- Tuesday’s trade acquisition Mark Friedman will join the Vancouver Canucks on their upcoming road trip, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports. His recall likely spells the end of 24-year-old Akito Hirose’s time on the NHL roster, as he does not require waivers to return to AHL Abbotsford, and Vancouver is now carrying eight healthy defensemen on the roster with Carson Soucy now expected to make his season debut today against the Flyers. Friedman has appeared in two games thus far in 2023-24, both with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording no points and a -1 rating.
Canucks Rumors
Penguins Acquire Jack Rathbone From Canucks
The Penguins have acquired once-promising defense prospect Jack Rathbone from the Canucks and minor-league forward Karel Plasek, per a team release. In return, the Canucks receive a pair of players designated for AHL Abbotsford in defenseman Mark Friedman and forward Ty Glover.
Rathbone and Friedman will report to their new teams’ respective AHL affiliates, while Plasek and Glover will report to their new teams’ respective ECHL affiliates.
While a fourth-round pick in 2017, Rathbone’s stock as a prospect rose wildly in the 2019-20 season after recording 31 points in 28 games during his sophomore campaign at Harvard. He then turned pro with Ivy League schools shutting down in 2020 due to COVID, but he didn’t play much – just eight games with Vancouver and eight with AHL Utica, instead spending most of the season on the taxi squad.
2021-22 saw him put together an incredible rookie season in the minors, again notching over a point per game with Abbotsford – although he was held without a point in a nine-game NHL call-up. That led to optimism he would become a full-time fixture on the Canucks’ blueline in 2022-23, but it wasn’t to be. He played just 11 NHL games, recording two points, and his production took a significant step back in the minors – just five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 37 contests. He has a goal through two games with Abbotsford this season.
He’ll now try and get back on track with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he joins another young defenseman looking to reclaim his game – 2018 first-round pick Ty Smith, who’s just a year removed from posting back-to-back 20-point years with the New Jersey Devils. The 24-year-old Rathbone is a pending restricted free agent who’s owed a rather pricey qualifying offer of $997.5K this summer.
Pittsburgh also receives the 23-year-old Plasek, a Canucks sixth-round selection in 2019. He only has one season in North America under his belt – an injury-plagued 2021-22 campaign that saw him play eight games for AHL Abbotsford, failing to record a point. On loan with HC Olomouc in the Czech Extraliga last season, Plasek recorded six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 31 contests.
Vancouver’s return is not puny – Friedman is a two-way defender who excels defensively at the minor-league level and can provide reliable bottom-pairing minutes in a pinch. The 27-year-old pending UFA is signed to a one-way contract this season but cleared waivers pre-season with the Penguins. He appeared in 23 games for the Penguins in 2022-23, recording a goal and two assists while averaging 14:27 per game. He has the most career NHL games of anyone involved in this trade, with 65.
Glover, 23, was an undrafted free agent signing by Pittsburgh in 2022 after a pair of campaigns with Western Michigan University. He spent all of 2022-23 at the AHL level with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 49 contests. However, he failed to crack the AHL squad out of camp this season and was assigned to ECHL Wheeling before the trade, although he’ll now likely join Vancouver’s affiliate at that level, the Kalamazoo Wings.
Ilya Mikheyev, Carson Soucy Close To Returning To Play
William Carrier was spotted in a no-contact jersey at Vegas’ Monday practice, taking reps in his usual fourth-line role. He’s been announced as a game-time decision for the team’s next game. Of note, fellow Golden Knight Alex Pietrangelo was absent from the practice. Pietrangelo had a scary moment in the team’s Thursday night game against the San Jose Sharks when a high hit from Nicolas Hague left the defender bloodied.
Pietrangelo missed the team’s subsequent game and was announced as day-to-day, although the exact nature of the injury wasn’t disclosed. It appears he’s still grappling with this ailment as the team prepares for their October 17th game. Pietrangelo has recorded one point through two appearances so far this season. Kaedan Korczak stepped in for the injured Pietrangelo, playing in 14 minutes in the alternate captain’s absence.
Vegas has also sent Jonas Rondbjerg to the AHL, now that Brett Howden’s suspension has expired.
Other Pacific Division injury notes:
- Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News has shared that defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic won’t play in the team’s Tuesday night matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. Vlasic missed the team’s Monday morning practice, after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period of the Sharks’ Saturday night game against the Colorado Avalanche. Vlasic scored 18 points in 78 games for the Sharks during the 2022-23 season, his 17th season with the club.
- Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet shared optimism on Ilya Mikheyev’s injury, saying there’s a chance he will play on the team’s upcoming four-game road trip. Tocchet also shared that Carson Soucy will be a game-time decision for the team’s upcoming match against the Flyers.
