Bo Horvat

Bo Horvat Potentially Out Long-Term; Canucks Recall Chaput, Demko

December 7, 2017 at 11:37 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

As if our “Thankful For” series was a jinx, Bo Horvat was injured in Tuesday’s Vancouver Canucks game and will be out long-term. The team announced the injury is a broken foot, and that he will be out at least “multiple weeks.” Horvat is seeing a specialist to get a more accurate timeline. In light of that, the team has recalled Michael Chaput from the AHL along with Thatcher Demko.

The reason for Demko’s call-up is less obvious. As Patrick Johnson of The Province explains, it most likely is a move to get the Canucks as close to the salary cap as possible before placing Derek Dorsett on long-term injured reserve. That way they can receive the largest benefit from his injury status, and use his entire $2.65MM cap space if need be.

Horvat has been excellent for the Canucks this season, and with Brandon Sutter also currently on injured reserve the team’s depth at center will be tested. The pair were leading the team in ice time among forwards, meaning others like Sam Gagner and Henrik Sedin will need to step up in their absence. Vancouver, who have had an admirable start to the season, will have to find a new way to shut down their opponent’s top players.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Vancouver Canucks

December 6, 2017 at 4:10 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. So far we’ve covered ANA, ARZ, BUF, CGY, CAR, CBJ, COL, DET, LAK, NSH, NJD, NYI, STL, TOR, WSH, and VGK.

What are the Vancouver Canucks most thankful for?

A weak Pacific Division.

Heading into the season, the Pacific Division was expected to be a meat grinder. With the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks all considered legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup, teams like Vancouver and Vegas were just hoping to stay competitive. Those predictions have been turned on their heads, as the Los Angeles Kings pace the division through the first third of the season while the aforementioned “contenders” are struggling to stay above (or even get to) .500.

Vancouver, led by some young stars and a brand new head coach find themselves in third place in the division and currently holding a playoff spot in the Western Conference. For a team expecting to take a hard look at a real rebuild, early success may have changed their minds.

Who are the Canucks most thankful for?

Brock Boeser.

When Boeser suited up for the University of North Dakota on March 24th, 2017 he was preparing to play Boston University in a do-or-die matchup in the NCAA tournament. Little did he know that he’d be scoring the game-winning goal for the Vancouver Canucks a little over 24 hours later. The game against BU went to double overtime before Clayton Keller and Charlie McAvoy hooked up to end UND’s tournament, but Boeser wouldn’t have time to mope. He immediately signed with the Canucks and was in the lineup the next night, scoring his first on a rebound goal after Bo Horvat was stopped on a breakaway.

Boeser hasn’t slowed down since, and now has 17 goals and 30 points in 34 career games. He leads the Canucks in scoring this year—trailed closely by Horvat—and will likely be in the Calder Trophy conversation right until the end. The 20-year old has made such an immediate impact on the team, that they may believe their competitive window has been slid open just a bit more.

What would the Canucks be even more thankful for?

An appearance from Markus Granlund.

Last season, before there was the late-season appearance from Boeser, three other intriguing young forwards were making their mark: Horvat, Sven Baertschi and Granlund. The first two are back doing the things they showed last year, with 20 and 17 points respectively this season. The latter though, Granlund, has been nothing close to the 19-goal man he was a year ago.

The 24-year old Granlund had 32 points in 69 games last season, easily a career high and a sign that his future with the team was bright. After all, 16 of his 19 goals came at even strength (tied with Baertschi for the team lead) and he graded out as arguably the best possession player on the team.

That hasn’t been the case this time around, as Granlund has just five points on the season and has seen those strong possession numbers plummet. He’s been one of the most disappointing pieces on the roster under new coach Travis Green, and it’s no longer clear where exactly he fits long-term. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, and may end up being overlooked as a key piece for the Canucks going forward.

What should be on the Canucks’ Holiday Wish List?

More draft picks and prospects.

