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Thomas Vanek

East Notes: Maple Leafs, Penguins, Bruins, Kukan, Foligno

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While the Maple Leafs have been linked to Red Wings center Luke Glendening, the team is also pursuing defensive depth in advance of the trade deadline, reports Postmedia’s Lance Hornby.  Pittsburgh’s Ian Cole has been speculated as a fit for Toronto previously but it’s looking less likely that he will be moved now and while Matt Hunwick – who is believed to now be available – is familiar with their system, the remaining term on his contract may be a concern.  The Leafs have room to fit someone in under the cap through LTIR this season but with their notable expiring contracts and core youngsters needing new deals fairly soon, a rental player may be the best way for them to go.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Penguins GM Jim Rutherford acknowledged to Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he came into the season hoping to hold onto their first-round pick but that he is open to moving it in advance of the trade deadline. That would be somewhat of a rarity for them as they’ve held one at the draft just once in the past five years.  The player they took with that selection was Kasperi Kapanen back in 2014 who was dealt to Toronto just over a year later as part of the Phil Kessel trade.
  • The Bruins have Canucks winger Thomas Vanek on their radar, reports Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston. It’s believed that Boston is on the lookout for some depth on the wing and Vanek is the highest-scoring pending UFA that is likely to be moved by the deadline (his 40 points are two higher than Buffalo’s Evander Kane).  Vanek carries a $2MM cap hit while the Bruins can add roughly $2.5MM in a full-season cap charge on deadline day, per CapFriendly.
  • Blue Jackets defenseman Dean Kukan suffered an upper-body injury in today’s game against Pittsburgh, the team announced (Twitter link). If he is projected to miss any time, that may play an impact on Ryan Murray’s conditioning stint which just kicked off  Kukan has held his own with Columbus since being recalled, posting four assists in nine games while logging just shy of 13 minutes per night.  Also injured in the game was winger Nick Foligno, who the team noted (via Twitter) has a lower-body issue.  While he has had a quieter year offensively compared to recent seasons, any prolonged absence would be a big concern for the Blue Jackets, who find themselves on the outside looking in at the postseason.

Trade Candidate: Thomas Vanek

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With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.

New coach, new expectations, but in the end, the Vancouver Canucks don’t look that much different. Vancouver finds themselves in seventh place in the Pacific Division, once again not competing for a playoff spot. The Canucks had higher expectations this year when they decided to add some veteran depth to the team in hopes it might spark their young core to play at a higher level. The team does have hope as they have a large amount of talented young prospects that aren’t too far away from joining the team over the next few years, but they must answer the question if they want to move out veteran scorer Thomas Vanek.

Contract

Dec 19, 2017; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks right wing Thomas Vanek (26) skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at Rogers Arena. The Canadiens won 7 - 5. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Vanek is currently finishing up the one-year contract he signed this offseason with Vancouver at $2MM. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

2017-18

At age 34, many teams believed that Vanek’s game may have passed him by and many of those teams chose to look elsewhere this offseason. He wasn’t signed until Sept. 1 by Vancouver, but he continues to prove that he can score in this league. He currently has 16 goals in 56 games and has impressed management to the point that they are considering re-signing him to an extension.

While Vanek has been fortunate enough to play on a line with rookie sensation Brock Boeser, the veteran has shown he can still score clutch goals and set up his teammates as well. He is quite versatile and is capable of playing anywhere in the lineup if needed. His lack of speed, however, doesn’t help him.

Season Stats

55 GP, 15 goals, 22 assists, 37 points, -15 rating, 24 PIM, 102 shots, 13:59 ATOI, 44.7 CF%

Potential Suitors

Vanek could have a number of suitors, because of the fact that he won’t be very costly. The Detroit Red Wings, who traded away Vanek at the trade deadline a year ago, only received an average prospect and a third-round pick from the Florida Panthers. So, many teams that are short on salary cap space and picks may find Vanek to be an interesting option, ranging from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Nashville Predators.

One possibility could be the Boston Bruins, who are desperate for depth on the wings. Vanek might be a good fit to join the Bruins second or even third line and provide even more offense during a playoff run. His penalty killing skills might also be helpful for Boston as well.

