Canucks Army Monday Mailbag: July 5th – Part Deux

Based on last season, Jaromir Jagr is still a player I’d comfortably consider a low-end first liner. He can’t move, but if the plan is to sign him and play him alongside the Sedins, then that won’t be much of an issue. It also means the Canucks can turn him into a trade chip at the deadline with serious value, in theory. I mean, really, why not?

I’ve been in Brandon Pirri’s corner for a couple of years, and I’m still there now. He’s a similar player to Sam Gagner, but unlike Gagner, Pirri can probably be had on a short-term deal for a song.

Another player that’s worth looking at is Simon Despres. I wouldn’t give him a standard contract, but if he wants to make a comeback attempt, the Canucks should be one of the first teams to offer him a professional tryout.

I’m thinking somewhere between four-to-six years with an annual average value (cap hit) of something in the $4.5-million to $5-million range.

The Canucks have a good influx of young talent on the way for the Comets and a few players who will be forced to play there just because of the numbers game. I don’t see the Comets as an area of need for the Canucks to address in free agency this summer. At this point, they just need to find depth players — if that.

If the Canucks try to move Erik Gudbranson, it will be due in large to a struggle to lock him up long-term. I think that’s why there were rumours they were trying to ship him to the Florida Panthers for Jason Demers. Demers offers cost certainty, something that they can’t say about Gudbranson. So, no, I don’t think free agency has had any real impact on the Canucks desire to deal Gudbranson.

The Canucks absolutely should try to trade Gudbranson. The market for his services is still sizeable — the Canucks were taking calls on Gudbranson as recently as the draft. And I think his value greatly exceeds what he actually brings to a hockey team. The Canucks should take advantage of that market inefficiency.

Josh went on to add that he meant Alexander Burmistrov — not any Brunnstrom character.

I think the Canucks have Burmistrov pencilled in as their fourth line centre. As for Anton Rodin, it’ll be an uphill battle from training camp onward to make the team and stay there. I see Rodin spending much of this season with the Utica Comets, unfortunately.

I guess not.

I think Travis Green is a hell of a coach, so yeah, I could definitely see him guiding the Canucks (with a little PDO) to the promised land (ninth in the West).

Playing on the second line of the Utica Comets.

Evan McEneny.

I’d see if they were willing to part with Shea Theodore for Gudbranson.

The answer is somewhere in this post. Look closely.