Despite their early success, this team is primed to sell at the deadline. We examined their collection of trade deadline assets recently, and the plan shouldn’t be deviated from. There is another wave of talent coming for the Canucks, as shown by the group of six Vancouver prospects that could suit up for their respective countries at this year’s World Junior Championship, but it isn’t enough.

Boeser, Horvat and others are already making an impact at the NHL level but the team still lacks the depth to really compete for the Stanley Cup. Using some expiring (or soon expiring) assets to add to the prospect cupboards could help them get there quicker than many would have believed in the middle of last season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vancouver Canucks

September 24, 2017 at 4:20 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Vancouver Canucks

Current Cap Hit: $73,012,499 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Brock Boeser (Two years remaining, $925K)
F Jake Virtanen (One year remaining, $894K)

Potential Bonuses

Boeser: $850K
Virtanen: $850K

Boeser is one of the Canucks hope for the future. The team’s 2015 first-round pick has been playing exceptionally well in camp and looks ready to take a major role on the team. After two years at the University of North Dakota, Boeser managed to play in nine games for Vancouver last year, putting up four goals and an assist in that span and averaged 2.78 shots per game as well. Virtanen, on the other hand is just trying to cement a starting role on the team. The sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Virtanen has been disappointing and has had trouble finding a role with the club, playing 55 games two years ago and then settling for just 10 games last year. A solid camp so far suggests, he might have turned it around as he looks to take his game to the next level.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Daniel Sedin ($7MM, UFA)
F Henrik Sedin ($7MM, UFA)
D Erik Gudbranson ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Thomas Vanek ($2MM, UFA)
F Sven Baertschi ($1.85MM, RFA)
D Troy Stecher ($925K, RFA)
F Markus Granlund ($900K, RFA)
F Alexander Burmistrov ($900K, RFA)
F Anton Rodin ($700K, UFA)
F Reid Boucher ($688K, RFA)
D Patrick Wiercioch ($625K, UFA)

On a positive note, there are many contracts that are set to expire next year, which could give the Canucks quite a bit of cap space. What the team will do with the Sedin brothers, long-time franchise players, is still up in the air. Rumors that they have no interest in going to a contender to finish out their careers suggest that they may choose to retire or sign up for a much shorter, much cheaper deal with Vancouver. While both have been leading the franchise, their numbers have begun to decline now that they are 36 years old with Daniel Sedin putting up just 15 goals and 44 points a year ago, while brother Henrik also just putting up 15 goals and 51 points.

There are very few potential unrestricted free agents that are critical to the team’s building of the future. While Gudbranson is just 25 years old, the team has shown a willingness to move on from the defenseman and has been talked about in trade rumors all offseason. The former third-overall pick in 2010 didn’t fare well in his first year in Vancouver, suffering a wrist injury and playing in only 30 games. The team may want to move on before they lose him. Vanek, signed late in the offseason, is also likely a trade chip at the trade deadline.

As for restricted free agents, the team still has high hopes that Baertschi will continue to improve. After struggling to break into the Calgary Flames starting unit, Vancouver picked him up and got 15 goals in 2015-16 and another 18 last year. The 24-year-old could easily wind up on the team’s second line and have a big year. Granlund, 24, is another youngster who stepped up a year ago, putting up 19 goals as a full-time starter. Stecher will also be a free agent. The 23-year-old undrafted free agent had a solid rookie season after coming to the Canucks from the University of North Dakota. He is penciled in as a first-line defender. The team also has high hopes they can turn around Burmistrov’s career. The former top-10 pick in 2010 was signed away from Arizona with the hopes he can fill a need in the bottom six.

Two Years Remaining

D Alexander Edler ($5MM, UFA)
D Michael Del Zotto ($3MM, UFA)
D Ben Hutton ($2.8MM, RFA)
G Anders Nilsson ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Derek Dorsett ($2.65MM, UFA)
F Brendan Gaunce ($750K, RFA)

Edler has been a solid defender and a franchise player, having played his entire career in Vancouver. He is still effective, but his offense has slowed down over the last few years as he has had 22 or less points in four of his last five years. The team will have to decide whether to keep the 31-year-old blueliner when his contract is up, but that will likely have more to do with how he plays over the next two years. As for Del Zotto, the team signed him away from Philadelphia this offseason to fill a hole in the defense. Whether or not he can stay healthy is another matter. Hutton continues to develop his offensive game, but has time to do that.