Likelihood Of A Trade

It’s more of a 50-50 proposition. The team could easily find a take for Vanek, but will the Canucks get true value for him? Perhaps if the team can get a second-rounder for Vanek, then it might be worth it, but at the same time, there are rumors that Daniel Sedin and his brother Henrik Sedin are considering returning for another year next season. The question then is, should they keep Vanek around for another year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

West Notes: Blackhawks, Domi, Nilsson, Vanek

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After years of being active buyers at the trade deadline, it looks like the Blackhawks won’t be doing so this season.  They currently sit in last place in the Central Division and are eight points out of a playoff spot.  Despite that, Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times cautions that Chicago isn’t likely to be overly active on the seller front either.

In terms of their pending free agents, there aren’t prominent ones that would draw considerable interest though blueliners like Jan Rutta and Michal Kempny could be of interest to teams looking for depth.  One defender that they would likely want to move is Brent Seabrook who has struggled this season and still has six years left on his contract at $6.875MM.  However, even if the Blackhawks could find a trade match, Lazerus reports that there is no way Seabrook would consider waiving his no-move clause to facilitate a deal.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports spoke with Coyotes GM John Chayka regarding a report from last week that center Max Domi is available. Chayka clarified that they are not shopping the 22-year-old but that he would “listen on anything”.  Domi is in the midst of his worst season with just three goals in 54 games but it’s hard to imagine that Arizona would be willing to sell low on him at this point.
  • Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province notes that the Canucks have been looking to move goaltender Anders Nilsson. However, he has had quite the rough season, posting a 3.50 GAA and a .903 SV% in 17 appearances this season and has another year left on his deal with a $2.5MM cap hit.  Even though there were four other teams that had interest in him during the summer, it’s hard to imagine those teams will still want him now with the season he is having.
  • Botchford also adds that the Predators might be a team to watch for when it comes to winger Thomas Vanek. He reports that Nashville showed interest in him during the summer and that Vanek’s decision may very well have come between them and the Canucks.  It’s widely expected that Vancouver will be moving the 34-year-old and he would fit in nicely in a bottom-six role with the Predators if they can reach an agreement on a move.

All Options Still Open For Thomas Vanek

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When the Vancouver Canucks signed Thomas Vanek late into the offseason, most believed it was a move designed for the trade deadline. Vanek could be given ample opportunity on the rebuilding Canucks, and be sold off to the highest bidder like the previous season. Recently though, there have been rumblings about a potential extension instead, as Vanek has fit in very well in Vancouver and taken on a sort of mentor role with young Brock Boeser. When Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 caught up with Vanek’s agent he wouldn’t rule any possibility out:

All options are on the table including being traded by Vancouver and re-signing with the Canucks in the summer.

That would seem to be the best option for the Canucks as they continue to try and build up a core for head coach Travis Green to take to the next level. Though Vanek has obviously found chemistry with some of the younger players, his value on the trade market likely outweighs any influence he’d have on them down the stretch.

Vanek was dealt last season for a third-round pick after a similar impressive start to the season with the Detroit Red Wings, only to find a little less room to operate for the Florida Panthers. The 34-year old is making even less money this season and could be added to a team looking for some powerplay help down the stretch, but there is still quite a few red flags in his game.

Never one to be referred to as an elite competitor, Vanek has been called out in the past for a perceived lack of effort at times. Though he’s not a defensive stalwart, 15 goals and 37 points is nothing to overlook. Any acquiring team will have to admit his flaws as well as recognize his strengths, but nothing he’s done in Vancouver has hurt his stock.

Pacific Notes: Quick, McNabb, Oilers, Vanek

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Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick will not participate in the All-Star Game this weekend, Sportsnet’s John Shannon was first to report (Twitter link).  He’s dealing with a nagging injury and will take the time to rest.  Per league rules, Quick will be ineligible to dress for the first game after the break since he is still slated to dress as the backup for their game tonight against Calgary.  Shannon adds that Flames netminder Mike Smith is expected to be named to the All-Star Game as Quick’s replacement.

