teams are finalizing rosters

Nothing mythical about it
But this organization does love to back itself into a corner

 

[alternate]

I feel any acquisition to play with Quinn needs to have an eye on Willander in the near future. I see a lot of people looking for that mid 20s guy, but we don't want to be building road blocks for our top prospect, who will hopefully be ready at the end of next year's NCAA season.

Focus imo should be finding someone like Luke Schenn that is an established vet and not overly expensive to acquire.

Giving up big assets to acquire a bit ticket piece is imo short sighted and the wrong play. Hughes was awesome with Schenn and Juulsen...find an upgrade on them but don't need to go all in for a Pesce...what does the right side look like in 2 years with another big contract added?

Value and fit over upside imo.

 

[strattonius]

I feel any acquisition to play with Quinn needs to have an eye on Willander in the near future. I see a lot of people looking for that mid 20s guy, but we don't want to be building road blocks for our top prospect, who will hopefully be ready at the end of next year's NCAA season.

Focus imo should be finding someone like Luke Schenn that is an established vet and not overly expensive to acquire.

Giving up big assets to acquire a bit ticket piece is imo short sighted and the wrong play. Hughes was awesome with Schenn and Juulsen...find an upgrade on them but don't need to go all in for a Pesce...what does the right side look like in 2 years with another big contract added?

Value and fit over upside imo.

I disagree here. We can't be penciling a prospect in our lineup under the assumption he will be a fit with Hughes - If he isn't that fit you've just pissed away 3 years and still don't have a solution.

The best idea is finding a competent top 4 defenseman that can play with Hughes for the next 2 years, then you reassess where Willander is developing. If you have a good top 4 dman blocking Willander...good! Good players play their way to minutes and make the most of their opportunities. It would be a good problem to have.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Korczak/Pachal, Barron/Kovacevic, or Peeke would be nice targets.

Schneider would be terrific but I highly doubt NYR move him for anything less than a 1st rounder.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Ethan Bear

 

[TruGr1t]

I feel any acquisition to play with Quinn needs to have an eye on Willander in the near future.

I think at this point, given the recent track record, we should not be taking anything for granted when it comes to prospects working out. If we had let's say 3 Willander-calibre prospects on defense I might be inclined to think we have at least one top-four defenseman in the system.

We should probably actually be planning on him not working out.

 

[Vector]

Looking through the list I put together, I just don't see how a deal can get done. I know one can, I just can't see an obvious path. There's not a lot out there for meaningful upgrades. Lots of depth and bottom-pairing guys but not many that seem like they can play above their station. To get a bigger fish the Canucks just don't have many appealing tradable assets. There's obviously the 1st, Podkolzin, and Hoglander. There's a few decent prospects but other than Silovs and Willander, nothing would move the needle.

Then there's almost no RD on non-contending teams worth looking at and contending teams aren't trading the ones they have. Kind of best you could hope for is to get a Brayden Pachal-esque player where you believe they can step into a higher role immediately without getting killed.

 

[bossram]

i think hughes has to play with soucy or cole tonight. even if they plan to start with mcward, they have to have a plan c.

which is to say mcward is plan b. they must have had a plan a for the right side before the season started that did not count on mcward emerging. so what happened to that plan? on paper it looked like one of soucy or cole would take the right side and wolanin or brisebois take up the left side slack.

did soucy flunk the audition? if so, why have they not tried cole?

i has a confuse

Even if McWard is listed as Hughes' "partner" on the lineup card, he's hardly going to play with him. McWard (or Juulsen or whoever) will play like less than 12 minutes and Hughes will be playing in all situations.

Hughes is going to rotate through partners depending on the situation and game state.

I disagree here. We can't be penciling a prospect in our lineup under the assumption he will be a fit with Hughes - If he isn't that fit you've just pissed away 3 years and still don't have a solution.

The best idea is finding a competent top 4 defenseman that can play with Hughes for the next 2 years, then you reassess where Willander is developing. If you have a good top 4 dman blocking Willander...good! Good players play their way to minutes and make the most of their opportunities. It would be a good problem to have.

Plus the goal with this team is quite clearly to compete/contend in short order. They need help now, not to even further delay Petey/Demko/Quinn's primes to wait for Willander.

All picks/prospects should be on the table for an upgrade.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Looking through the list I put together, I just don't see how a deal can get done. I know one can, I just can't see an obvious path. There's not a lot out there for meaningful upgrades. Lots of depth and bottom-pairing guys but not many that seem like they can play above their station. To get a bigger fish the Canucks just don't have many appealing tradable assets. There's obviously the 1st, Podkolzin, and Hoglander. There's a few decent prospects but other than Silovs and Willander, nothing would move the needle.