Canucks Receiving Interest In Conor Garland
The Vancouver Canucks are receiving interest from multiple teams after granting forward Conor Garland permission to seek a trade earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported last night on Saturday Headlines. Friedman singled out the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets as parties that have displayed interest but said there are likely other teams that have called the Canucks.
Garland logged a highlight-reel goal in the Canucks’ season-opener last week, but he’s been otherwise held off the scoresheet through two games and has been used quite sparingly by head coach Rick Tocchet. He’s played less than ten minutes in each of the team’s first two contests against the Oilers, and it’s becoming clear there’s no path to any significant role for Garland in Vancouver. The 27-year-old carries a $4.95MM cap hit through the 2025-26 season and has a history of strong middle-six production, something he’s likely to rediscover in a new environment, given his historically strong underlying numbers.
Canucks Injury Notes: Blueger, Soucy, Mikheyev
Patrick Johnston of The Vancouver Province is reporting that Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger injury status has been changed to week to week. Blueger was originally thought to have a bruised knee, but apparently will not travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Blueger originally suffered the injury when he blocked a shot back on October 6th in a preseason game against the Calgary Flames. He joined the Canucks two days later for practice but lasted just 15 minutes before the injury caused him to leave.
The injury will force Blueger to further delay his regular season debut with the Canucks after a solid preseason had fans feeling optimistic about his upcoming season with the team. Blueger signed a one-year $1.9MM contract with the Canucks on July 1st after a disappointing season last year split between the Vegas Golden Knights and Pittsburgh Penguins. Blueger posted just four goals and 12 assists last year in 63 games while being deployed largely as a fourth-line center and penalty-kill specialist.
In other Canucks injury notes:
- The Canucks injury news isn’t all bad. The Vancouver Province posted that injured defenseman Carson Soucy skated with the Canucks yesterday in a non-contact jersey and will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. Soucy also took part in extra skating drills before practice as he tries to get into game shape. Soucy was originally injured a week ago in a preseason game against the Flames and was thought to be out week to week but could be back sooner than later.
- The Vancouver Province reported that Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev has gone from practicing with the team in a regular jersey to a non-contact jersey. The 29-year-old had been in a regular jersey for almost a week but was downgraded yesterday for an undisclosed reason. The Canucks thought earlier in the week that Mikheyev might be ready for the Canucks October 17th game against the Philadelphia Flyers but given the setback that return now seems unlikely. Like Soucy, Mikheyev took extra skating before the team’s practice yesterday as he tries to get into game shape.
Jack Studnicka Recalled Under Emergency Conditions
The Vancouver Canucks have used an emergency recall on forward Jack Studnicka. The team played down a forward in their season opener against the Edmonton Oilers, making them eligible to bring up Studnicka without a cap hit. Studnicka will be exempt from waivers if he plays in fewer than 10 games, or is on the roster for fewer than 30 days.
Studnicka appeared in 47 games with Vancouver last season after the team acquired him via trade, sending Michael DiPietro and Jonathan Myrenberg to the Boston Bruins. Studnicka recorded a mere eight points in those 47 games – setting career highs in both categories. The 24-year-old forward was a second-round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Draft and has yet to find consistent NHL playing time, spending most of his early career in either the AHL or an NHL press box. He did have a serviceable 35 points in 41 AHL games during the 2021-22 season, speaking hope to his scoring upside. He’s likely to slot into a Canucks lineup that is still missing Ilya Mikheyev, who is continuing to rehab an ACL injury suffered last season.
Thatcher Demko Pulled From Season Opener With Flu
Thatcher Demko was mysteriously pulled from the team’s season opener after just over 48 minutes of play. After the game, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet shared that Demko was battling the flu before the game and tried to play through it but was pulled after getting sick. Despite the bug, Demko recorded 21 saves on 22 shots – a big piece of the staggering 8-1 win Vancouver would go on to notch. Recent trade acquisition Casey DeSmith relieved Demko and saved all five shots that he faced.
Vancouver hasn’t shared that they’re expecting Demko to miss any more time with this flu. They visit the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, October 14 to kick off a five-game road trip. The gap between games will likely be plenty for Demko, although his status will be one to monitor over the coming days. While DeSmith was suitable in relief, the Canucks will certainly still want as much of Demko as they can get this season. The 27-year-old goalie played in 64 games during the 2021-22 season, recording a .915 save percentage, but was held to only 32 games and a .901 save percentage last year as he battled with a groin injury.
Mikheyev To Miss Season Opener
- One player who is confirmed to not be playing opening night is Ilya Mikheyev of the Vancouver Canucks. Relaying on the news from the head coach of the Canucks, Rick Tocchet, Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet announces Mikheyev will indeed miss the season opener. Mikheyev is still rehabbing from an ACL injury sustained last season in January, an injury that would prematurely end his season.
