Although the Vancouver Canucks have been a popular team in NHL trade rumors over the last few weeks, no such moves are imminent. However, based on the Canucks' perceived needs, we can begin to piece together trade options that might make sense for a front office that has no interest in making a desperate move just for the sake of striking a trade.
For instance, we know that multiple Metropolitan Division teams had been kicking the tires, to varying degrees, on Canucks forward Nils Hoglander. The Pittsburgh Penguins were one of those teams, and general manager Kyle Dubas had already pulled off a move for another young, struggling forward in Phil Tomasino, who is a former first-round pick of the Nashville Predators. It was also widely speculated that Dubas and the Penguins were suitors for top defense prospect David Jiricek.
Why a Canucks trade with the Penguins makes sense
Leading up to the start of the month of December, Hoglander had played four straight games with fewer than 10 minutes of ice time for the Canucks. Suddenly, Rick Tocchet and the Canucks have given Hoglander no fewer than 10 minutes of ice time in each of his last three games.
The problem, though, is that Hoglander has not recorded a point since Nov. 2, or 15 games ago. Additionally, Hoglander has taken a costly penalty in two of his last three games, which is not something that is going to inspire Tocchet to remove the young Swede from his doghouse. All in all, Hoglander has two goals, three assists, and five points in 25 games this season and does not appear to be playing or finishing anywhere near the level that saw him explode for 24 goals and 36 points in 80 games last year.
If the Canucks decide they still cannot get the most out of Hoglander and would prefer to find a more suitable player, one former top 5 draft pick that fits the bill is none other than Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who was drafted fourth overall by the Oilers in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Puljujarvi, 26, is still a young player who has had a tough few years since leaving Edmonton. The Oilers traded Puljujarvi to Carolina on Feb. 28, 2023, and the Finnish winger lasted only 24 games with the Hurricanes before hitting free agency and undergoing a massive operation: bilateral hip surgery.
Puljujarvi latched on with the Penguins after signing a professional tryout offer and spending some time in the AHL and has been in and out of the lineup since. The 26-year-old has three goals, five assists, and eight points in 21 games this season, which puts him on pace for nearly 30 points--a respectable total for a fourth-line player.
So, why would the Penguins trade such a player to the Canucks? Firstly, Puljujarvi has never been much of a scorer, having leveled off at 15 goals and 22 assists, respectively, to this point in his NHL career. Puljujarvi's 6-foot-4 frame, combined with his speed and hands, makes him an intriguing bottom-six forechecking forward with some scoring potential around the net.
The problem is that the Penguins need younger players with higher scoring upside to help squeeze the most juice out of the twilight years of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Puljujarvi is not going to help them put heaps of goals on the scoreboard and just got put back in the lineup for his first game since Nov. 23. Hoglander may, however, help the Penguins score, especially with a change of scenery. Just look at Tomasino.
If the Canucks were to swap Hoglander with Puljujarvi, they would be acquiring a bigger, faster, and stronger player better suited for the role Hoglander has been pigeonholed into. Hoglander just signed a three-year extension with Vancouver in October, so the Penguins would have the 24-year-old locked in for what is likely to be the end of Crosby's Penguins career, if not his playing days altogether.
As for Puljujarvi, he has one year remaining on his contract at an $800k cap hit. He will add a bit of cap relief for the Canucks, and if he is not a hit in Vancouver, there are no strings attached, and other young Canucks players will get an opportunity to stake claim to an NHL roster spot.