No. 1: A reliable, skilled, right-shot defenseman of any kind
Top defenseman Filip Hronek underwent an operation on his lower-body at the end of November and is likely out until February, at the very least. As a consequence, one-dimensional veterans like Tyler Myers, Noah Juulsen, and Vincent Desharnais have been forced to play roles that they are not ideally suited for.
Myers, 34, is now well past his prime and is best suited for a second- or third-pairing role at this stage of his career, while Juulsen and Desharnais have been career rotational players. Additionally, Desharnais has been rumoured to be a trade candidate, with the Canucks reportedly preferring to find the 28-year-old a fresh start elsewhere.
Having a superstar on your team, like captain Quinn Hughes, certainly helps mask these roster deficiencies, but this will only take the Canucks so far when the stakes invariably raise as the season grows longer.
Plus, the issues at right defense are only compounded by the issues at left defense; Carson Soucy has struggled mightily during his short tenure with the Canucks thus far, Derek Forbort has hardly played in his debut season in Vancouver, and Erik Brannstrom has yet to wrest a permanent spot in the lineup from the former two.
Hronek will be back this season, so the Canucks have no real rush to swing big on a defender. On the same token, adding a competent right-shot defenseman eases the void left by his injury and gives the Canucks a greater chance of staying afloat in the playoff race for the next two months.