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Vancouver Canucks: Expansion draft impacts Chris Tanev trade decision

By Alex Hoegler

Mar 25, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev (8) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Canucks defeated the Wild 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev (8) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Canucks defeated the Wild 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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After losing Luca Sbisa in the expansion draft, the Vancouver Canucks have less depth on their blue line and should feel hesitant about trading Chris Tanev.

The Vancouver Canucks may be somewhat pleased that the Vegas Golden Knights selected Luca Sbisa in the expansion draft, as general manager Jim Benning is now cleared of a $3.6 million cap hit for 2017-18.

But with Sbisa heading to Vegas, it now means the Canucks have less depth on their defence. Alexander Edler isn’t reliable enough to stay healthy, Erik Gudbranson is no sure-thing and youngsters Troy Stecher and Ben Hutton continue to develop in the pros.

Then there’s Chris Tanev, far and away the Canucks’ best defenceman over the past three seasons. In fact, he’s been their only consistent and reliable blueliner in these past few seasons.

But Tanev is also among the few trade chips Benning can dangle. In fact, he may attempt to trade Tanev to the Dallas Stars if he can find a way to acquire the third-overall selection in the 2017 draft. (Although he did say it doesn’t seem to be a possibility right now.)

With so many options and such little time, should Benning trade Tanev and see his mediocre unit on the blue line take another hit? There are reasons for and against it.

Trading Tanev is too risky

Yes, the Canucks are entering rebuilding mode. That doesn’t necessarily mean you want to trade your best players just for the sake of it, though.

Tanev is among the league’s elite defensive blueliners. The only reason he doesn’t garner the attention he deserves is because he doesn’t score like Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns or Drew Doughty. But Tanev’s play in his own zone is off-the-charts insanely good.

Related Story: Why Jim Benning should trade for 3rd pick

He’s only 27 years of age and owns one of the best bargain contracts in the NHL — a $4.45-million cap hit over the next three seasons. Tanev could easily be a big piece of Vancouver’s rebuild. Imagine him and prospect Olli Juolevi forming a defensive pairing in the near future.

Trading Tanev means Edler is now the top defenceman in Vancouver. Injuries and age are slowing down the 6-foot-3 Swede, and he’s probably better fit as a second-pairing blueliner at this point.

Great defencemen are very rare in today’s NHL. The Canucks have one in Tanev. They don’t have a ton of skilled depth on defence, so trading him would put a huge damper on that blue line. And the Canucks had enough problems preventing goals against.

Conclusion

I’ve previously written here at The Canuck Way about the pros for trading Tanev. Vancouver would easily net at one high draft pick, a young roster player or an elite prospect. Maybe even two of those.

Trading Tanev could turn out to be what makes or breaks the Jim Benning era in Vancouver, and it’s simply too hard to determine what the right decision is (I’m personally happy that it’s not up to me).

Next: Canucks' 2017-18 home opener announced

We’ll find out soon enough if the Vancouver Canucks decide to part with their best defenceman for future assets, or if they decide to play it safe and hold onto Tanev for (at least) 2017-18.

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