The Canuck Way
Fansided

Canucks: Top 3 questions that remain to be answered in 2020

By Owen Gibbs

VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 22: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during NHL action against the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena on February 22, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 22: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during NHL action against the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena on February 22, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 28: Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning speaks to the media after a game between against the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings. Benning was discussing the recent trades of Vancouver Canucks Left Wing Alexandre Burrows (14) and Vancouver Canucks Right Wing Jannik Hansen (36). February 28, 2017, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. (Photo by Bob Frid/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – FEBRUARY 28: Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning speaks to the media after a game between against the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings. Benning was discussing the recent trades of Vancouver Canucks Left Wing Alexandre Burrows (14) and Vancouver Canucks Right Wing Jannik Hansen (36). February 28, 2017, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. (Photo by Bob Frid/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. How will the Canucks handle their salary cap situation this offseason?

In all likelihood, this is not a question that will be answered within the next couple months, but it promises to be a harrowing task. According to CapFriendly, the Canucks project to have $20.5 million in cap space and 11 roster free agents requiring new contracts before next season.

The list includes Jacob Markstrom, Tyler Toffoli, Chris Tanev, Jake Virtanen, Adam Gaudette, Josh Leivo, Troy Stecher, Tyler Motte, Zack MacEwen, and Oscar Fantenberg. The Canucks will keep as many of these players as possible, but quite a few will likely be on their way out the door.

Canucks fans will be dreaming of seeing a full season of Toffoli rounding out what promises to be a very potent top-six, but he and Markstrom alone warrant contracts that would eat up over half that cap space.

If the Canucks were to resign Toffoli, does that mean losing two core pieces of the third line in Gaudette and Virtanen? Even more concerning, could they afford to keep any of their free agent defencemen?

Their blue line was already an issue, but losing three of their defenders with only rookies to replace them cannot be considered an upgrade. If general manager Jim Benning is unable to resign Toffoli, is there any negligible improvement to what is currently a bubble team heading into next season?

There may be hope for the Canucks if the remainder of the season is cancelled. No play means no revenue for the league and therefore a lower salary cap than initially predicted, which could disrupt management plans league-wide. Therefore, it is rumoured that the league may take measures to ease the burdens for GMs this offseason.

One speculated measure is the re-introduction of compliance buyouts, which would allow the Canucks to get out of at least one, possibly two of their many anchor contracts, freeing up to $12 million in cap space. If not, perhaps leniency on the salary cap would be an option. No matter what, there will not be a good answer to this question for some time.

Home/Analysis