Prospect Info: Tom Willander: 11th Overall 2023 Draft (Rogle BK J20) - Part 02

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

I think if they move the 1st it will have to be a hockey trade where they are getting a player to help for multiple seasons. It will have to be a UFA willing to sign an extension at reasonable price as part of the trade (aka Hanifin last year) or a player already with cost certainty for multiple seasons.

I'd be targetting a 3C that has 2C upside to slide into top 6 when needed. Something similar to the Sam Bennett trade by Florida when he was stuck in his own tracks in Calgary.

If you add a denseman with this years first it's ideally someone who can bump Soucy down to 3rd pair role and be a solid mentor for Willander the next few years.

 

[strattonius]

I think the Canucks are a good hockey team.....probably good enough to finish in the top three in the Pacific and make the playoffs for a second straight year.

But are they a legitimate Cup contender? And would a couple of key additions at the TDL like last season turn them into a legit contender? I just don't think so.

So shedding valuable picks and prospect just to make it into the second round--doesn't resonate with me.

Yeah let's re-tool we just don't have it I guess...

Hmm what a bummer.

 

[sandwichbird2023]

Last year the Canucks traded their 2024 first rounder; and a conditional fourth rounder; along with prospect d-men Brzustewicz and Jurmo as well as Kuzmenko for Lindholm. And Zadorov cost them a third and fifth rounder.

That's a total of four picks flushed away, actually five if you consider that Brzustewicz was their third rounder in 2023. All that for two guys who basically played in Vancouver for two months.

The question I have, is how many more deals like that can the Canucks afford to make? I get that they were loading up for a run.......but if it were to happen two years in a row, the cost is just too high imo.

A couple things to consider:
1) Kuzmenko was likely considered a salary dump, its over $5m on a guy that is in Tocchet's doghouse, some of the value (likely the 4th) was attached to get rid of that contract (one that has term left).
2) the Pacific was relatively up for grab last season and the team was leading the division at the time of the Lindholm trade. You don't get many shots at competing for the cup, so when it looks like the stars are aligned, you have to take a chance, lest you regret it later on.
3) Lindholm was likely acquired as a backup plan in case Petey decided not to extend here. Since top 6 centers are such a premium, if you go out and acquire one, it will cost you. But I don't think they look at Lindholm as a pure rental, and even if he was a rental, they used him as leverage to get "their guy" locked up long term.

I don't think management is particularly interested in a rental this season at this time. The team isn't firing on all cylinder like last season, and there are some concerns with our star players (ie: Demko's health and Petey's confidence/health). The stars aren't really aligned and Vegas look way too strong so far, so maybe this isn't a good year to go for it. Allvin is probably looking for another Hronek-type trade, where a 1st rounder and some prospects are on the table, but he is probably looking to acquire somebody who is younger and has term left. Of course everything changes if comes TDL time and Demko is healthy and Petey is back to his 100pt 1C self, then the team might be more open to rentals, and rightfully so.

All that to say, I don't think trading picks is something to worry about. Allvin has proven that he will get good value out of them, and a low 1st round pick or mid round picks aren't really all that valuable to a contending team anyways.

 

[Regal]

I think the Canucks are a good hockey team.....probably good enough to finish in the top three in the Pacific and make the playoffs for a second straight year.

But are they a legitimate Cup contender? And would a couple of key additions at the TDL like last season turn them into a legit contender? I just don't think so.

So shedding valuable picks and prospect just to make it into the second round--doesn't resonate with me.

I think it depends heavily on where Pettersson and Demko are at in a couple months. I think if Pettersson is playing like a top 5 center again (along with the PP improvement from that), and Demko is in Vezina form, then it’s probably worth spending on trying to get the second pairing fixed, as I think the rest of the team would be good enough to make a run. But I can’t imagine the team winning without both of them at their best, so I wouldn’t want to spend assets just to match last years success.