Canucks: 3 defencemen they could explore in free agency

The Vancouver Canucks are in the midst of one of the most difficult offseasons in recent years.

Spearheaded by General Manager Jim Benning, the team has already made a few big moves, including acquiring third-line centre Jason Dickinson in a trade with the Dallas Stars, and pulling off a blockbuster draft day deal to land Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland from the Arizona Coyotes. They also had to submit the final draft of their protected expansion list last week, and ended up losing 22-year-old Kole Lind to the Seattle Kraken as a result.

Coming off a seventh place finish in the Scotia North Division, the Canucks knew a revamp was needed in order to qualify for and compete in the Western Conference playoffs, and their recent actions reflect that. After the Canucks sat around and simply watched during Friday night’s first round of the NHL Entry Draft, they must now turn their attention towards July 28th, the first day of NHL Free Agency.

In particular, they’ll need to find a few more players that could fill out their blueline.

Throughout this piece, we’ll look at three potential UFA defencemen signings that the Canucks could explore during the start of free agency, as well as provide a more in-depth analysis on how they’d fit into Vancouver’s opening night lineup.

However, before we start, let’s preface the Canucks current salary cap and contracts situation.

As of July 25th, the Canucks sit at $21,289,341 in cap space, with an active roster size of 15 players. With RFAs Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes still without contracts, as well as Dickinson and Garland, it’s safe to say the Canucks will be working with a tight budget this offseason unless further surprise moves are made.

As a result of this, the big-money star free agents that every fan seems to want on their team are likely out of the picture. This includes players such as Dougie Hamilton and Tyson Barrie, both of whom could demand some serious cash moving forward.

Instead, the Canucks will be bargain shopping for mid-level blueliners with lower AAV demands to fill out the roster.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Free Agent Target #1: David Savard, RD

During his press conference on Thursday morning to address the state of the Canucks after the expansion draft, Benning made his plans for free agency quite clear. He stated that the Canucks would be active in improving their defensive core throughout free agency, seeking to add size and strength.

David Savard would certainly fit that bill.

The 6’2″, 230 pound blueliner, and recent Stanley Cup champion, is someone that the Canucks should certainly have interest in signing. At only 30 years old, which seems young given his resume and accomplishments in the league, Savard has many serviceable years left in the NHL.

Throughout his career, Savard has averaged around 20 minutes of TOI, whilst handling top-four defensive responsibilities on the backend.

Savard has minimal experience playing on the powerplay, despite being a prolific offensive-defensemen in junior hockey Fortunately for the Canucks, his true value comes on the penalty kill, where he is regarded as one of the best in the league, and would be a big improvement from the likes of Alex Edler. Savard has great lateral movement and is a fearless shot-blocker, which makes him even more beneficial in shorthanded situations.

Plus, the Canucks are already set on the man advantage with Hughes and Ekman-Larsson, as well as up-and-coming prospect Jack Rathbone.

Being a right-handed player also adds extra value to Savard, as teams crave for competent blueliners on the right side. Not to mention, his puck-moving skills and ability to transition quickly from the defensive zone into neutral ice through his breakout passes are extremely beneficial in today’s modern game.

One of the big reasons why Savard may be further attractive to the Canucks is his willingness to play in Canada. Lots of NHL players are becoming more reluctant to join Canadian clubs for a variety of reasons, including tax rates, weather, culture, and COVID-19 restrictions. However, according to insider Elliotte Friedman, the former Columbus Blue Jacket is more than willing to join a Canadian club.

Given Savard’s reputation in the league and his consistent and big-minute plays, along with his willingness to play north of the border, he should be near the top of Vancouver’s wish-list. A potential deal for Savard should be in the range of 2-3 years, with an AAV anywhere from $3.75M to $4.75M.