More notes from the Pacific Division:

  • Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury that was sustained in Tuesday’s game against Columbus, notes Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He’s expected to be out for their game on Thursday versus the Islanders.  Blueliner Jason Garrison has been recalled from AHL Chicago and is expected to play in his first NHL game since October 13th.
  • Even though they’ve already made a move to add a goaltender in Al Montoya, James O’Brien of NBC’s Pro Hockey Talk makes the case that the Oilers should look into adding another netminder. Cam Talbot has struggled considerably as of late and is only signed for one more year after this one, similar to Montoya.  If GM Peter Chiarelli has reservations about whether or not Talbot is the right fit for them for the long-term, they would be wise to look into someone who could take on more of the workload, especially since they will have expectations of trying to contend next season.
  • Although Canucks winger Thomas Vanek was only able to land a third-round pick (plus depth defender Dylan McIlrath) in a trade at the deadline last year, Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province suggests that Vancouver GM Jim Benning should be asking for a higher return one year later in the form of a second-round pick. Vanek has been a valuable veteran for the Canucks and sits second on the team in scoring with 35 points (14-21-35) in 48 games.  For comparison, Vanek had played in 48 games last season with Detroit before they moved him to Florida and in that span, the 34-year-old had collected 38 points (15-23-38).

2018 Midseason UFA Power Rankings: 11-20

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With the halfway point of the season now behind us and the trade deadline fast approaching, it’s time to take a preliminary look at the UFA Class of 2018.  Here is the first half of our top-20 rankings, based on votes from writers Gavin Lee, Brian La Rose, Nate Brown, Zach Leach and Holger Stolzenberg. We’ll run numbers 1-10 tomorrow, and release an honorable mention group on Friday.

11. David Perron, F, Vegas Golden Knights — When Perron was scoring 20 goals as a 21-year old in St. Louis, he likely wouldn’t have believed that he’d be joining his sixth NHL team just a few days after his 30th birthday. That’s what could happen this summer if Perron isn’t re-signed by the Vegas Golden Knights, and he hits the open market as one of the most consistent forwards available. The winger has 34 points in 37 games and could realistically set a new career-high should he stay healthy down the stretch. For teams looking for secondary scoring from a do-it-all forward, Perron is the easy answer.

12. Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks — Thornton ranked #3 on our midseason list last season, and ended up taking a one-year, $8MM deal to stay in San Jose. This summer could be much of the same, after he proves his seven-goal 2016-17 was just a fluke. Thornton is still one of the great setup men in the league, and has 32 points in 43 games on the year. After playing through torn knee ligaments in the playoffs, he’s shown off inexplicable health once again by suiting up for all 43 games. At 39 next year there is still time for him to bring home that elusive Stanley Cup.

13. Patric Hornqvist, F, Pittsburgh Penguins — We’ve seen the Penguins lose key players to free agency in the past, and if they can’t find the salary room to fit Hornqvist in there won’t be a shortage of teams calling his agent on July 1st. The 31-year old has never scored fewer than 21 goals in a season in which he played at least 64 games, and it doesn’t look like that streak will end this year. A weapon in front of the net on the powerplay and still capable at both ends of the rink, Hornqvist comes with the added bonus of some recent Stanley Cup experience.

14. Tyler Bozak, C, Toronto Maple Leafs — There’s a lot to like in Bozak’s profile, as an elite faceoff man with solid offensive upside, but he does come with some risk. No one would ever claim he’s a defensive specialist, and his game has slowed considerably over the past few seasons. He also will hit the open market at 32, and has seen his minutes diminished this season. Still, a 40-50 point center with plenty of powerplay experience will be an exciting prospect for a team looking to upgrade their depth down the middle.

15. Rick Nash, F, New York Rangers — Nash has certainly not lived up to his $7.8MM cap hit this season (or the last few), but there will surely be some teams convinced they can bring out some of the greatness that was once so apparent. The 427-goal man has just 11 this season, but can still skate well and kill penalties. Like fellow 33-year old Eric Staal, who has found a career renaissance after a stint in New York (albeit a much shorter one), Nash could be a sneaky bargain on the open market for a team willing to take a chance.

