The Vancouver Canucks’ COVID situation is becoming more dire each day, as the team now has over 20 players and coaches in protocol as of Tuesday afternoon. Jake Virtanen was the most recent skater added to the list and almost every single player on the Canucks’ active roster has been exposed to the virus.
Jake Virtanen has been added to the NHL's COVID Protocol list, bringing the number of #canucks listed there to 18.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 6, 2021
There are an additional two taxi squad players and three coaches affected by the outbreak.
Even so, the NHL still wants the Canucks to finish their season with 56 games played, which is most likely going to happen by using the team’s AHL skaters. If this does happen, it will have lasting implications on the team for seasons to come, and here’s why.
Vancouver is currently fifth in the North Division in both overall points and points percentage, and the team wasn’t going to make the playoffs this year even if every player was healthy. But if the Canucks are going to finish their season by mostly playing AHL players, this means that they’ll be fielding an even weaker team when they take the ice every night.
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In other words, the team could very well bottom out in the standings and finish the season with one of the worst records in the league. This means that they might have better odds in the draft lottery and potentially select higher than anyone imagined in the 2021 draft.
This would impact Vancouver’s roster for years to come, as the Canucks might be able to add another core piece to the team instead of just selecting in the middle of the first round like most people predicted.
Another way in which the COVID shutdown might affect the team is related to the trade deadline. Previously, many people thought that the Canucks would be sellers and be willing to deal players such as Tanner Pearson. But with everyone now ill due to the virus, it seems more unlikely that any team would be willing to deal with Vancouver when they don’t know whether or not any of their skaters will be healthy to play again this season.
As a result, the team now seems more likely to re-sign Pearson, on what might be a two or three year deal.
Quote from Dreger on TSN 1050, regarding #Canucks potentially re-signing Pearson:
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) April 6, 2021
"I think they will be [successful] in extending his contract to a two or three year term here in the very near future." https://t.co/R5JYPzuSaz
So, instead of trading Pearson for a draft pick and selecting in the middle of the first round, there’s a good possibility that Pearson will remain in Vancouver in exchange for a higher selection in the draft.
What do you think, Canucks fans? Is this possibility a good trade-off? Let us know in the comments below!