Should the Vancouver Canucks sign Gustav Nyquist?

With the draft in our rear view mirror, it is time to focus on Free Agency for the Vancouver Canucks. One rumoured target is winger Gustav Nyquist.

Tyler Myers isn’t the only pending UFA who has been linked to the Vancouver Canucks. According to Sportsnet 650 insider Rick Dhaliwal, the team also has some interest in winger Gustav Nyquist.

Here, we’re going to look at the cases for signing and avoiding Nyquist.

The case for Nyquist

Nyquist comes in at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds.  With the Detroit Red WIngs and San Jose Sharks, he put up 22 goals and 38 assists in 81 games last season. He turns 30 years of age in September. The veteran Swede is a guy I have always enjoyed watching. He is a fast skater that also screams skill and offensive ability.

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He is a talented playmaker who can score some fancy goals; making nice moves around defenders and can find his teammates looking for a pass particularly well.  In his eight NHL seasons he has put up at least 40 points six times

I love Nyquist’s speed and ability to hang on to the puck. My favourite Nyquist goal was when he skated around the offensive zone for 28 seconds and then scored the OT winner against the Ottawa Senators.

His skating was like the Pokemon Jigglypuff’s move “Sing” because he just put the Ottawa defenders to sleep.  I have been trying to recreate this goal in the EA NHL video games.

My only concern with Nyquist is that he isn’t very good defensively/

Nyquist would look good in the Canucks top six. He could play on the wing with Elias Pettersson or Bo Horvat. With Sven Baertschi’s injury issues, (hopefully can find a way to get fully healthy), the Canucks would have no problem with trying to fill his void with Nyquist.

I can see the newly acquired J.T. Miller on the Pettersson’s line and Nyquist on the line with Horvat or Tanner Pearson and vice versa.

Nyquist’s contract and term

If the Canucks were to sign Nyquist, the contract must be reasonable. As mentioned, Nyquist is going to turn 30 in September and he may only have a few good years left in him. If the Canucks were to overpay him, Nyquist might turn into another Loui Eriksson.

His last contract was a four-year deal worth $4.75 million per season. It remains to be seen what term and value that he wants, but I’m sure he wants pay raise. In my opinion, an ideal contract would be three to five years at $5 million per season.

Should the Vancouver Canucks sign Gustav Nyquist? Why or why not?  Put your thoughts in the comments below.