Nilsson was also signed this offseason to challenge for playing time in goal. The 27-year-old was a solid backup in Buffalo, but is hoping for more playing time in Vancouver. As for Gaunce, the 23-year-old has yet to establish himself. He played in 55 games last year, but no goals and five assists will not cut it.

Three Years Remaining

D Chris Tanev ($4.45MM, UFA)
G Jacob Markstrom ($3.67MM, UFA)
F Sam Gagner ($3.15MM, UFA)

Tanev, a stay-at-home defenseman is a solid presence on a weak defense. The 27-year-old has established himself as a great defensive player and is well worth the money he is getting. Markstrom must prove he can handle being a starter. He only played 27 games as a backup, but must now prove he can hold off Nilsson and show he can be a starter in this league. If not, then he is just an expensive backup. Gagner came over from Columbus where he had a solid season, including 18 goals and 50 points.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Loui Eriksson ($6MM through 2021-22)
F Bo Horvat ($5.5MM through 2022-23)
F Brandon Sutter ($4.38MM through 2020-21)

The team is in good shape in that it has few bad contracts that it must deal with on the long-term. However, the team did hand Eriksson a six-year, $36MM deal a year ago as he was coming off a 30-goal season with the Boston Bruins. However, the deal doesn’t look as good after the 32-year-old put up 11 goals in 65 games one year later and the team still owes him quite a bit of money. Horvat, however, is one of the new wave of young stars for Vancouver as the 22-year-old put up a 20-goal, 52 points season a year ago. The team hopes an even bigger breakout may be coming in his third year. Sutter is another one who the team hopes can become more consistent. The 28-year-old wing had 17 goals and 17 assists last year, but injuries have kept him in and out of the lineup, depending on the year.

Buyouts

F Chris Higgins ($833K in 2017-18)

Retained Salary Transactions

G Roberto Luongo ($800K through 2021-22)
F Jannik Hansen ($500K in 2017-18)

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Tanev
Worst Value: Eriksson

Looking Ahead

The Canucks are in a position to build a solid roster after this season. The team should be able to make a big free-agent splash if it wants and begin to build a winner. What this teams seems to lack is young talent, especially on offense. Horvat and Boeser should be great and there are a few others, but the team seems to lack those top young players who will turn the franchise around. That’s because several of their first-rounds like Gaunce, Virtanen haven’t panned out yet, which leaves a gaping hole of talent on the roster. Nevertheless, the team did a solid job bringing in solid role players for reasonable and short deals, which should only make them stronger.

Restricted Free Agents Still To Sign

September 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Originally published on August 8th, and updated as of September 15th.

While the offseason has crawled along, name after name has been knocked off the list of restricted free agents as teams try to put together their roster for next season. With Monday’s signing of Barclay Goodrow by the San Jose Sharks, there are only 20 RFAs remaining unsigned for the 2017-18 season.

Heading that list is still Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak, two young superstars looking for a long-term payday before they turn 22. Each of them scored at least 70 points last season and have established themselves in the top tier around the league. Past them there is still a ton of talent. Alexander Wennberg and Bo Horvat make up the next tier of RFAs, coming off 50+ point seasons and key building blocks for their respective teams down the middle. Both just 22-years old they’ll be important contracts for Columbus and Vancouver to deal with before training camp starts.

After that, the list is dotted with several useful players who should have full-time roles this season along with some who are on the edge of the NHL still. Calgary leads the way with three remaining, while many teams have all their free agents locked up. Below is a list of the remaining free agents, along with their point totals from last year.

