Right Wingers
Expiring contracts:
- Radim Vrbata — UFA
- Linden Vey — RFA
- Emerson Etem — RFA
- Alex Grenier — RFA
Players re-signed:
- Linden Vey
- Emerson Etem
- Alex Grenier
The right wing has seen a lot of change throughout the 2015-16 season. Radim Vrbata with the Sedins, Jannik Hansen with the Sedins — even Jake Virtanen and Alex Grenier got their turns. Virtanen moved in and out of the lineup, down to the fourth line, up to the second, or sometimes the third. You get the idea.
Benning tried to get rid of Vrbata at the deadline, but failed to do so — Vrbata will not return. All other expiring contracts can be expected to be extended, as all three players are restricted free agents Benning likes.
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First, there is Linden Vey. Benning gave up Jason Garrison, a prospect and a draft pick to acquire the 50th-overall selection of the 2014 NHL Draft that was then dealt to Los Angeles for Vey. The centre was ahead of Jared McCann and Markus Granlund on the depth chart since being recalled from the AHL early in the year, and got some nice first-unit powerplay time.
With all centres healthy, Vey will have to move to the right wing, though, which is a position he has frequently played over the past years as well. If the Canucks choose not to re-sign him, he could also be traded at the 2016 Draft.
Second, there is Emerson Etem who was acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Nicklas Jensen. Etem has shown flashes of what the Canucks want him to be — a gritty scorer for the bottom six — but he fails to put that on the table consistently. Still, he will be a good and cheap option for the bottom six.
Third, the Canucks have Derek Dorsett. He is the forward with the fifth-highest salary of all Canucks at $2.65 million, and his contract does not expire until 2019. A terrible deal that guarantees Dorsett a spot on the roster for now.
Last but not least, the Canucks should re-sign Alex Grenier to a cheap contract. He, too, will give the team nice bottom-six depth.
It will be interesting to see what Anton Rodin, the SHL MVP, can do. Benning expects him to become a second-line winger in the NHL.
The depth chart does not look great overall, but we shall not forget that help might be coming out of Finland. If the Canucks manage to snag a top-three draft selection this year, they could bring in one of Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujarvi looks more NHL-ready while Laine might have the bigger upside, but both players could make the jump into the NHL immediately.
One can dream.
Possible depth chart:
- Jannik Hansen
- Anton Rodin
- Jake Virtanen
- Linden Vey
- Emerson Etem
- Derek Dorsett
- Alex Grenier
Next: Centres