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Vancouver Canucks: Which Free Agents Should be Re-Signed?

By Jeff Godley

Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Emerson Etem (26) skate toward the net in the first period of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Emerson Etem (26) skate toward the net in the first period of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 25, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Emerson Etem (26) battles for the puck against Ottawa Sentators defenseman Cody Ceci (5) and forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Emerson Etem (26) battles for the puck against Ottawa Sentators defenseman Cody Ceci (5) and forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /

Emerson Etem, RW:

Free Agent Status: Restricted

Should He Be Re-signed? Maybe. 

Emerson Etem brings speed, size and grit into a Vancouver line-up which could use healthy doses of each. He seems to be a good fit on the third or fourth lines, and seems to have good chemistry with other Canucks regulars, such as Burrows, Dorsett, and Granlund.

The move from the New York Rangers seems to have done him some good. He has played a similar number of games for both teams, yet he has nearly managed twice as many shots in Vancouver, and has contributed three goals.

Yet, at the same time, the Canucks seem to have a log-jam in the bottom six forward group. They’ve brought in some new bottom-six players in (Etem and Markus Granlund), some players have moved down to the bottom-six through lack of production (Alex Burrows, Radim Vrbata), and some youngers players are being eased into the lineup (Brendan Gaunce, Jared McCann).

The Canucks cannot keep all these players on the roster, and Etem, while a very useful player, may be the odd man out.

Will Benning Re-sign Him? Yes.

 Having just acquired him, and given that Etem has been playing fairly well (coach Willie Desjardins trusts him enough to play him on the top line in absence of Hansen), Benning will likely keep Etem and move other bottom-six players.

Jared McCann, for example, will be AHL eligible next year and could benefit with a full-time job in a professional league. Burrows carries a $4.5 Million cap hit, and might be a candidate for a buyout.

Etem is a valuable depth player, and seems like a perfect fit for a Benning hockey club. He’ll stay, and the Canucks GM will break up the log-jam without letting Etem leave.

Next: Markus Granlund

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