Vancouver Canucks Offseason Survival Guide: June Edition
The Vancouver Canucks had the most interesting month of May, but June is going to be the craziest month this offseason. Guaranteed.
The Vancouver Canucks ended the month of May with a bang, trading away 20-year-old forward Jared McCann for 24-year-old defenseman Erik Gudbranson. The trade also brought about a flurry of analytics talk in Van City. As far as the numbers guys are concerned, Gudbranson is not an NHL-level asset.
And now, here is June. If you think you are about to get bored by the offseason, rest assured — you will not be. On the other hand, if you thought the Gudbranson drama and all the free agent prospect signings were too much to handle, I have some bad news for you.
June is shaping up to be the craziest month of the offseason. Here is your survival guide for the month!
Musical Chairs: The NHL Coaching Edition
The Pacific Division is the NHL’s coaching hotspot as the Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks find themselves as two of the last teams without a head coach. How is this relevant to the Canucks?
Utica Comets head coach Travis Green has drawn great interest from both of these teams. The Canucks would like to keep him, however, to be the future man behind the bench in Vancouver. The latest is that Green has gotten himself second interviews coming up in both Anaheim and Calgary.
However, that is not all.
Willie Desjardins’s assistant, Glen Gulutzen, has also gotten himself an opportunity in Calgary. Should this be considered a blessing for the Canucks if they end up sacrificing Gulutzen in Green’s place? What if both are taken, one by Anaheim and the other by Calgary?
There is hope, however.
Randy Carlyle, the former Toronto Maple Leafs coach, has an opportunity to return to the NHL. The Ducks and the Flames have both interviewed him already. The Flames have also talked with Ralph Krueger.
Next: RFA Tracker: Baertschi, Etem, Grenier, Pedan...
RFA Tracker: Baertschi, Etem, Grenier, Pedan, and More
Speaking of musical chairs, the waiting game is refusing to end on some of the RFA’s the Canucks have been looking to sign. Sven Baertschi should easily get a contract, but otherwise, it is a pretty gray outlook on the others.
Emerson Etem suited up for half of a season for the Canucks. He was most visible at the tail end of the season, especially with the shootout winner that stood as the final goal of the regular season.
More from The Canuck Way
- Which team won the Bo Horvat trade?
- What to expect from newcomers Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty
- Back to the future: How the skate uniforms became a regular Canucks’ feature night
- Canucks kick off 2023 with disappointing 6-2 loss to Islanders
- 2nd period penalty trouble sinks Canucks in 4-2 loss against Winnipeg
Considering the price that Jim Benning paid to acquire him, the fans will be most comfortable seeing Etem back on a show-me deal. Etem should know that he is running out of time, though. A trade is unlikely for Etem, considering how he has bounced around the league with the Ducks, the Penguins, and now the Canucks.
Alex Grenier is a very interesting name. A big winger at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds is what Grenier is and also what the Canucks should be looking for. Considering how he fared at the NHL level during mid-season callups, I thought the Canucks would give the Canadian winger a new contract.
But signing Grenier, now waiver eligible, would almost certainly mean the end of Etem with the Canucks. Tough time for both, but I would pull the trigger on a Grenier deal for a mid-round pick any day of the week if I were Trader Jim.
Finally, Andrey Pedan should not be forgotten. He showed flashes of NHL readiness when playing decent minutes on the third pairing while his physicality was sure made known to the rest of the NHL:
With Benning having already indicated that Pedan will be in Vancouver next season, Pedan will need to bump a few extra bodies to get into the top eight. Especially with the acquisition of Erik Gudbranson, physicality is starting to become a bit of a surplus on the blueline.
Not to forget, however. Dan Hamhuis is still on the board. Pedan still has Philip Larsen and Alex Biega ahead of him.
Next: Free Agent Frenzy: The Big Names
Big Name Free Agent Frenzy: Stamkos, Okposo, Staal…
For the past few weeks I have been featuring the top unrestricted free agents available this July by position. When I capped off the first edition with none other than Andrew Ladd, free agency seemed to be a thing of a distant mirage.
