The Canuck Way Mailbag: Virtanen, free agency, trade targets, more
The real work begins for Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning. With that in mind, it’s time for this week’s edition of the mailbag!
Now that the Vancouver Canucks are out of the playoffs, general manager Jim Benning has shifted his focus to the offseason and the many decisions he has to make.
The draft is also just around the corner, so it’s going to be a busy few months. After an exciting run to the second round of the playoffs, there is a lot to look forward to with this team. Unfortunately, the salary cap will get in the way of keeping this group together for the long-term future.
The offseason won’t be boring by any means, as Benning attempts to upgrade his team through free agency and trades while also trying to recoup some picks in one of the deepest drafts in recent memory.
Will he be able to trade away some of his mistakes? Who will stick around in the triumvirate of Chris Tanev, Tyler Toffoli and Jacob Markstrom? Those are just some of the questions that will get answered in the coming months. So while we’re speaking of questions, let’s get to some of yours in this week’s edition of The Canuck Way Mailbag!
Who’s a defender in free agency the Canucks could target for a decent price?
— PP1 PODCAST (@ThePP1Podcast) September 11, 2020
It’s going to be a struggle to add anything significant in free agency this offseason due to the lack of cap space. That being said, if Benning can move out some high-priced contracts, then maybe a mid-value defenceman could be had for a decent price. However, I am on the side of making it work with the young core the Canucks have right now.
I would try to move on from Jordie Benn and Troy Stecher and hand the reigns to Olli Juolevi and Jack Rathbone. I would even entertain the idea of moving on from the oft-injured Chris Tanev if that means bringing in a younger, more mobile option. As much as I love Tanev, I think that could be the best way forward for the team.
So to answer your question, if I were forced to choose a free agent defenceman at a decent price, I would target Dylan DeMelo, formerly of the Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets. He’s still young at 27-years-old and won’t command a lot in free agency.
As pointed out by Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal of The Athletic (subscription required), he played efficiently with Thomas Chabot and Josh Morrissey. If Tanev isn’t retained, he could be a perfect fit with Quinn Hughes, as he’s also a right-hand shot familiar with playing the role of sidekick to a young phenom.
Like Tanev, DeMelo is a smart defender with a great stick who makes excellent reads in all zones. He could be the perfect complement to Hughes if Tanev ultimately leaves the team via free agency.
Would it be better if the team let Marky walk and give the reigns to Demko to open up some cap space? Or should the team's #1 priority still be bringing Marky back?
— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) September 12, 2020
As much as I appreciate what Markstrom did for the Canucks in 2019-20, I think it’s better to walk away from him and hand the mantle to Thatcher Demko. I realize it was only three games, but in those games, he showed everyone why he’s going to be an elite starting goaltender in the NHL. He was calm, cool, and collected while the Vegas Golden Knights threw everything at him. His mental makeup is suited to the number one position and he’s only going to get better under the tutelage of goalie coach Ian Clark (if he’s re-signed).
Markstrom is going to cost a pretty penny, potentially upwards of $6 million annually on a long-term contract. Going down that road could create more problems when the Canucks need to re-sign Hughes and Elias Pettersson to expensive long-term deals. They have a young goaltender right now under an entry-level contract. They need to take advantage of that while they can.
Trades and Jake Virtanen
Is there any sort of market for players like Sutter, Roussel, Beagle, and Benn to free up cap without having to give up assets for other teams to help our cap situation?
— canuckftc12W (@itsnucktime) September 12, 2020
I think there is definitely a market for all of those players. Brandon Sutter is a serviceable third/fourth line center, Antoine Roussel is an effective agitator with some skill, Jay Beagle is a reliable fourth-line center with faceoff/penalty killing prowess and Benn is still a great depth defenceman on most teams. All of them are overpriced in their roles, so it may be tough to trade any of them without adding a draft pick or prospect to sweeten the pot a bit.
