Canucks reportedly shopping Tanev

As the 2019 NHL Draft approaches this weekend, the Vancouver Canucks have been active in trade talks apparently and have added defenceman Chris Tanev to the trade block.

As Matthew Sekeres of TSN 1040 reports, the Canucks are shopping Tanev as the market for a right-handed defenceman increases.

Tanev has one year left on his contract, with a cap hit of $4.45-million — could certainly provide a team with some certainty on their right side of the blue line.

As Sekeres pointed out earlier, with the recent trade of fellow right-handed defenceman Justin Braun from the Sharks to the Flyers for a couple of significant draft picks, it makes sense that the Canucks are exploring their options when it comes to moving Tanev.

The 29-year-old Canuck arguably has a much better track record than Braun, but has the downfall of injury problems plaguing his whole career. He’s never played a full season in the NHL and has never played more than 55 games in each of the last three seasons — if a team does acquire him, that will be in major consideration.

Never known for his offensive production, Tanev has been consistently one of the better defenders in the league but last season ran into some trouble in that area. Notching in an on-ice 57.25 CA/60, which was 11th among all Canucks skaters with at least 200 minutes.

As for what the Canucks might be able to get back for the 29-year-old right-handed defenceman, it’s somewhat up in the air. It all depends on whether a team thinks that he can return to some of that past production, or is seen as a high-risk acquisition because of his injury history.

Throwing a couple of mid-round draft picks might not be out of the question for the Canucks, since it is just one year of the player left and therefore doesn’t hold a risk on the cap structure of the other team.

Nine years and 445 games played for the Canucks, Tanev has been a consistent factor and presence on this team in their recent history.