After years of icing arguably the worst bottom-six forward group in the league, the Vancouver Canucks might finally have solved their depth issues with some recent signings and help from NHL-ready prospects.
Of course, I’m mainly referring to the additions of Travis Boyd and Jimmy Vesey, who are legitimate third-line players that could provide the team with some adequate secondary scoring. Due to Vancouver’s current depleted lineup and the little time that both players have had to get integrated with the team, the full impact of Boyd and Vesey won’t likely be felt until next year. With that said, 2020-21 is looking like a lost season anyway, so that won’t be the biggest problem in the world.
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Looking ahead, the Canucks could potentially have Boyd, Vesey, Tyler Motte and Vasili Podkolzin fill the four bottom-six winger slots this fall, which would be a huge upgrade from the players that they’ve utilized in the past. The first three names listed are all proven depth contributors while Podkolzing is one of the most NHL-ready prospects in the entire league, due in large part to his constant motor and reliable two-way game.
With that said, we do need to keep in mind that Boyd and Vesey are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer and there’s no guarantee that they’ll be back with the team. However, the good news is that both will likely be very cheap to retain, and it seems like management plans to keep them around long-term given that Jake Virtanen and Adam Gaudette have recently been rumoured to be on the trade block.
Speaking of which, there might be a logjam of forwards on the Canucks if both players are still with the team past this season. Even so, I’d be shocked if Virtanen isn’t traded in the summer given his tumultuous tenure in Vancouver, but Gaudette is still a valuable member of the team given his potential to play centre. Although he has struggled in the role thus far, there might yet be an opportunity for him to permanently claim the third line centre spot considering Brandon Sutter’s an impending UFA too.
Putting everything together, it’s possible that the Canucks could ice the following bottom-six next season:
If Virtanen is traded this offseason and Boyd and Vesey are re-signed (yes, I know that's a huge if), the #Canucks might ice this bottom-six next year:
— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) March 30, 2021
Vesey-Gaudette-Boyd
Motte-Beagle-Podkolzin
Not elite by any means, but still an improvement compared to years past
Yes, there are still many moving pieces to take into account, including whether or not Tanner Pearson re-signs with the team. But it’s still a possibility that’s much better than what Vancouver has deployed in recent years.
What do you think, Canucks fans? Has the team finally solved some of their bottom-six woes? Let us know in the comments below!