The Vancouver Canucks may be in the middle of a rebuild, but they are reportedly open to adding to their roster.
According to The Fourth Period, the Canucks are among the teams interested in top Washington Capitals trade candidate Ivan Miroshnichenkov.
"Meanwhile, the Canucks are among the teams believed to have interest in Washington Capitals forward Ivan Miroshnichenko, who has another year left on his two-year, $1.85 million contract after this season," The Fourth Period wrote.
With Miroshnichenko being a 22-year-old former first-round pick with good potential, it makes sense that the Canucks reportedly have him on their radar. He is exactly the kind of promising young forward that a rebuilding team like the Canucks should be targeting.
Due to the Capitals' strong forward group, Miroshnichenko has had trouble breaking out and becoming an NHL regular. However, that certainly would have the potential to change if he were traded to the Canucks. This is because he would likely receive far more NHL opportunities on a team that is focused on the future, like the Canucks.
Miroshnichenko has appeared in just three games this season with the Capitals, where he has recorded one goal, three hits, and a plus-1 rating. While he has made appearances at the NHL level in each of the last four seasons, he has appeared in just 55 career games. During them, he has posted six goals and 14 points.
While Miroshnichenko has not had that big breakthrough at the NHL level, he is still plenty young enough where that could change. Thus, the Canucks should not be afraid to swing a deal for him if the opportunity presents itself.
Where could Miroshnichenko fit in the Canucks' lineup if acquired?
If the Canucks acquired Miroshnichenko, he could slot nicely in their top nine. When looking at a specific spot in the Canucks' lineup for the 2022 first-round pick, he could work very well on their second line with Marco Rossi and Jonathan Lekkerimaki. This would give Vancouver a new intriguing line with three young and skilled players.
Miroshnichenko would also be a candidate to receive power play time if acquired by the Canucks. The young winger has solid offensive potential and could perform well for Vancouver on the man advantage because of it.
Overall, with the Canucks rebuilding, Miroshnichenko is a player who would make a lot of sense to add. It will be interesting to see if their interest in the young winger leads to them landing him from here.
Add us as a preferred source on Google