Vancouver Canucks: Luca Sbisa is the most likely expansion pick

Whom will the Vegas Golden Knights select from the Vancouver Canucks in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft? The answer is clear: Luca Sbisa.

Up until Matt Larkin of The Hockey News addressed the Vancouver Canucks’ exposure list Tuesday on Sekeres & Price on TSN 1040, I was convinced everyone believed Luca Sbisa would be selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL expansion draft.

Now, not so much.

To my surprise, even Alex Hoegler here at The Canuck Way has other thoughts. Sbisa is the best choice for Vegas; but other outcomes are worth analyzing.

Larkin admits he is “against the grain” on this one. He believes Canucks general manager Jim Benning should expose Brandon Sutter. Sutter is not living up to his $4.375 million contract and, as Larkin says, Sutter is “out of upside”.

You cannot argue Larkin’s points. Sutter is an expensive depth centreman – one that could be replaced by a cheaper body/better contract via free agency – yet, could be a good third-liner or an average No. 2 in Vegas.

Unfortunately for Canucks fans who loath Sutter, he will remain in Vancouver. However, the question still remains: was Brendan Gaunce even worth protecting?

Sutter over Gaunce any day

This is where Larkin goes astray. He says Gaunce is “not delivering on the promise that made him a first rounder; but he did find a home as sort of a checking and shutdown guy.” And he is correct. Gaunce fit the role of a fourth-line player.

So, is Canucks management sold on the former first-rounder who provided zero goals this year? They shouldn’t be. Maybe the 23-year-old who showed his offensive abilities in Utica last season – scoring 38 points in 46 games – becomes a consistent depth contributor for the team. But right now, he is expendable.

Developmentally, Gaunce’s offensive ceiling is not high, and the Vancouver Canucks need goals… yesterday. Sutter is an established NHL player whose cap hit doesn’t hurt the rebuilding team. Furthermore, Sutter fills a soon-to-be-desolate spot at center and provides some offense while Gaunce in his two seasons added close to nothing.

Badass Biega and Serviceable Sbisa

Lucky for Larkin, Gaunce is assumed to be a part of the Vancouver Canucks’ future according to various sources. TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli and TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button both project Vegas to select Sbisa from Vancouver.

Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail also believes Vegas will select Sbisa from the Canucks. Contrary to Hoegler’s thoughts, Gaunce was never the “realistic option” as Duhatschek brings to light an additional name: Alex Biega.

Biega is an underrated depth player with the ability to defend and play as a checking forward. He is quicker and only two years older than Sbisa. So perhaps Biega is the best player the Vancouver Canucks expose.

Look, although Vegas is not going to be great anytime soon, they need to build a winning culture; thus, picking the best available NHL players. These players will help Vegas reach the cap floor, and will have certainly scored more than one goal in their careers.

So argue away if you must. I often hear, “Gaunce is valuable to Vegas because he will sign a two-way deal,” followed by, “no he isn’t because Vegas will not waste a restricted-free-agent pick on him”. Or the same list of reasons why Sbisa and Sutter need to leave Vancouver. Time will only tell, folks.

Next: Canucks' 2017-18 preseason bound to be exciting

Whether Vegas selects Gaunce, Sbisa, Biega, or someone off the board, the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft isn’t concerning for the Vancouver Canucks like it is for many of the league’s top teams. If the Canucks were worried about Sutter’s contract, then exposing him was certainly a realistic option.

But even then, my bet would still be on Vegas selecting a defenseman from Vancouver.

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