The Canuck Way Mailbag Part 1: Lind, Gadjovich, Juolevi
More mailbag Q&A
Should veterans like Sutter and Hamonic be re-signed, or should the Canucks pave a way for young players like Lind and Rathbone to be permanent lineup members?
— Mcsuper🏒 (@Macusian12345) May 1, 2021
For years I’ve been waiting for the day that Brandon Sutter‘s overpaid contract is off the books of the Vancouver Canucks, and when that day finally came I figured Sutter would be gone along with it. But as his contract year has continued to play out, Sutter has put on a bit of a comeback campaign, and his nine goals have him currently tied for sixth on the team.
Crazy to believe I’m saying this, but with the recent departure of Adam Gaudette, and the uncertainty of Jay Beagle and his injury ahead of next season, signing Sutter to a one-year team-friendly deal might actually make sense. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for Lind getting into the lineup next year, but he’ll definitely get his fair share of chances, and having Sutter there as a player with experience might not be such a terrible idea — at the right price (Not a penny more than $1.5M).
As for the Travis Hamonic question, I believe he’s a player Jim Benning has to really target before free agency, and there are a handful of reasons for it. First off, he’s a right-handed shot and that’s a position the Canucks are lacking. Secondly, he has a desire to play on the west coast and is willing to take a pay cut to make it happen. And lastly, he’s been a good partner next to Vancouver’s franchise defender, and having that chemistry is important.
When it comes to Jack Rathbone, he’s a left-handed shot, and like everyone else, he’ll have to earn his spot in the lineup. In my mind, having him as a seventh defenceman is an ideal position for him to be in next season. The last thing you want to do is rush him into the lineup, and with Vancouver already having offensive-minded blueliners in Quinn Hughes, Nate Schmidt and Tyler Myers, adding a stay-at-home defenceman might be a wise move.
Final thoughts…
Next. Canucks: Kole Lind should be protected from expansion. dark
Part 2 of the mailbag should be available early in the week! Keep your eyes on The Canuck Way for that, and don’t forget to get involved with the mailbag! You can ask questions too! Just jump on Twitter and look for our weekly Friday mailbag tweet.