Andreas Athanasiou (DET) – 64 GP, 18 G, 11 A, 29 P

Josh Anderson (CBJ) – 78 GP, 17 G, 12 A, 29 P

Nikita Zadorov (COL) – 56 GP, 0 G 10 A, 10 P (Signed, two years, $4.3MM)

Marcus Foligno (MIN) – 80 GP, 13 G, 10 A, 23 P (Signed, four years, $11.5MM)

David Pastrnak (BOS) – 75 GP, 34 G, 36 A, 70 P (Signed, six years, $40MM)

Leon Draisaitl (EDM) – 82 GP, 29 G, 48 A, 77 P (Signed, eight years, $68MM)

Alexander Wennberg (CBJ) – 80 GP, 13 G, 46 A, 59 P (Signed, six years, $29.4MM)

Bo Horvat (VAN) – 81 GP, 20 G, 32 A, 52 P (Signed, six years, $33MM)

Connor Brown (TOR) – 82 GP, 20 G, 16 A, 36 P (Signed, three years, $6.3MM)

Damon Severson (NJD) – 80 GP, 3 G, 28 A, 31 P (Signed, six years, $25MM)

Sam Bennett (CGY) – 81 GP, 13 G, 13 A, 26 P (Signed, two years, $3.9MM)

Zemgus Girgensons (BUF) – 75 GP, 7 G, 9 A, 16 P (Signed, two years, $3.2MM)

Anthony Duclair (ARZ) – 58 GP, 5 G, 10 A, 15 P (Signed, one year, $1.2MM)

Brendan Gaunce (VAN) – 57 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 P (Signed, two years $1.5MM)

Brett Kulak (CGY) – 21 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Robbie Russo (DET) – 19 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, two years, $650K)

Petteri Lindbohm (STL) – 7 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, undisclosed)

Tyler Wotherspoon (CGY) – 4 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Jean-Sebastien Dea (PIT) – 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, $650K)

Tye McGinn (TB) – 0 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P (Signed, one year, undisclosed)

NHL Snapshots: Horvat, Blueger, Witkowski

September 9, 2017 at 5:31 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

After reaching terms to a new six year, $33MM contract yesterday, Vancover Canucks’ forward Bo Horvat is now labeled as a “foundational” piece of the team. But many question how good can the 22-year-old center get. After all, the young star had a solid season a year ago, putting up 20 goals and 32 assists. But how much farther can he take his game?

Mike Halford of The Athletic (subscription required) interviewed his former coach Willie Dejardins about what the potential future of Horvat is, who says that one of Horvat’s top qualities is that being average just isn’t good enough. The veteran coach writes that when he was first drafted, the big knock on him was his lack of skating skills. However, he has been working on those skills for the last few years, including instruction from power-skating expert Kathy McIlvaine. The results were evident when he found himself competing with St. Louis’ speedster Vladimir Tarasenko in the fastest skating event in the All-Star game this past January.

“The speed of his game – when he first came in, he wasn’t a great skater,” Desjardins explained. “And somehow along the line he changed that, and that doesn’t happen very often at that level, or to that degree. That shows a high commitment level.”

Desjardins also points out in the article that Horvat’s greatest gift is his defense, although the metrics don’t show that yet. What he does say is that Horvat’s will to become a great player will push him up among the top centers of the Pacific Division where he will find himself playing against top talent like Connor McDavid and Ryan Kesler daily.

Consider Pittsburgh prospect Teddy Blueger as a potential candidate for that third-line center spot. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette writes that Blueger has worked hard at his skating in the last few years in hopes of breaking into the Pittsburgh Penguins front lines. Although the Penguins could trade for a veteran at any time, Blueger, has the ability to break into that lineup. Having scored 108 points in for years at Minnesota State University – Mankato, putting him in the top 10 all-time in the school’s history, he will have quite a challenge to win a job with the Penguins this year. He will have to compete with veteran Carter Rowney, Jay McClement, Jean-Sebastien Dea and Greg McKegg for that spot.
MLive’s Ansar Khan breaks down Luke Witkowski, who signed this offseason to a two-year deal worth $750K per year. The 27-year-old defenseman played sporadically for the past three years with the Tampa Bay Lightning and now, according to Khan, plan to move him to right wing. Khan writes that unless the team suffers numerous defensive injuries, that Witkowski will not play defense this year. Instead, he will compete with prospect Tyler Bertuzzi for the fourth-line wing spot opposite Riley Sheahan and Luke Glendening and would be a perfect fit as the team’s 13th skater if Bertuzzi makes the team.