16. Thomas Vanek, F, Vancouver Canucks — Vanek was actually #8 on this list last season, but had to settle for a one-year deal with Vancouver after waiting until September to sign. This year, he’s done what he’s always done and continued to find a way to put up points despite obvious red flags in his game. With 32 points in 45 games and nice chemistry building with Brock Boeser, the Canucks could decide to keep him on for another few seasons as they continue their rebuild. If not, his market is about as easy to predict as the lottery numbers.

17. Patrick Maroon, F, Edmonton Oilers — After last year’s breakout playing mostly with Connor McDavid, Maroon looked like a key piece to the Oilers success going forward. Just a few months into the 2017-18 season though, and he looks like a sure-fire deadline rental with an unclear future. Save for the 27-goal output Maroon had last season, he has scored just 45 goals in 264 career games. If those point totals can creep back up in the second half, maybe someone believes he can be a real top-six option on a multi-year deal.

18. Zdeno Chara, D, Boston Bruins — He’ll be 41. He’s lost much of his mobility. He’s on pace for one of the worst offensive seasons of his career. But he’s still 6’9″ and logging more than 23 minutes a night for the Bruins. Chara isn’t the perennial Norris candidate of a decade ago, but there’s no reason why he can’t be an effective option going forward. He’s still a capable defenseman at even strength and one of the top penalty killing options in the league. With a reduced role he could be even more effective. It would be shocking to see him make it to the open market, but stranger things have happened.

19. Jack Johnson, D, Columbus Blue Jackets — The fact that Johnson wasn’t even in the top-20 of two ballots shows just how far he’s fallen in recent years. Once seen as an integral part of the Blue Jackets blueline, with the ability to quarterback a powerplay and log huge minutes, he’s now asked for a trade out of Columbus to get a bigger role somewhere else. At 31, there’s a real chance that his game may have taken a drastic negative turn and teams could stay away from giving him a long-term contract.

20. Daniel Sedin, F, Vancouver Canucks — Interestingly it’s Daniel, not Henrik Sedin that finds himself in the final spot on our rankings despite the latter having more points this season. Though his twin only missed the cut by a few spots, it’s likely Daniel’s better goal total (ten, to Henrik’s two) that makes up the difference. They won’t be going anywhere separately, but it would be a real shame to see them as part of a franchise other than Vancouver at this point in their careers. At 38 to start the 2018-19 season, it might be Canucks or bust.

Pacific Notes: Vancouver’s Defense, Kane, Muzzin, Sekera

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The Vancouver Canucks have been hurting for offense for quite some time. Yet despite adding veteran Thomas Vanek and rookie sensation Brock Boeser to the team’s lineup, the team is ranked 27th in the league in scoring. The Vancouver Sun’s Jason Botchford writes that the main reason is due to the defense’s inability to move the puck forward and help create offense.

Vancouver lacks a true offensive defenseman as the team seems to have little, but defensive blueliners in their rotations. The team’s top offensive defenseman is offseason acquisition Michael Del Zotto, who has 12 points this year, but Botchford says that the 27-year-old has rarely been the answer this season. The teams had hoped that third-year defenseman Ben Hutton might improve on his rookie year’s 25 points. Yet he has no goals and just six assists so far this year. Alexander Edler also has failed to improve on his offense as well.

Botchford says the team does have one possibility in AHL’s Philip Holm, who has seven goals and 19 points in 30 games this year in Utica. However, the team has not used him this year despite their need for an offensive spark. The team has a logjam of defenders and a trade deadline deal to move out Erik Gudbranson might be the best thing for the Canucks as it would allow the team to start playing the 26-year-old Holm.

  • The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) writes that while he believes that San Jose Sharks might be interested in acquiring Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane at the trade deadline, there are definitely some issues with doing that. While Kane would provide the Sharks an immediate top scorer (his 35 points would make him San Jose’s top point-getter) which could offer the Sharks the depth needed to field three solid lines, there are other factors San Jose would have to consider before making a trade. The current asking price by Buffalo is a first-rounder, a top prospect and a conditional pick. The team lacks resources as they attempt to retool their franchise, so moving those three assets would be tough to do. On top of that, the team would have to have confidence to re-sign Kane to a long-term deal and would they want to do that. He has a history of concerning incidents in his past, including a recent scuffle with teammate Justin Falk. Would the team want to sign him to a seven or eight year deal?
  • Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin is listed as doubtful, according to Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen. Muzzin, who had played in a consecutive 281 games, broke that streak last Saturday when he missed a game against Nashville with an undisclosed injury. He is not expected to play tonight against the Ducks, but is making progress.
  • Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal grades the performances of all the Oilers after Friday’s victory over Arizona and points out the defenseman Andrej Sekera has improved every game he’s played since returning and is already looking more as himself since returning from a torn ACL.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vancouver Canucks

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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.

