Vancouver Canucks 2016-17 Roster Outlook

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to miss the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs — time to take a first look at the roster for 2016-17.

For the Vancouver Canucks, like the rest of the Canadian NHL clubs, the off-season will be filled with more golf than hockey. However, it is safe to assume that general manager Jim Benning and his staff will start working on their roster for next season as soon as the final game is played.

The Canuck Way writer Jeff Godley did a great job breaking down which Canucks free agents should be re-signed and which players he expects Benning to re-sign. Based on those predictions, I broke down the Canucks roster for 2016-17, inserting some predictions of my own.

Throughout the 2015-16 campaign, the Canucks struggled with injuries. Before the injury bug started to bite, Vancouver was second in the Pacific Division — a place they are now far away from.

Looking at next season’s roster, it is clear to see that the playoffs would have been possible without all those injuries. The roster is certainly not on the same level as that of the Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars or Chicago Blackhawks, but it should have been good enough to make the postseason in a terrible Pacific Division that turned out to be not quite that terrible.

But what about next season? What contracts are expiring? Who is left? Where do the Canucks need help? Let’s take a look.

Next: Goaltenders

Goaltenders

Expiring contracts: 

• Joe Cannata — RFA

Utica Comets goaltender Joe Cannata is the only expiring contract at the goaltender position. The 26-year-old has been splitting the season with Richard Bachman.

Whether he will be re-signed depends on whether the Canucks can get Thatcher Demko under contract for next season, among other factors. Either way, he is unlikely to see any NHL time — ever.

Related: Benning Expects Demko to Turn Pro

With starter Ryan Miller and backup Jacob Markstrom, the Canucks are set for the upcoming season. The duo has been putting up nearly identical numbers, with goals-against averages of 2.66 and 2.65, respectively, along with save percentages of .915 and .914, respectively.

Miller’s experience and his $6 million cap hit will likely make him the No. 1 goalie again next season. However, Markstrom should get a few more starts than this year, possibly getting the same number of starts as Miller.

In related and certainly exciting news, Benning expects Demko to turn pro in the summer. If that were the case, Demko would start the season in Utica, but might get a first sniff of NHL action in case of an injury.

Possible depth chart:

1. Ryan Miller
2. Jacob Markstrom
3. Thatcher Demko

Next: Defencemen

Defencemen

Expiring contracts: 

• Dan Hamhuis — UFA
• Matt Bartkowski — UFA
• Yannick Weber — UFA
• Taylor Fedun — UFA
• Andrey Pedan — RFA

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

Left Wingers

Expiring contracts: 

• Brandon Prust — UFA
• Sven Baertschi — RFA
• Ronalds Kenins — RFA

Players re-signed: 

• Sven Baertschi

With a healthy roster, life wouldn’t be half bad for the Canucks. However, there is work to be done on every position.

The Canucks will finally get Brandon Prust off the books. He is unwanted on the roster right now, nobody was willing to trade for him at the deadline, and the odds of Vancouver re-signing him are close to zero.

Then there is Vancouver’s very own “Latvian Locomotive.” Ronalds Kenins had a stellar rookie year in North America: after coming from Europe, he only played in 36 AHL contests before making the jump to the world’s best league. There, he appeared in 30 regular season and five playoff games.

In 2015-16, however, he looked like a totally different player during the six games he got to spend with the Canucks. Benning then put him on his public trade block and the Latvian has clearly fallen out of favour with the Canucks. Rumours of him returning to Switzerland have already emerged. Whatever happens, he does not seem to have a place in Benning’s plans.

Related: Ronalds Kenins Leaving Utica?

Sven Baertschi is the final free agent, and he will obviously be re-signed. More than that: Baertschi has become the Canucks’ clear-cut No. 2 on the left wing behind veteran Daniel Sedin. However, that may change next season.

If any of the rumours are true and Benning is indeed interested in signing unrestricted free agent Milan Lucic of the Los Angeles Kings, Lucic would instantly become the new No. 2 on the depth chart. Lucic loves LA, LA loves him, but the salary cap might not allow the Kings to re-sign him. Tough for them, good for Vancouver.

If Lucic comes home, the Canucks would have a more than solid left wing of Sedin, Lucic, Baertschi and Alexandre Burrows. If not, Brendan Gaunce could get a chance to start the season in Vancouver — and even Chris Higgins will get another chance to prove his worth in training camp.

Possible depth chart:

1. Daniel Sedin
2. Sven Baertschi
3. Alex Burrows
4. Brendan Gaunce
5. Chris Higgins

Next: Right Wingers

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:

1. Jannik Hansen
2. Anton Rodin
3. Jake Virtanen
4. Linden Vey
5. Emerson Etem
6. Derek Dorsett
7. Alex Grenier

Next: Centres

Outlook

Looking at the listed depth charts, it is important to note how much teams change throughout the off-seasons. There will be trades and free-agent signings. But, if the players mentioned before stay, the 2016-17 Vancouver Canucks lineup could look like this.

Sedin – Sedin – Hansen
Free Agent – Sutter – Rodin
 Baertschi – Horvat – Virtanen
Burrows – Granlund – Dorsett
Extras: McCann, Etem, Vey, Higgins, Grenier

Hutton – Tanev
Edler – Free Agent
Sbisa – Larsen
Extras: Tryamkin, Pedan, Biega, 

Miller
Markstrom

Some players could still get shuffled around. For example, Sutter could help out on the wing and make room for McCann, Granlund could move to the wing, Vey could play at centre, Etem and Burrows could switch sides — there are endless possibilities.

Next: Rising Salary Cap Won't Help Much

In addition, the Canucks should certainly add a player or two via free agency. Getting Lucic home to Vancouver could be huge, the same goes for a defenceman like Demers. However, Vancouver will likely be low on the wish list for high-profile free agents other than Lucic. Most players want immediate success, and that is something the Canucks cannot guarantee right now.

Whatever happens, the core looks promising, and looking at the prospects in the system, it looks promising for years to come.

*Advanced stats from stats.hockey-analysis.com