According to the NHL media site, the Vancouver Canucks have re-called veteran defenseman Mark Friedman, a right-handed shooter, from the AHL Abbotsford Canucks in the wake of the Filip Hronek injury. In a corresponding transaction, it appears that rookie winger Arshdeep Bains has been returned to the AHL once again.
Canucks fans may remember Friedman as the seventh and eighth defenseman who played for Vancouver in a rotational role last season. Friedman was acquired by the Canucks alongside Ty Glover in a trade that sent former top prospect Jack Rathbone and Karel Plasek to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 17, 2023.
Friedman, 28, has 88 games of NHL experience under his belt, including 23 with the Canucks last season. The 5-foot-11 blueliner recorded one assist and boasted a +4 rating in those 23 games while averaging 12:14 of ice time.
What Mark Friedman brings to the Canucks
While Friedman is not likely to play much, if at all, while Hronek is out injured, he does provide the Canucks with valuable depth on defense. With Hronek out, the right side of the defense currently consists of Tyler Myers, Noah Juulsen, and Vincent Desharnais; the latter has not appeared in a game since Nov. 14.
Friedman is well-versed in the system head coach Rick Tocchet runs and brings an element of familiarity with his Canucks teammates from last season. Now that he has returned to the NHL from the AHL, the Canucks at least have seven healthy defensemen. However, Bains being assigned to the AHL means that the Canucks have only 12 healthy forwards. With extremely limited cap space and J.T. Miller out for the foreseeable future on a leave of absence, the Canucks roster is in dire straits.
There is a chance veteran defenseman Derek Forbort returns from his injury in a week or two, but the news on that front has been far and few between. For now, though, the Canucks will do what they must in order to survive.