When the Vancouver Canucks signed a number of free agents last offseason, at least one of them seem destined to play less than a season with the club. Thomas Vanek, signed to a one-year $2MM deal at the beginning of September, would be suiting up for the seventh team of his career and could easily be flipped a few months later.
As Vancouver heads towards the trade deadline, the case for trading Vanek is clear. The Canucks sit near the bottom of the Western Conference once again, and the 34-year old winger has had an excellent season alongside superstar rookie Brock Boeser. With 40 points in 59 games, Vanek could be seen as one of the best plug-and-play offensive pieces on the market. He was dealt last deadline with a similar point total for a third-round pick, which provides good insight into what he might be worth in the next week.
Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver tweets that the Anaheim Ducks could have interest in Vanek, and relates that they considered signing him at one point in the offseason. Dhaliwal reports that Vanek’s representation will speak with Vancouver GM Jim Benning tomorrow about his future with the Canucks.
Obviously, Vanek could re-sign with the Canucks at some point instead. Just recently Benning told the media that he’d be signing some veterans to help his young players develop over the next few years, and with Vanek’s obvious chemistry with Boeser he could be a prime candidate. Trading a player and hoping to re-sign him in the offseason is always tricky, though that possibility remains.
For Anaheim, Vanek has always seemed like a nice fit. The team could use some help on their powerplay which ranks 25th in the league, and a boost of secondary scoring without giving up a ton of assets. Still, Ducks’ GM Bob Murray has been clear that he won’t be spending big on rentals if his team didn’t show they were real Stanley Cup contenders, and despite recent wins still sit right in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot.
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I would love for the Bruins to acquire Vanek. Not only does he come with excellent veteran leadership but he has playoff experience and can be very productive. Given how the Canucks are out of it pretty much and he is a free agent I doubt he would cost much.
Probably looking at a third or a fourth round pick. Maybe another late pick/conditional pick/mid-level prospect as well. I doubt it climbs into a second round pick/good prospect territory unless a bidding war breaks out.
I think a second pick is viable option, I could definitely see it
18 4th and 19 6th/7th depending on production sounds about right.
The only issue with the Bruins is available cap space. Vanek probably represents the best option for them given his salary and offensive output. It’s not a matter of what Vanek might be worth….it’s more a matter of what Boston is willing to pay to get him.
A bruins 2nd rounder could very easily be close to 3rd round anyway.
Nobody will move until Nash and/or Kane has set the bar
The Rangers won’t get much for Nash given he’s a free agent and the money still owed to him this season. Unless there is a bidding war between teams but I doubt anyone gives up much for only perhaps a few months worth of Nash who I want nowhere near Boston.
I mean teams trade for pending free agents all the time (especially in the NHL where teams even trade for the rights of the guys a few weeks before they become a free agent). The Rangers won’t be able to get their asking price (first rounder plus a high prospect plus something else) without eating half of that contract and even then I doubt it happens. But Nash should be moved by the deadline since he can contribute. Sure he’s not the 40 goal scorer that he was in the past, but he’s still a solid, if unspectacular, offensive player who can generate chances. Plus he can be thrown onto a team’s PK as he’s actually a pretty solid defensive forward now. His cap hit is realistically the biggest obstacle as the playoff teams have to have some space to absorb some of his contract.
conditional 4th rd pick, that moves up to 3d rd if Ducks make the conference finals. Let’s get it done Murray!