Canucks Army Monday Mailbag: June 12th

Whether I see this as something that can exist in the universe we occupy, I’m not entirely sure. It’s a move that would make so, so much sense for the Canucks. It means short term pain, certainly, but that’s the best way to make this rebuild work.

The only thing I dreaded more than my hangover on New Years was that it would be compounded by an Erik Gudbranson extension in the realm of the $4-5-million range annually. I’m not a fan anymore — I just want to cover a good hockey team, and overpaying that significantly hampers the ability for that to happen any time soon.

Perhaps the Canucks aren’t willing to pay the rumoured price on Gudbranson anymore. Last I heard, they were mulling signing Gudbranson to a show-me deal in the range of one year at a similar salary to the one he currently carries. If I were the Canucks general manager, I’d just qualify Gudbranson and test the trade market.

I’m coming around to the possibility that the Canucks will trade Chris Tanev. Certainly, they should trade Tanev. My Tanev-trade hot take? They get William Nylander out of Toronto. Disclaimer: I don’t see that as even a remote possibility.

The Canucks don’t see those as bad contracts, so I can’t see them reaching out to make a trade of that ilk happen. Sure would be nice if the Canucks could get out of either contract, though. They obviously should #ExposeSutter, but that’s not happening either. Just going to have to live with those deals for the foreseeable future.

I think you should be excited about the draft. I sure as hell am! It’s going to be a fun, formative moment in Canucks’ history. They not only have a second round pick… they have two!

I’ve never spoken to the Canucks’ scouts, but I would imagine Canucks general manager Jim Benning is listening to them intently in most cases.

There’s nothing new to report on the #TradeTanev front.

Cody Franson.

I doubt the New Jersey Devils have much of an appetite to move their pick. They have a serious need for a playmaking centre that can make an immediate impact, and they can get that player at the top of the draft.

I’m not sure I see a fit where the Canucks get picks from the Carolina Hurricanes for any of their players. Who exactly would the Hurricanes want from the Canucks? You know what I want to see, though? The Canucks acquiring Eddie Lack from the Canes. That’d be something.

As many prospects as you can amass. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs — that should be the blueprint for any rebuilding franchise. Realistically, I don’t think you can put a specific number on this. There are so many different ways to build a team. Just go with volume, and you’ll find quality by accident sometimes.

Here is my list of players that I consider core members for the Canucks as they embark on their rebuild: Olli Juolevi, Bo Horvat, Troy Stecher, Sven Baertschi and Brock Boeser.

I would advise against trading up to the Canucks’ spot at fifth overall, from the perspective of the team that’s making that move up the board. There’s going to be some great players available in the early teens. If I had to pick one team to make the move up, it’s probably the Buffalo Sabres, who desperately need prospects for their defence corps.

My ideal scenario for the Canucks is one where they move back to about tenth overall and amass an additional second or third round pick for the trouble. They take Nick Suzuki at ten, Henri Jokiharju at 33 and Josh Brook at 55. Somewhere near the end of the draft, they take a flier on Alexander Polunin. I’ll be singing their praise for weeks on end if they pull off something even vaguely similar to that.

I have to think at this stage that Juolevi is going to make the team. A player of his ability just shouldn’t be playing in the OHL next season. At the very least, there’s a scenario where he can benefit from playing the role of the seventh defenceman on the Canucks. That’s probably best for his development, too. I could see Juolevi pairing well with, of all players, Gudbranson on the third pair. They’d do a good job in a defensive role, I would imagine.

I can probably do a pull-up. I haven’t tried in a while, but I have to imagine I can do at least one. I’m already the worst blogger. You must not read the comments section even to have to ask.

I don’t see Brent Seabrook as analogous to Tanev, so I don’t see adding him as offsetting that potential loss. And Seabrook’s contract is terrible. That, and it’s a deal that lasts until the 2023-24 season. The Canucks are going to be bad for a long time, but not that long; one would have to hope.

The bigger problem is, I think league perception here is significantly higher with Seabrook than it perhaps should be. That means that the Canucks would have to part with legitimate assets for the privilege of biting that bullet for Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.

I wouldn’t take on any player with a similar contract than Seabrook’s. The most term on a bad deal the Canucks should take back is in the two-to-three year range.

As an aside, if the Canucks wanted to take a bad contract off the Blackhawks’ books, I’d suggest they take a look at Marcus Kruger. Good player on a bad deal with a capped out team. Could help the Canucks out defensively.

If I were the Canucks, I’d look to help the Dallas Stars with their goalie situation. I’d perhaps see what I could get from the Detroit Red Wings for some of their bad deals, too. They’re in a worse cap position than the Canucks and might have a worse immediate and long-term outlook. Play the role of vulture and pick their prospect pool apart for the trouble.

Assuming the Red Wings have soured on Riley Sheahan, that’s a good place to start — though, last I heard they were looking at getting a late first for him. The Jonathan Ericsson deal is unimaginably bad. There’s Niklas Kronwall, too. And Darren Helm, who’s a fine bottom six contributor on an awful deal.

For the Canucks’ sake, I certainly hope there’s nothing to the rumours. And honestly, I highly doubt there’s a fire to this smoke. It just doesn’t make any sense on any level.

One would hope it won’t take longer than a week.

I haven’t read that book yet, but it’s on my long list of books I should read. I would love to integrate some of my ideas of how to operate a hockey franchise with a lower level team. Where do I send my resume? And you better believe I’m taking the writers in this space with me.

I think there’s a lot that Jordan Subban could learn from his brother. That’s not a knock on Jordan; it’s just that his brother is a number one defenceman with a Norris Trophy to his credit. Specifically, I’d like Jordan to learn how to cut down on the miscues. That’s what’s keeping him from the NHL right now.

I’m starting to really warm up to Elias Pettersson as a prospect, certainly. I still fancy Cody Glass as having the higher ceiling of the two players. I have Glass third on my board. Pettersson is eighth.

I lean towards draft picks as the ideal return, but I wouldn’t complain if they pried prospects of Jonathan Dahlen or Nikolay Goldobin’s quality.

I would do that trade in a heartbeat. There’s the Canucks first line centre of the future if they pull that off.

I didn’t even get to have any of the brisket, so I’m going to go with the pulled pork shoulder.

I think the Canucks would be wise to sign Jordan Weal, yes.

Have to give the Canucks credit. At the very least, they’re usually trying to be active at the draft most years. Heard a lot of rumours of them moving up or down at last year’s draft, they just couldn’t make it happen. They tried to get the first overall deal in the 2014 draft. Whether they can pull it off or not this year, I don’t know. But I’m sure they’ll try.