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Snapshots: Duchene, Malone, Vanek, Kennedy

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As the calendar has turned to September, TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested to WGR 550 in Buffalo (audio link) that there may be some heat on Avalanche GM Joe Sakic to get something done regarding Matt Duchene’s situation over the next two weeks.  Doing so would avoid any concerns about Duchene having to report to training camp with the team which could make for an awkward situation given how long this process has dragged out.

Dreger noted that he hasn’t heard any suggestions that Duchene or his agent Pat Brisson have told Sakic that he wouldn’t report to Avalanche training camp if he isn’t dealt by then.  However, that could change over the next couple of weeks if there is no traction made on a trade by then if Duchene feels that could help to expedite the process.

Other notes from around the hockey world:

  • Ryan Malone’s PTO deal with the Wild came as somewhat of a surprise considering he hasn’t played professionally since 2014-15. However, it doesn’t appear as if the focus is on landing a spot with Minnesota but rather an AHL deal in the hopes of earning an Olympic spot.  Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that Malone has been in contact with USA Hockey officials about that in recent days and that Pittsburgh and New Jersey had also expressed an interest in inking him to a minor league deal.
  • Thomas Vanek’s one-year, $2MM contract with the Canucks does not contain any no-trade protection, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link). With many expecting Vancouver to be on the outside looking in at a playoff position, there’s a good chance that he could be on the move once again by the trade deadline.  At the deadline last season, Detroit landed a third round pick and defenseman Dylan McIlrath from Florida in exchange for Vanek.
  • After spending part of last season with AHL Rochester, winger Tim Kennedy is looking for a new place to play. He told Bill Hoppe of the Buffalo Hockey Beat that he was hoping to remain in Buffalo’s organization but that the removal of Tim Murray as GM ended that idea.  Kennedy added that he is in talks with three different teams about a contract for the upcoming season.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Thomas Vanek

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One of the long free agent waits of the offseason is finally over; the Vancouver Canucks have signed Thomas Vanek to a one-year contract worth $2MM. The deal will come in at a lower amount than his $2.4MM pact with the Detroit Red Wings from last season, even after Vanek put up a solid 48-point season. He’ll hit the open market once again next summer.

[Related: Updated Canucks Depth Chart]

Teams who want a little extra offense and are close to the playoffs could have used Vanek’s powerplay and shootout prowess in a sheltered role, but another option was always a team like Vancouver signing him only to flip him for an asset at trade time. Like Detroit last season, the Canucks could give Vanek ample opportunities to rack up points in the first half of the season, only to send him to a bubble team for a draft pick come February. Vanek netted the Red Wings a third-round pick (and Dylan McIlrath) last year, more than enough return for a relatively small amount of money.

The Canucks are in rebuild mode after struggling again last season, but have brought in several high upside players that could be used in this manner already this summer. Sam Gagner, Michael Del Zotto and Alexander Burmistrov could each fetch a solid return on the market either this year or next should they show any improvement, and Vanek could be much of the same. As the team waits out Daniel and Henrik Sedin’s contracts and looks to build towards a future centered on Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, Olli Juolevi and Elias Pettersson, signing tradeable assets can only accelerate the process.

Horvat’s extension now enters the spotlight, as the team will have somewhere around $7MM in cap space depending on which forwards they move off the roster before the season starts. They currently have 15 forwards on one-way contracts, not including Horvat or Boeser, who is expected to stay with the team all year. While there likely will be some injuries in training camp, it does look like Vancouver will have to make a move or try and sneak a few players through waivers.

Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 first got confirmation that the Canucks were “in the mix” on Vanek.

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