Five depth forwards the Canucks could target in free agency

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The draft is now over and free agency is on the horizon for the Vancouver Canucks.

The free agency period begins on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.

#NHL Critical Dates
Mon. July 11, 5pm ET: Qualifying offers due to RFAs.
Tues. July 12: RFAs can be contacted for off. sheet discussion.
Tues. 5pm: 1st buyout window closes.
Tues. 11:59pm: UFAs lose ability to re-sign for 8 yrs.
Wed. July 13, 12noon: UFA/RFA signing period opens.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 10, 2022

For the Canucks, other than making picks they were quiet on draft day. The roster is still the same as last season. They are still a “mid” team as a lot of kids say these days. Not a single trade was made but they still can make some in the coming days.

However, this article isn’t about a potential J.T. Miller trade or any other potential Canucks trades. As you read by the title, we are going to take a look at five free agent forwards the Canucks could target in free agency. These players would help Vancouver’s bottom six.

According to CapFriendly, the Canucks have a projected cap space of 2.14 million dollars. But thanks to Micheal Ferland on LTIR, their projected cap space is around five million dollars. That’s not a lot but here’s hoping more cap space can be created with some trades.

Don’t expect Curtis Lazar, Vladislav Namestikov and Andreas Athanasiou on here because I already wrote about them as targets last month.

#1: Colin White

Colin White was bought out by the Ottawa Senators on July 5. His contract had three years remaining at a 4.75 million dollar cap hit.

It’s safe to say he won’t be making that amount of money next season. There is interest in White and according to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Montreal Canadiens are one of them.

There should be interest in Colin White. Shorter term, lower dollar. Let him reset. Montreal will be among the clubs most interested. Hughes and company know Colin well.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 5, 2022

Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reported that 14 teams have shown interest in White already.

Hearing 14 teams showed interest in Colin White in the last few months. At the right price, you have to expect lots of teams are going to try to signed him on July 13.
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) July 5, 2022

White was drafted by the Senators in 2015 at 21st overall. He had a career-high 41 point (14 goals and 27 assists) season in 2018-19 which earned him that six-year contract. (White was on a line with Mark Stone for a large part of that season.) Since signing that deal, White’s offensive numbers have declined.

However, his defensive game improved.

Colin White, bought out by OTT, is a bottom six forward who has struggled to produce since signing a long-term deal with the Senators. Might be a useful pickup on a show-me deal. #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/WCaLH7eFjS
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 5, 2022

White is a centre but can also play right wing. He is also right-handed. The Canucks need a right-handed centre who can play on the third line.

White has the capabilities of a third-line centre with his defensive play. He has shown he can put up offence before but consistency is an issue.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1511519806800936961

The one thing that makes White an intriguing player is his hockey sense which explains why his defensive game has been good.

The biggest issue with White is he is prone to injuries. He missed a large chunk of last season due to a dislocated shoulder.

However, it wouldn’t hurt for the Canucks to sign White on a cheap one-year deal. Perhaps a fresh start is something he needs. White has proven he can handle third-line duties before and he may or may not replicate that in Vancouver.

If the Canucks do sign White, it gives signs of low-risk high reward.

Dec 4, 2021; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues (9) celebrates a goal scored by forward Sidney Crosby (87) on Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (35) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Pittsburgh won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /

#2: Evan Rodrigues

Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin may want to bring in a player from his old stomping grounds in Pittsburgh.

Evan Rodrigues is another player who is right-handed and can play two positions. He is naturally a right winger but can also play centre. He is coming off a one-year, one-million-dollar contract.

Last season was a season of career highs for Rodrigues. He scored 19 goals and managed 24 assists for 43 points in 82 games.

At the age of 28, Rodrigues looks to be a late bloomer. He is a solid playmaker with a nice shot. Below, he beats Thatcher Demko short side in a game against the Canucks in November.

https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1463682616641605639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1463682616641605639%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthecanuckway.com%2F2021%2F11%2F24%2Fcanucks-three-takeaways-4-1-loss-penguins%2F

According to DobberHockey’s contract projections, Rodrigues’ next contract could have an AAV of 2.3 million dollars. I have a feeling it could be around the 2.5 to three million dollar range with a two or three-year term or perhaps more than three million.

For the Canucks, they would benefit from Rodrigues’ offensive ability in their bottom six. However, there is no guarantee that he can continue his offensive form.

#3: Mason Marchment

Mason Marchment can play on both wings and is coming off a one-year $800,000 contract.

He is due for a raise. That’s because last season, he had a career-high 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 54 games with the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers. Marchment came out of nowhere and went from a fringe player to a solid bottom-six forward on an elite team.

Marchment brings size standing at 6’4″ and 209 pounds. The 27-year-old is a physical player and his 114 hits were fifth on the Panthers last season. Marchment would bring grit and offensive upside to the Canucks lineup. He is the type of player that you would want in your bottom six.

Marchment also isn’t afraid to drop the gloves.

https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1488696441027452928

Marchment’s advanced stats are also very good. He was first on the Panthers among players who played at least 300 minutes at 5 on 5 last season in Corsi for with 60.62%, goals for percentage with 68% and a High Danger Corsi for percentage of 63.10% according to NaturalStatTrick.

According to EvolvingHockey, (credit to BlueSeatBlogs.Com for finding this out first) Marchment’s next contract is at three years and 2.45 million dollars. Dobber projects Marchment’s AAV to be at 3.8 million dollars. The Panthers only have 774,116 in cap space and we don’t know if they can find a way to afford to keep him.

I like what Marchment brings but like Rodrigues, the question is: Is his play sustainable or was last season a mirage? If he hits free agency, the Canucks should be calling his agent.

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 29: Zach Aston-Reese #16 of the Anaheim Ducks in the first period at Honda Center on March 29, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

#4: Zach Aston-Reese

Here is another player that Allvin is familiar with thanks to his time with the Penguins.

Zach Aston-Reese can also play both wing positions and he split last season with the Penguins and the Anaheim Ducks. In Pittsburgh and Anaheim, he scored five goals and tallied 10 assists for 15 points in 69 games.

Aston-Reese is coming off a one-year 1.7 million dollar contract. He could sign for something similar.

The 27-year-old is very good at the forecheck and winning battles. He would fit well on the Canucks bottom six and under Bruce Boudreau’s system.

#5: Calle Jarnkrok

After spending six seasons with the Nashville Predators, Calle Jarnkrok was exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft almost a year ago. After playing 49 games and scoring 12 goals and managing 14 assists for 26 points, he was traded to the Calgary Flames for draft picks.

Jarnkrok only managed four assists in 17 games in Calgary and in the playoffs managed a goal and three assists in 12 games.

The Swede can play all three forward positions and is coming off a six-year contract worth two million dollars per season. He likely won’t be asking for that much term again and could come with a similar cap hit.

Jarnkrok is right-handed and there could be a fit with the Canucks as their third-line centre. He plays an effective 200-foot game and displays a great hockey IQ and is good defensively.

Calle Jarnkrok, acquired by CGY, is a versatile middle-six defensive forward who can chip in goals as well at 5v5. Was playing up in Seattle's lineup but will be best suited to a 3rd line role. #Flames pic.twitter.com/uAybrED1Tn
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) March 17, 2022

His versatility could also be welcomed on the Canucks bottom six as well.

Next. Recapping the Canucks picks from rounds five to seven. dark

Let us know in the comments below, in the Facebook comments or on Twitter which of the above players you like and if there are any other depth forwards the Canucks should target!

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