Vancouver Canucks Could Acquire Datsyuk Contract, Picks, Prospects from Detroit

The Vancouver Canucks could either spend big money in free agency or build for the future.

For the Detroit Red Wings, the news that Pavel Datsyuk will not return for the 2016-17 season mark the end of an era. While the Red Wings will certainly suffer from it and could miss the playoffs for the first time since 1990, unless they sign Steven Stamkos, teams like the Vancouver Canucks could profit from Datsyuk’s decision. They could trade for him.

Well, if the Canucks traded for Datsyuk, it would not be for the player himself, but for what comes to Vancouver with him. Datsyuk will leave for Russia, but his $7.5 million cap hit stays. If the Canucks agreed to take that on, they could get prospects and picks in return.

According to TSN insider Darren Dreger, the price could be something like Tomas Jurco, Teemu Pulkkinen and a second-round pick.

Jurco was an early second-round pick in 2011 but somewhat busted after recording 15 points in his first 36 NHL games. In 2015-16, he had just four goals and six points in 44 games for Detroit. However, he scored five goals and added four assists in five American Hockey League games for the Grand Rapids Griffins, so the scoring potential is definitely still there.

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Pulkkinen is a fourth-round pick from the year prior, and currently looks like the better prospect. An all-around forward with outstanding finishing ability, he finished the 2014-15 campaign 10th in AHL scoring with 34 goals and 61 points, despite playing just 46 games. His 1.33 points per game were league-best. He spent the rest of the year in Detroit, and also spent the 2015-16 season with the big club. So far, he has 11 goals and 20 points in 70 NHL games.

In addition, Dreger lists a second-round pick which the Canucks would love to get back after losing theirs in the Erik Gudbranson trade. In my final NHL Mock Draft, I have the Red Wings taking defenseman Luke Green, who could definitely be a target for Vancouver as well.

All that sounds great. The Canucks add $7.5 million to their cap, but with Radim Vrbata and his fellow unrestricted free agents leaving, that certainly wouldn’t get them in trouble.

But, it is against Jim Benning‘s philosophy.

While many think the experiment failed already, the Canucks GM is still going for the rebuild on the fly. Be competitive while building the team through the draft. You can’t build through the draft if you trade all your draft picks, but you also can’t stay competitive if you spend $7.5 million of cap space on a player who will never even set a foot into your city.

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To stay competitive, Benning wants to add a 30-goal scorer and a two-way forward, as he said in an interview with TSN. Milan Lucic and Troy Brouwer, anyone?

Lucic and Brouwer or perhaps Andrew Ladd wouldn’t come cheap. For two of them, Vancouver might have to spend a total of around $8 million per year, maybe more. Can they do that if they take on Datsyuk’s contract?

Another question is: do they even need Jurco and Pulkkinen? Maybe if they can get rid of Alex Burrows and Chris Higgins.

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Benning says a lot depends on the exact salary cap number for next season, and that probably applies to this situation away. Fact is, getting picks and prospects for free is something the Canucks should seriously consider in their current situation.