Well now I realize that his offseason survival guide is the last one before July 1st Free Agency Frenzy hits the NHL. Especially with Troy Brouwer picking up a slight scent of a homecoming to Vancouver, free agency is no longer a thing of the distant future, it is a thing just four weeks away.
It is time to start writing down some big names in preparation for July 1st. Check out our Free Agent Friday series, and be sure to be on the watch for more hints to be dropped from the top free agents on a potential fit with the Canucks.
Top 5 UFA Options for the Canucks to Target
LEFT WING — | — CENTER — | — RIGHT WING — | — DEFENSE
Among the options I have listed big names like Eric Staal, Steven Stamkos, Kyle Okposo, Andrew Ladd, and Alex Goligoski as well as players who have Canuck ties to them like Mike Santorelli and Shawn Matthias.
Here are some more recent rumblings that might alter the UFA market big time:
Schwartz over Backes, Brouwer?
We’ve been so focused on David Backes and Troy Brouwer that St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong surprised us a little by saying signing Jaden Schwartz to an extension was the “focus” for the offseason. (Elliotte Friedman, 30 Thoughts)
This certainly makes Canucks fans cheer, giving them more hope that Brouwer is more likely than ever to hit the free market. This also means that Schwartz is off the market, which… shouldn’t really mean anything to the Canucks.
Add Andrew Ladd to the Mix for VAN
Brouwer, another of Ladd’s former teammates and friends, told Vancouver radio station News 1130 that he “has thought about” going to home to British Columbia. Has Ladd, another BC native? “Yes it’s crossed my mind.” What about Winnipeg, if the Jets were interested? “I’ve said since I left I would never close the door. We enjoyed our time there. We’ll see if that’s an option. It takes two willing combatants.” (Elliotte Friedman, 30 Thoughts)
More from Canucks News
- Canucks are in “wash, rinse, repeat” mode after Monday’s 5-1 loss
- Canucks send Jack Rathbone and Vasily Podkolzin down to Abbotsford
- Canucks acquire Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson from Carolina
- Brock Boeser, Curtis Lazar placed on injury reserve
- Canucks officially unveil Reverse Retro jersey in latest aesthetic change
So, Andrew Ladd, the veteran left winger and the former captain of the Winnipeg Jets, is potentially Vancouver’s for the taking? The Blackhawks aren’t even close to signing him due to cap restrictions.
Ladd should be one of the top names Jim Benning targets on July 1st. Ladd would be the perfect replacement for Alex Burrows. Ladd would be an upgrade scoring wise, size wise, and youth wise. Not much loss of character and leadership, either.
NYI Fallouts: Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin
Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin are headed for free agency on July 1 and contracts elsewhere. Sources indicate that there have been no talks between either player’s agent and the Isles since the season ended. (Arthur Staple, Newsday)
Although there isn’t much of a tie yet between these two and the Canucks, I have these two as potential targets that GM Benning may find enticing, especially with his experience on the east coast. Okposo is Benning’s type of player while Martin, to a lesser degree, may be like the next Derek Dorsett to the group. The latter is unlikely.
Next: NHL Entry Draft: The Cauldron of Drama
2016 NHL Entry Draft: The Cauldron of Drama
It seems that every year, the Vancouver Canucks make a living out of becoming the most talked-about franchise at the NHL Entry Draft. They also make a living out of being hated by one-half of their fan base.
In 2015, it was Eddie Lack. In 2014, it was Ryan Kesler, Derek Dorsett, and Jason Garrison. In 2013, it was Cory Schneider. Think the Canucks are done this year on the trade front? Forget it:
So I would suspect they’ll want to continue to be active, and continue to build their blueline, and try and find some insulation beyond the Sedins up front, and obviously that brass can move forward some of that with the pick that they got. (Bob McKenzie, TSN1040)
Think the Canucks would like to add a couple more draft picks in the top 100. Conventionally speaking, the Canucks would most likely want to move Alex Burrows even if it requires them to retain salary.