That being said, Benning should explore all avenues to get some of them off the books. Of all of them, Sutter and Roussel have the most marketable value because of their age and intangibles they bring to a team.
Sutter had a solid postseason and is a very effective forward when he’s in the lineup. He can win faceoffs, kill penalties, and has scoring upside as well. He could fetch a third or fourth-round draft pick or even a solid mid-range prospect. If I was a betting man, I would bet Sutter is the one traded for the biggest return this offseason.
Do you believe jim benning will find a way to get a first or second rounder this year , if so who do you think will be shipped out of Vancouver
— petey is a god (@peteyisagod40) September 11, 2020
I think Benning will work the phones a lot this offseason, especially as it gets closer to the draft in October. The Canucks do not have a pick until the third round in a strong draft, and he’s already said he wants to recoup some picks. I don’t think he will be able to get back into the first round unless he is willing to trade Brock Boeser. A second-round pick is more realistic given the assets that are probably on the trade block.
Jake Virtanen is still only 24-years-old, and he has the potential to become a very effective top-six forward in the NHL. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s in Vancouver anymore. He’s worn out his welcome with this coaching staff, and he seems to have hit a wall in his development.
He seemingly turned a corner in the regular season with a career-high 18 goals and 36 points, but once again took a step back in the postseason where he struggled to sustain any positive momentum.
Benning has now gone on record saying that he was disappointed with Virtanen’s performance in the playoffs, so a trade now seems imminent. I think if he goes that route, he could probably obtain a second-round pick for him.
More trade questions
The Canucks need help on defense. Who would be a player worth trying to trade for?
— Adam Dane (@AdamDane7) September 11, 2020
If the Canucks go the trade route to upgrade their defence, there are quite a few that come to mind. Minnesota Wild standout Matt Dumba is one I would seriously look at as a possible target, except they would have to give up some substantial assets to get it done.
Unfortunately, I think Boeser has to be a part of the deal for the Wild to even entertain the idea. The recent trade for Nick Bjugstad suggests they are trying to upgrade their forward core, so adding a homegrown goal scorer like Boeser would definitely be in their wheelhouse.
Another defenceman I would consider is Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks. He’s a gritty, reliable two-way defenceman with a bit of a mean streak. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Kevin Bieksa when he was in his prime.
The Canucks lack that sort of presence in their lineup, especially from their backend. He has eclipsed 100 hits in the last five seasons he’s been in the NHL and he’s a minute muncher as well, averaging 20 minutes of ice time for the last three seasons. Obtaining him will probably cost less than Dumba, so he could be a little more of a realistic target.
Do you think Julius Honka is a realistic/worthwhile RD to target? What might it take since he wanted out of Dallas?
— brennen poole (@brennenpoole) September 12, 2020
Julius Honka struggled to gain any sort of foothold with the Dallas Stars, but it was tall order in the first place competing with the likes of John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, and Miro Heiskanen. His spot on the team basically disappeared with the emergence of Heiskanen as a legitimate top-pairing defenceman. So it’s no wonder he asked for a trade.
The Canucks could provide him with a better opportunity, but I’m not sure he’s what they need right now. Yes, they need more puck-moving blueliners, but Honka is more of an offensive defenceman than a two-way talent.
They need more grit in their arsenal and Honka just doesn’t provide that type of game. Even in Dallas he didn’t generate many points and was a healthy scratch multiple times. I hate to say it, but it looks like he is following Derick Pouliot down the path of first-round busts. I’m not sure the Canucks need another reclamation project on their roster.
Though given Benning’s propensity for taking on projects, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. He probably won’t cost much, and the potential is still there. Maybe we will be surprised by the outcome?
Canucks: The best moments of the 2019-20 season. dark. Next
That brings us to the end of yet another mailbag. Find the weekly tweet on Twitter to get involved in the discussion. Follow @FSTheCanuckWay to ask a question for future mailbags.