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Canucks Assign Vasily Podkolzin To AHL, Recall Akito Hirose
The Vancouver Canucks assigned forward Vasily Podkolzin to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and recalled defenseman Akito Hirose in corresponding transactions, a team release states Wednesday.
This signals that 26-year-old Guillaume Brisebois may not play tonight in the team’s season opener against the Edmonton Oilers. Brisebois is dealing with a lower-body injury, and his unavailability would leave the Canucks with just five healthy defensemen at their disposal. Free-agent addition Carson Soucy is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, although he remains on the active roster for now.
If Brisebois cannot play, Hirose will suit up on the team’s third pair alongside Noah Juulsen tonight. Vancouver signed Hirose, 24, to a two-year, $1.575MM contract in July. An undrafted free agent, the Canucks initially acquired Hirose’s rights by extending him an entry-level contract in March after he concluded his junior season at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Playing in seven games down the stretch of the 2022-23 NHL season, Hirose notched three assists and a -1 rating while averaging 17:27 per game. He does not require waivers for assignment to AHL Abbotsford and will likely be returned to the minors once one or both of Brisebois and Soucy are ready to return.
Podkolzin, meanwhile, finds himself on the outside looking in on Vancouver’s roster for their first game of the season. Selected 10th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Russian winger is entering his third season in North America. He managed to avoid designation to the AHL in his rookie season in 2021-22, notching 14 goals, 12 assists and 26 points in 79 contests for the Canucks before joining Abbotsford in the postseason. 2022-23, meanwhile, saw Podkolzin appear in just 39 games for Vancouver while suiting up in 28 for AHL Abbotsford. There, he scored seven goals and added 11 assists for 18 points.
Like Hirose, Podkolzin does not require waivers to head to Abbotsford. With his $925K cap hit being slightly higher than most of his fringe NHLer teammates, Podkolzin will likely need a strong start to the season in the minors to find his way back to Vancouver.
Vancouver had $0 in cap space before making this transaction, as the team had not made any moves since turning in their opening night roster on Monday evening. Replacing Podkolzin with Hirose on the active roster now leaves the Canucks with $137.5K in space in their LTIR salary pool created by defenseman Tucker Poolman and his $2.5MM cap hit.
Vancouver Canucks Reportedly Grant Conor Garland Permission To Seek Trade
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland has been given permission “to talk to other teams about a potential trade.”
This news comes after it was reported earlier today by PuckPedia that Garland had switched agents, and is now being represented by Judd Moldaver of Wasserman Hockey.
Per Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma, Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford said “we’re not going to comment on that” regarding the reports on Garland. Today’s news isn’t exactly a surprising development, as rumors have long circulated about a divorce between Garland and the Canucks.
The 27-year-old winger is a holdover from the Canucks’ previous administration, a remnant of the ill-fated Oliver Ekman-Larsson blockbuster trade, a deal that ultimately doomed Jim Benning and Travis Green as key decision-makers in Vancouver.
For quite a few reasons, Garland looks to be the sort of player that would generate quite a bit of interest leaguewide.
Even dating back to his days with the Arizona Coyotes, Garland has scored at a respectable rate. He potted 17 goals and 46 points last season, and had 19 goals and 52 points in 2021-22.
Garland is a shifty winger who blends crafty offensive play with a bit of an agitator quality. There’s a lot to like about his game, and yet at this point a trade out of Vancouver appears unlikely.
Why? For a few reasons. First and foremost: his contract. Garland is set to make $4.95MM against the cap for the next three seasons, and while that isn’t a totally unreasonable price for a player with his numbers, it’s not exactly a bargain.
Moreover, Garland stands at just five-foot-eight according to EliteProspects, and recent trends in how NHL teams allocate cap space have angled more towards wingers who bring size to the table.
Additionally, while Garland’s cap hit is $4.95MM he does own a backloaded contract, meaning any team acquiring him would be on the hook to pay $17MM in cash to Garland over the course of the three-year commitment.
So while Garland the player is undoubtedly one that would interest many NHL teams (players who can score 20 goals and 50 points reliably do not grow on trees) Garland the asset is one that is quite a bit more difficult to move.
Any trade negotiated between the Canucks and an interested club would almost undoubtedly require salary retention or money coming back to Vancouver.
That makes this trade a difficult one to complete mid-season, and although the Canucks have three retained salary slots remaining the already massive amount of dead money on their books through the Ekman-Larsson buyout could make the team weary to take on any additional dead cap commitments.
In other words, while there are undoubtedly teams that would love to add Garland to their roster, it would take quite a bit of creativity to reach a place where a trade could actually be completed.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.