Then there's almost no RD on non-contending teams worth looking at and contending teams aren't trading the ones they have. Kind of best you could hope for is to get a Brayden Pachal-esque player where you believe they can step into a higher role immediately without getting killed.

we could look for a luke schenn solution. alex petrovic is available on waivers.

 

[Vector]

we could look for a luke schenn solution. alex petrovic is available on waivers.

I doubt Petrovic would be the target but the basic idea of having a guy play 3rd pairing minutes next to Hughes is a solid plan until a more permanent solution can be found. Management probably hoped Juulsen would be able to handle that role but he's been pretty bad in training camp. That's why a lot of people on this board have been suggesting Andrew Peeke. Good stay-at-home defender that wouldn't actually be asked to do a lot other than defend the rush and get Hughes the puck.

I think another worry about grabbing a guy off waivers that may not be able to hack-it is that if they waive them again to send to Abbotsford, then that adds to the already crowded defence down there.

 

[Cancuks]

Canucks should do their due diligence and place Myers on waivers. Unlikely he gets claimed but in the case that Anaheim or Chicago takes him, it at least frees up a ton of cap space to make a move for a RD to play with Hughes.

 

[Vector]

Speaking of Peeke, here's the Blue Jackets final pre-season game roster.



No Peeke. No Boqvist. Blue Jackets are one of the few teams with actual cap space so they can afford to scratch both but do they really want to leave a combined 5.35m in the pressbox? They don't really have room for a Hoglander and Canucks couldn't fit in Peeke without moving out a higher-priced contract.

 

[IComeInPeace]

Ethan Bear

For the acquisition cost, and the cap hit, he’s easily the best fit for this team for now.

Hed be stepping into a spot next to Quinn Hughes which would be ideal for him on a 1 year contract as he looks to hit it big as a UFA next season.

Its a great fit for both sides. The only issue is he’s unavailable until at least mid-December.

 

[Cancuks]

I think at this point, given the recent track record, we should not be taking anything for granted when it comes to prospects working out. If we had let's say 3 Willander-calibre prospects on defense I might be inclined to think we have at least one top-four defenseman in the system.

We should probably actually be planning on him not working out.

Knowing this team's propensity for the inexplicable, chances are they move Willander back to his natural forward position when he gets to the AHL.

 

[andora]

You don’t do it now
You’re essentially just admitting you’re desperate when teams are finalizing rosters

This team has had the worst poker face for far too long

I dont think it makes a difference.. if we fail for 20 games we are desperate then too

 

[MS]

Speaking of Peeke, here's the Blue Jackets final pre-season game roster.



No Peeke. No Boqvist. Blue Jackets are one of the few teams with actual cap space so they can afford to scratch both but do they really want to leave a combined 5.35m in the pressbox? They don't really have room for a Hoglander and Canucks couldn't fit in Peeke without moving out a higher-priced contract.

I'm almost expecting Peeke to be a Canuck this point. Question is how they'd make salaries work. You'd assume Beauvillier with retention?

 

[Diogenes92]

Ethan Bear

At the right price, sure.

Add another bottom pair D to the mix. Can't hurt.

 

[F A N]

I feel any acquisition to play with Quinn needs to have an eye on Willander in the near future. I see a lot of people looking for that mid 20s guy, but we don't want to be building road blocks for our top prospect, who will hopefully be ready at the end of next year's NCAA season.

Focus imo should be finding someone like Luke Schenn that is an established vet and not overly expensive to acquire.

Giving up big assets to acquire a bit ticket piece is imo short sighted and the wrong play. Hughes was awesome with Schenn and Juulsen...find an upgrade on them but don't need to go all in for a Pesce...what does the right side look like in 2 years with another big contract added?

Value and fit over upside imo.

Hmm... if we are to assume that Hronek is part of the team's long term plans (and not playing with Hughes) then I would agree somewhat but at the same time Willander is likely 4-5 years away from realistically handling top pairing duties (3 if he really is a stud). I think you don't worry about Willander and if there is a long term fit for Hughes you do what you reasonably can.

If there is a 26-28 year old player and you can get him for ~4 years on a good contract I think that's good but those are hard to come by.

 

[Vector]

I'm almost expecting Peeke to be a Canuck this point. Question is how they'd make salaries work. You'd assume Beauvillier with retention?

Pretty much the only way to make it work. I could actually see a rather big deal of Roslovic & Peeke for Beauvillier & Hoglander with some retention on Roslovic and a pick or prospect going from the Canucks. Roslovic is also a scratch, Canucks called about him last summer, and the Blue Jackets haven’t been happy with him.