Bo Horvat Signs Six-Year Contract With Vancouver Canucks

September 8, 2017 at 9:12 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Vancouver Canucks have signed their young center Bo Horvat today to a six year contract worth $5.5MM per season. Horvat is coming off his entry-level contract, and had discussed everything from two-year bridge deals to eight-year extensions. A long-term deal always seemed like the eventual outcome, and Horvat will be giving up two unrestricted free agent years to stay in Vancouver. The deal contains no signing bonuses or trade protection, and the breakdown is as follows:

2017-18: $6.5MM
2018-19: $7.0MM
2019-20: $5.775MM
2020-21: $3.5MM
2021-22: $5.775MM
2022-23: $4.45MM

The 22-year old Horvat was selected ninth-overall by the Canucks in 2013, and has turned out to be everything the team hoped for. His game is developing into that of a true number one center, capable of leading a team offensively and playing well enough to hold his own in the defensive zone. In just his third season he topped the Canucks with 52 points, coming in just ahead of Henrik Sedin in a metaphorical passing of the torch. The Sedins, so long the faces of the Vancouver franchise, will start to take a back seat to Horvat and the other young stars coming through the system.

Horvat was never expected to be a dynamic, league-leading type of offensive player. Even in London, where he played his junior hockey with the Knights in the OHL, he took on a two-way role behind Max Domi (now with the Arizona Coyotes) and other offensive stars. He used a heavy frame to do his fair share of scoring, but now there may be even more upside to his game. Horvat’s 20 goals included just three on the powerplay, a number that is sure to increase as the Sedin’s move on. Interestingly, it also included two short-handed goals, an area which he’ll likely excel throughout his career. Like Mikko Koivu in Minnesota, being a number 1 isn’t always about putting up 80+ point seasons.

The $5.5MM cap hit is a reasonable number for the Canucks, as other players are being paid more and more just out of the entry-level deals. Horvat’s contract will come in at the same amount as Jonathan Drouin, a fellow 2013 draftee that had similar production last year. While Drouin has considerable offensive upside, he also hasn’t proven himself at center thus far in his career. He’ll have a chance to do that in Montreal this year, but Horvat will likely remain the more natural player in the middle. Alexander Wennberg, another comparable to Horvat just signed a six-year deal for only $4.9MM, which looks better and better for the Blue Jackets as the weeks go on.

Vancouver doesn’t have a ton to worry about cap-wise at the moment, as this will mark the last year of the Sedin’s current contracts and with it will open up $14MM. With the team rebuilding, there will be plenty of room to fit Horvat’s number in going forward. If he takes another step offensively this could even look like one of the biggest bargains in a few years, especially if the salary cap goes up in the coming years (which is far from guaranteed).

Bob McKenzie of TSN first gave us the details and confirmed the deal was done.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Daly, Deadline, Horvat

September 7, 2017 at 12:31 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

In one of the more interesting pieces of hockey journalism this summer, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic shadowed NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly for an entire day, chronicling his routine and the sort of things he has to deal with on a daily basis. LeBrun was obviously pushed out of the room on several occasions, but was also allowed some internal league access rarely given to media members in any sport.

One of the more interesting things (in a piece filled with them) is that the league has yet to create a memo to explain to teams the penalty for any player that leaves the league for the Olympics mid-season. Even though there have been various players threatening to go anyway, Daly and the league “don’t believe it’s going to be an issue.” The likely result of any country trying to use an NHL athlete would be disqualification from the tournament, as the IIHF has made it clear they will honor the league’s decision to not attend.

