If you look at the path the Canucks have to take to go from 2nd round team to contender, it involves at least 2 guys besides Hughes being excellent at transitioning the puck up the ice.
While Hronek wasn't that in the playoffs or for the last 25-30 games of the season, he's likely our most realistic bet to get back to that level. While there are other holes that need to be addressed, moving on puts us right back to where we started before Alvin made the string of moves to revamp the blueline.
Obviously, price is going to be a sticking point, but everything we've heard so far is par for the course. The agent is leaking outrageous numbers to his mouthpiece, which is to be expected. Ideally, given the weak playoffs and the second half stutter, you get him around 7 million with the back half of that contract looking great if he gets back into form.
Finding quality, RHD in their prime years who fit your system and structure is an extremely difficult task, and the Canucks still need one more on top of Hronek. Free agency is going to be even pricier than Hronek, and for 3+ less prime years as well.