Sean Walker is an excellent consolation for Rasmus Ristolainen
With Rasmus Ristolainen shelved for the foreseeable future, the Canucks would probably look elsewhere if they wanted to trade for a blueliner other than Lyubushkin. While Ristolainen was linked to the Canucks per The Fourth Period, it would have been a challenge to fit him into the lineup thanks to his salary.
Luckily for Vancouver, there is another solution in Philadelphia should they end up selling at the trade deadline despite their successful start to the 2023-24 season. Sean Walker has a much more manageable salary, and he would bring a balanced approach to the Canucks.
Walker has 20 points in 56 contests, 81 blocks, 74 hits, and a solid 28 takeaways through February 20th. He’s also a focal point in the offensive zone, given Philadelphia’s solid 52.8 Corsi For Percentage and 54.9 Fenwick For when he’s on the ice in conjunction with 53.8 percent starts coming in the offensive zone.
Overall, Walker would be an excellent consolation should a potential trade asset like Ristolainen miss extended time and potentially most of the remainder of the regular season. While Walker isn’t a huge name in Canucks circles, it would be wise to keep an eye on him.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of February 20th)