The NHL Trade Deadline will be Monday, February 26th this season, the day after the gold medal game at the Olympics. That gives any player who is in Europe or on an AHL contract enough time to sign with a team and be eligible for the NHL playoffs. Remember, teams can still technically make trades and signings after the deadline, but any player not on their reserve list (which includes unsigned draft picks) by then are ineligible for the postseason. Jaromir Jagr, for instance, could play in the Olympics and still have a chance to suit up for an NHL club down the stretch.
Elliotte Friedman joined Sportsnet 650 radio this morning, and spoke about the incoming Bo Horvat contract. The deal for Horvat seems imminent, and Friedman thinks that a long-term deal “is better for both the player and the team. “ He also points to Jonathan Drouin’s six-year contract with a $5.5MM salary, and Aleksander Barkov’s $5.9MM cap hit as potential comparable numbers for each side. Horvat is currently a restricted free agent, but is the new face of the Vancouver Canucks franchise.

Morning Notes: Jets, Karlsson, Horvat

September 6, 2017 at 10:36 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is hearing that there are incoming extensions for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice, keeping the duo in Winnipeg for the next few years. The Jets came closer to the playoffs than many remember last year, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with 87 points. With a young group of forwards led by Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, the Jets will be a tough contender in the battle for the playoffs once again. With Steve Mason in net, perhaps they’ll finally get the goaltending required to take the next step.

In terms of Cheveldayoff, his biggest task in the near future could once again be Jacob Trouba. After a holdout last season that leaked into November and came with a trade demand, Trouba eventually signed a two-year $6MM contract with the Jets and went on to have an excellent season in an increased role. Trouba’s complaints were mostly about playing time and future, and it seems that he’s now passed Tyler Myers on the depth chart in Winnipeg. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s enough to get Trouba to sign a long-term deal next summer, or if the young defenseman again wants out of town.

Erik Karlsson hasn’t resumed skating according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, and still isn’t sure if he’ll be ready for opening day. Karlsson underwent surgery on his foot and ankle in June and was given a four month timeline for recovery. Karlsson is part of the media tour for the NHL and NHLPA’s Declaration of Principals, which hope to help establish guidelines for inclusivity from minor hockey to the professional ranks. Dan Rosen of NHL.com has the entire Declaration, which apparently was the brainchild of Pat Lafontaine and Luc Robitaille after a trip to the Vatican. The announcement even included a letter from the Pope endorsing the program.
Bob McKenzie of TSN returned from his summer vacation to give us a bit of information on the ongoing Bo Horvat negotiations. He believes the two sides are closing in on a deal, and speculates it would be in the range of six or seven years at a salary between $5-6MM. We’ve heard that the Vancouver Canucks and Horvat have discussed everything from a bridge deal to an eight-year contract, with the latter seeming less likely. Horvat is one of several high profile free agents left to sign, but there never seemed to be much doubt that a contract would eventually be signed.

West Notes: Horvat, Auvitu, Stars

September 4, 2017 at 12:31 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Canucks are hopeful to get a contract in place for Bo Horvat within the next week, GM Jim Benning told Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver (audio link). He classified recent discussions as “going well” and that progress was made on a deal last week.

Horvat is one of the most prominent remaining restricted free agents after a season that saw him record 52 points (20-32-52) in 81 games to lead the team in scoring. With the Sedin twins nearing the end of their careers, the 22-year-old is set to lead Vancouver’s forward group for years to come so it’s likely that a long-term deal is still being targeted. There were suggestions late last week that a bridge deal was all but done but Canucks team president Trevor Linden denied that a short-term pact was in place. Cap space shouldn’t be a factor as the team still has more than $5MM in room to work with per CapFriendly (an amount that will go up as their roster size shrinks closer to 23).

West Notes: Stars, Perreault, Horvat

September 1, 2017 at 8:49 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With the Stars adding Martin Hanzal this summer to a center group that already featured Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza, it seemed like there was going to be somewhat of a logjam, especially with Hanzal receiving top-six money ($4.75MM). Speaking with Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News, head coach Ken Hitchcock indicated that the team views Hanzal as someone who will strictly play down the middle while it will be Spezza that will shift to the left wing. Hitchcock did add that he envisions Spezza will still see some time at his natural position and that Radek Faksa, a natural center in his own right, is also a candidate to shift to the wing and could potentially line up alongside Hanzal.

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