The Canuck Way
Fansided

Vancouver Canucks don’t need to add another centre

By Alex Hoegler

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 31: Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Arena March 31, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)"n
VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 31: Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Arena March 31, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)"n /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Henrik Sedin retired, the Vancouver Canucks could feel the need to add to their centre depth, but there are other weaknesses the front office must focus on.

The Vancouver Canucks are fortunate in owning a top-two centre in Bo Horvat, with Swedish sensation Elias Pettersson also a possible candidate to join the team in 2018-19.

If the SHL Champion and Playoffs MVP makes the team next season, Vancouver will have quite the 1-2 punch down the middle, assuming Pettersson is inserted as a centre. That means they’re set in the top-six.

Hobey Baker winner Adam Gaudette should also be on the team next year, which hopefully means he gets the No. 3 centre role. Then, they could have one of Markus Granlund, Brandon Sutter or Sam Gagner (all versatile forwards), as the centre of the fourth line.

Which means that general manager Jim Benning doesn’t have to worry about drafting a centre in the early rounds of this year’s draft. On top of that, he should be staying away from trading for veteran centres (hello, Jason Spezza), or signing ageing veterans in free agency.

More from The Canuck Way

Mike Halford of The Athletic (h/t Spector’s Hockey), suggests the Canucks need a centre that can play a strong two-way game and bring plenty of leadership. Halford mentioned Tyler Bozak, Derek Ryan, Valterri Filppula, Riley Nash, Par Lindholm and Spezza as options.

For starters, you can read why I think the Canucks should stay away from Spezza here.

For another, the Canucks are building up a good foundation of centres, and I don’t think Benning should be bothered to take on a bad contract (like Spezza’s), or overpay for a centre that only has so many good years left.

If they roll with Horvat, Pettersson and Gaudette as their top-three centres, his is how the rebuild should work. Even if Pettersson isn’t on the team next season, two of Sutter, Gagner and Granlund can be the bottom-two centres.

The Canucks should be focused on rebuilding their defence if anything else. Alexander Edler is a trade option, as is Chris Tanev — who should be attractive to teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars. Ben Hutton also looks like a possible trade candidate, given how he was in the doghouse of head coach Travis Green.

Vancouver can’t go into 2018-19 with the same group of blueliners, and at least two new names have to come in. Benning also has to avoid the temptation of spending every penny of his cap space. Adding another quality centre and two new blueliners is probably asking for way too much.

This team doesn’t need to add another centre for leadership. They learned from Daniel and Henrik Sedin for a while, and the twins retired knowing that it was time to hand the keys over to the next franchise players.

Next: Canucks: Projecting how the draft will play out

If the Canucks already think Petterson won’t make the team next year, then maybe they could consider adding a veteran centre. But this rebuilding team is better off sticking with its young core and prospects going forward, and Benning can use his cap space to remake what was a miserable defensive unit this past season.

Home/Editorials