The Canuck Way Mailbag: Trade bait, Pettersson and Hughes’ deals, and more

Mailbag Part 3

Before his injury, I would have answered Pearson.

Now, probably Sutter or Edler. All three of these players would be effective depth pieces on a team looking to make a playoff run. However, due to Pearson’s injury, and Edler’s no-movement clause, Sutter is the only piece I see traded.

The Edmonton Oilers looks like the most likely landing place for the veteran centre. The Oilers tried addressing their centre depth in the offseason, bringing in Kyle Turris to be a veteran presence in the bottom-six. Turris hasn’t been great for the Oilers this year in any area of the game. He has just one goal and four points to show after 22 games this season. Sutter would be an upgrade for Edmonton down the middle.

If the price for Eric Staal was a third and a fifth, expect Sutter to net Vancouver a fourth-round pick. Hopefully, if the trade can be made, Benning makes it, rather than allowing another asset to walk in free agency.

With Eriksson, Beagle, Roussel, Holtby, Myers, and somehow Luongo all still on the books for next year, I don’t expect Demko to sign a long-term deal.

If Demko signs for a term of six years or longer, I don’t see any way it’s for less than $6.5 million per season, when you take into consideration the recent contracts signed by Jordan Binnington and Matt Murray. Yes, those two goaltenders have cups, but Demko has shown in the last seven months that he is a much more talented goaltender than either of the two, whose contract extensions will pay them $6 million (Binnington) and $6.25 million (Murray).

You’d have to question the sanity of anyone who makes the claim that Binnington or Murray are more valuable goaltenders than Demko is proving himself to be. Demko wouldn’t sign a long-term deal for any less than either of the two goaltenders, forcing Vancouver into a bridge deal.

My prediction: Two-year bridge deal, at $4.5 million per season. If Demko continues to be a Vezina-calibre goaltender, expect the contract after this to carry a monstrous cap hit.

I was a huge fan of Nikita Tryamkin during his time with the Canucks. I would absolutely love to bring him back.

Tryamkin was as electrifying as a defensive defenceman could be. He had a big body, and it was always thrilling to see him throwing his weight around. He’d bring size and poise to the Canucks defence next season.

Vancouver could very well have a mix of veteran and young defensemen next season, which would be perfect for development. Imagine the youth of Hughes, Rathbone, Juolevi, and Tryamkin, with the veteran presence of Schmidt, Myers, Edler (provided they re-sign him). Would be great for the young group to learn from the vets, and to me, that’s a really solid seven for Vancouver.

Again, though, I have to re-iterate; the Canucks have bigger fish to fry in the offseason. If Pettersson, Hughes, and Demko’s contracts have all been signed, the Pearson situation is figured out, and we still have space under the cap? Yes, bring Tryamkin, but he can’t take priority over our stars.

That’s it for this week’s The Canuck Way Mailbag. If you want your questions answered, get them in next week. Ask a question when we drop the Tweet every Friday.