Vancouver Canucks Daily Rumblings: To Trade or Not to Trade
The Vancouver Canucks are in dire need of scoring help, but that isn’t the only thing they need.
When a team finishes 28th in the league standings, the goal for next season isn’t usually the playoffs. For the Vancouver Canucks, however, it was, is and it seems like it always will be. In order to achieve that, they will need scoring help, being the second-lowest-scoring team of 2015-16. The only way to get that seems to be a trade, but trading always means giving something up in return.
To trade or not to trade — that is the question.
Potential Trade Targets
J.D. Burke — Canucks Army: 3 Wingers the Canucks Could Consider Trading for
"Canucks general manager Jim Benning is exploring the trade market for a quality winger to better their chances. He’s not exactly been shy about it, either. The always candid (often, too candid) executive revealed to The Province that he’s looking to add a winger with size and a scoring pedigree to shore up their offence.Given the logjam on each wing and the question marks therein, that’s not really a bad plan. Of course, that depends almost entirely on the player they trade for and what they surrender for their services. I’ve a few ideas in mind, though, so let’s take a look at players the Canucks should consider."
As J.D. Burke of Canucks Army points out, whether or not a trade would be the right move depends entirely on what the Canucks get and what they have to give up in return. Fact is, however, that they will have to give up something to get what they want. That’s just how trades work, and no team would hand out top players as gifts.
So with that out of the way, who are the players Vancouver could target? Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was a part of recent Avalanche trade talks, but I don’t believe he is actually available until a trade becomes official. First of all, the Avs want to get back to the playoffs at least as much as the Canucks do. Second, Landeskog is not just the average player, but a top-line power forward. Third, as mentioned before, he is the team’s captain, and he is a good one at that.
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Then there are Detroit Red Wings winger Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Either one would be a terrific addition for the Canucks and the Red Wings could actually be willing to part ways with one of them. However, both Nyquist and Tatar are forwards in their primes, and they will be anything but cheap.
Lastly, there is Columbus Blue Jackets veteran Scott Hartnell. This would likely be the cheapest option, but Hartnell is also the oldest player of the bunch. Not exactly what you would expect for the youth movement, especially with Loui Eriksson signed for the next six years.
The big problem is not that there aren’t enough players out there that fit the bill. There is a ton of players out there that would work perfectly as second-line help for the Canucks. Brandon Saad, Chris Kreider, Jaden Schwartz or Tanner Pearson come to mind. The problem is that all of those players and all four of Landeskog, Nyquist, Tatar and Hartnell are capable of playing
The problem is that all of those players and all four of Landeskog, Nyquist, Tatar and Hartnell are capable of playing top-six minutes, including the first line. What that means is simple: their respective teams want to keep them.
Colorado needs scoring wingers as much as the Canucks do. What they want, if anything, is a little shakeup. Landeskog for Bo Horvat and a pick or prospect? I don’t think that would be enough. Chris Tanev or Ben Hutton instead of Horvat? Not what Colorado is looking for and probably still not enough.
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Sure, an Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall trade gives hope. But the reason why everyone was outraged about that deal is that it isn’t normal. And it likely won’t happen again anytime soon.
In Vancouver’s current position, there are just two options: blow the roster up and start a rebuild or roll with what they have and maybe make a free-agent addition.
Since the roster isn’t being blown up, we are left with option two. Because there won’t be any major trades.