Vancouver Canucks: Alexander Edler isn’t only player they should trade

Vancouver Canucks defenceman Alexander Edler has been heavily mentioned in trade rumors, but he’s not the only veteran that general manager Jim Benning should be shopping.

If the Vancouver Canucks are still in the playoff race at the Feb. 25 trade deadline, it’s logical to believe that general manager Jim Benning won’t be looking to sell his veteran players.

But how much longer will the Canucks be in playoff contention is anybody’s guess. It’s hard to envision this team scoring much while rookie Elias Pettersson is sidelined, and the leaky defensive play has left a lot to be desired.

With a lack of depth in forwards and defencemen, it’s hard to see Vancouver staying in the playoff race come Feb. 25. That means we can expect Mr. Benning to shop some of his veterans, with 32-year-old blueliner Alexander Edler taking the cake as his best trade bait.

Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre listed the four options Vancouver could do with Edler, but the longest-tenured Canuck hasn’t offered any hints about possibly waiving his no-trade clause.

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One would think if the Canucks asked him to waive it in order to ship Edler to a contender, he would willingly do so.

And if Benning decides to shop Edler, he shouldn’t even think about stopping there. This is a prime chance for Benning to cash in on more picks and prospects, as the city of Vancouver prepares to host this year’s entry draft.

Benning should be looking to move out Markus Granlund as well, since he’s disappointing in a make-or-break year. Granlund has a mere 14 points in 45 games this season. But maybe some teams will be interested in bolstering their bottom-six, so Benning might a mid round pick for him.

And even though I don’t agree with how the Canucks have used Nikolay Goldobin, I’d rather they trade him and get something for the 23-year-old. If head coach Travis Green isn’t going to use Goldy much, the Canucks owe it to the speedster by giving him a new home.

Benning should also be willing to give up Michael Del Zotto, a pending UFA who certainly isn’t coming back. Even if they only get a minimal prospect or late round pick for him, it’s better than nothing. Maybe it makes sense to move on from Derrick Pouliot and/or Ben Hutton, if the Canucks don’t think either fit into their long-term plans.

See? Edler is far from the only Canuck that Benning could shop and/or look to trade. If he plays his cards right, Benning could move out at least three skaters and earn some more much-needed picks when the draft comes here in June.

The Canucks failed miserably in landing such assets during the 2016 and ’18 trade deadlines. They can’t botch it again this year, so the front office better be letting other teams know that Edler isn’t the only player up for sale.