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Vancouver Canucks 2016-17 Roster Outlook

By Janik Beichler

Mar 7, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Radim Vrbata (17) celebrates with the Vancouver Canucks bench after scoring a goal during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Radim Vrbata (17) celebrates with the Vancouver Canucks bench after scoring a goal during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Defencemen

Expiring contracts: 

Players re-signed: 

  • Andrey Pedan
  • Dan Hamhuis ?

The Canucks have five defencemen on expiring contracts, two of which were regulars for the 2015-16 campaign.

Dan Hamhuis has been an important leader on the blueline but missed 21 games after taking a slap-shot to the face. Matt Bartkowski seems to be one of Jim Benning’s favourites: when Benning was the Boston Bruins’ assistant GM back in 2010, the B’s made a trade to acquire Dennis Seidenberg and Bartkowski from Florida. Then, when Bartkowski became a free agent in 2015, Benning signed him for the Canucks.

Unfortunately, there might not be room for either one of Hamhuis and Bartkowski.

Related: Chris Tanev, a Defensive Prototype

Vancouver signed Alex Biega to a one-way deal that will pay him $750,000 for the next two seasons — no matter where he plays. In addition, Andrey Pedan will be waiver-eligible and should probably stay unless the Canucks want to let him go for free. Last but not least, Vancouver signed Russian giant Nikita Tryamkin to a two-year deal that allows him to go back to Russia if he does not get an NHL job. Chances are, he will stay as long as he looks like a half-decent NHL D-man.

So, even assuming that Yannick Weber’s contract does not get extended, the Canucks will have seven of their current defencemen that cannot or should not be sent down to the Utica Comets.

That sounds good for sure, but in reality, things look different.

Alex Edler is past his peak and Luca Sbisa never reached his potential. That leaves the club with Christopher Tanev as the No. 1 D-man with Ben Hutton, an NHL sophomore, as the No. 2 on the depth chart.

If the Canucks want to stay or rather become competitive again next season, they definitely need free-agent help. That could come from Hamhuis or anyone else out there. Keith Yandle, Jason Demers, Kris Russell and Alex Goligoski are the biggest names on the market, but whether they would want to be Canucks is questionable at this point.

Taylor Fedun made his Canucks debut this season and might be re-signed as a depth option but there are no guarantees.

Last but not least, Vancouver is bringing in Philip Larsen from the KHL. The former Oiler is supposed to be the next powerplay quarterback — we’ll see how that goes.

Possible depth chart:

  1. Chris Tanev
  2. Ben Hutton
  3. Alexander Edler
  4. Luca Sbisa
  5. Philip Larsen
  6. Nikita Tryamkin
  7. Alex Biega
  8. Andrey Pedan

Next: Left Wingers

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