The Canucks had the chance, at the mercy of the Columbus Blue Jackets, to be rewarded the John Tortorella Compensation second-round pick. The Blue Jackets have deferred the pick to a later year, however. That makes the high second round pick that was sent to Florida alongside Jared McCann that much more difficult to swallow.
More Bad News
The Vancouver Canucks chose not to sign 2014 draft pick Kyle Pettit to a pro contract. The two-way centerman played for OHL’s Erie Otters who were defeated by Matthew Tkachuk and the London Knights in the OHL finals. Pettit had 21 points in 58 regular season games and six points in 13 playoff games.
More from The Canuck Way
- Which team won the Bo Horvat trade?
- What to expect from newcomers Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty
- Back to the future: How the skate uniforms became a regular Canucks’ feature night
- Canucks kick off 2023 with disappointing 6-2 loss to Islanders
- 2nd period penalty trouble sinks Canucks in 4-2 loss against Winnipeg
June 1st was the deadline to sign him as well as any other 2014 selections.
Despite being a sixth-round pick, I thought that Pettit had done enough to earn himself a pro contract. His faceoff prowess is among the top centermen of the OHL and he was named among the top penalty killers, too.
Pettit will look to be re-drafted on June 24th, when the First Niagara Center will host the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. I would not be surprised if he is drafted by another team in the seventh round as a low-risk medium-reward pick.
There is another bad news for the Canucks and the rest of the league not including the Arizona Coyotes.
With the Arizona Coyotes choosing not to sign their 23rd-overall pick of the 2014 draft to a pro contract, center Connor Bleackley will be draft eligible once again. And since he was a former first-round pick, the Coyotes will receive a compensatory second-round pick at this year’s draft.
The Coyotes will have the 53rd-overall selection at this year’s draft, which bumps everyone else down a slot. The Canucks now have the following picks at this year’s Entry Draft:
Round One — #5 Overall
Round Three — #64 Overall
Round Five — #140 Overall (from FLA, from NYI)
Round Six — #154 Overall
Round Seven — #184 Overall
Round Seven — #194 Overall (from CAR)
Meanwhile, the Scouting Combine is taking place in Buffalo.
Final Verdict: Tkachuk over Dubois?
In conclusion, the jury is still out on if the spectacular Memorial Cup performance has propelled Matthew Tkachuk over Pierre-Luc Dubois.
More from Canucks News
- Canucks are in “wash, rinse, repeat” mode after Monday’s 5-1 loss
- Canucks send Jack Rathbone and Vasily Podkolzin down to Abbotsford
- Canucks acquire Ethan Bear, Lane Pederson from Carolina
- Brock Boeser, Curtis Lazar placed on injury reserve
- Canucks officially unveil Reverse Retro jersey in latest aesthetic change
Though Dubois was named the top CHL prospect of the year and the NHL Central Scouting ranked Dubois the top North American Skater over Tkachuk, many see Tkachuk now as the number four pick of the draft.
Should the Canucks draft Tkachuk over Dubois should both stay available at the number five spot? Jim Benning and the scouting bureau will look to answer that in the next 21 days leading up to the draft.
At the end of the day, it may be a needless worry. With the Edmonton Oilers shipping their fourth-overall pick big time, the Canucks are likely going to have to select the forward who doesn’t get drafted at number four.
As for trading the fifth-overall pick, unless it is for a young star or a trade up the board, the Canucks should avoid touching it altogether. By a young star player I mean a player of, let’s say, Tyler Seguin‘s calibre. And no, I did not just suggest a trade for Seguin.
But what I suggest that Jim Benning do, is to call the aforementioned Columbus Blue Jackets and seeing if they have Tkachuk over Jesse Puljujarvi by chance. If so, it would be worth trading up to the number four spot.
If not, I am asking as to how much the Jackets want if they were to trade two spots down.
Next: TRADE PROPOSAL: A Luca Sbisa Edition
The month of June is going to be a crazy one. Draft day alone should be enough to make our heads spin with hockey. The Canucks, however, are heavily involved in the free agent market as well as the NHL coaching vacancies.