Following the announcement of the departure of three key players, the Vancouver Canucks are focusing on two specific player profiles on the trade market.
The Vancouver Canucks intend to bolster their roster in two specific spots as they prepare for the trade market. The club is aggressively looking for reinforcements to be competitive in the Pacific Division, where they lag the Kings and the Golden Knights, even if they have a strong 16-9-5 record and the top Wild Card slot in the Western Conference. A top-four defenseman and a winger are the two main priorities for Vancouver’s front office, which is headed by president Jim Montgomery and general manager Patrik Allvin, according to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. “League sources confirm that the Canucks are on the lookout for a top-four defenseman as well as a winger,” LeBrun said. “And in keeping with Rutherford tradition,
I would imagine GM Patrik Allvin would want to make a trade sooner than later and not wait until the March 7 deadline.” Due to a vacancy on their blue line caused by Filip Hronek’s injury, the Canucks’ defensive requirements have become even more urgent. Although they are also looking for a winger, adding a defenseman is perhaps more important. “Filip Hronek’s injury has been difficult to overcome, so that has fueled the need to trade for a top-four D,” LeBrun stated. “Easier said than done, but I don’t think Vancouver will wait too long if it can find a fit.” It’s unclear if Allvin and the Canucks will be able to acquire the necessary components at this early stage of the season, but their trade market activity suggests that they are determined to contend for the Stanley Cup. The Canucks failed to live up to expectations last season, winning the Pacific Division and having a solid regular season before losing to the Edmonton Oilers, the Stanley Cup runner-up, in the second round.
