GM Jim Benning used the 2019 offseason to give the blueline of the Vancouver Canucks a makeover, with the addition of Tyler Myers, Jordie Benn, and Oscar Fantenberg and the addition by subtraction of Derrick Pouliot—to say nothing of the prospect of a full season from Quinn Hughes.

Despite the renovation, some fans are still waiting with bated breath for the arrival—or, more accurately, the return—of one more defenseman. We’re talking, of course, about Nikita Tryamkin.

The hulking blueliner’s contract with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg expires at the conclusion of this KHL campaign, meaning that Tryamkin could return to the Canucks—who retain his RFA rights—for the 2020/21 season. He could—in theory—even return much earlier than that.

But in order to answer the quandary posed by the headline, we’ll have to wait on some answers to a handful of other vital questions.

 

Nikita Tryamkin’s exact reasons for leaving the Vancouver Canucks in the first place will likely never be known—he’s mainly cited dissatisfaction with coach Willie Desjardins’ deployment, but Desjardins had already been fired by the time Tryamkin returned to the KHL.

Beyond that, there was the whole “dope city” thing.

Following his departure, Tryamkin has been cagey about his 2020 intentions—as this author detailed in an article last year.

In the time since, Tryamkin’s agent has made it as clear as possible that his client is leaning toward rejoining the Canucks organization—consistently dropping hints to the Vancouver media in a somewhat transparent attempt to keep the fanbase’s interest in Tryamkin alive.

Tryamkin has been his trademark silent self on the subject of late—but his presence on social media speaks loudly. He uses his Instagram account to interact with the official Canucks account on a regular basis—often logging on to watch livestreams of practices and other events. He’s been known to react favourably to fans’ questions about a Vancouver comeback—though almost exclusively in emoji.

His Instagram profile picture now features him in a Canucks’ jersey.

There seems to be every indication that Tryamkin himself wants to return to Vancouver following the expiry of his deal with Avtomobilist—but is the feeling mutual?

As we’ve covered on CanucksArmy before, Nikita Tryamkin’s KHL homecoming hasn’t been everything he hoped it would.

His initial season back with Yekaterinburg was fine enough—25 points in 51 games while serving as an alternate captain—but Tryamkin failed to receive much consideration for the Russian Olympic entry and went pointless in six playoff games as Avtomobilist flamed out early.

Things would only go downhill from there. Tryamkin struggled throughout the 2018/19 season—suffering a handful of healthy scratches and being stripped of his captaincy at one point. Scouting reports on his play did improve as the season wore on, and Avtomobilist lasted a little longer in the playoffs this time around—with Tryamkin himself putting up two assists in nine games.

Now, in 2019/20, the situation looks like it’s at its statistical worst—but looks can be deceiving. Tryamkin has just two assists and six penalty minutes in 12 games—though his ice-time has rebounded from the previous year and his former level of defensive responsibility seems to be returning.

Moreover, Tryamkin has played an important role on a team that has a record of 8-4-1 and are on pace to outdo their 2018/19 performance—though half of their wins have come in overtime.

In summarizing his KHL exodus, it’s safe to say that the now 25-year-old Tryamkin didn’t enjoy the career-redefining renaissance of a Mark Giordano—but he does represent a slightly more polished version of the defenseman who left Vancouver in 2017, and that still represents significant value for the Canucks organization.

When Jim Benning last spoke on the subject this summer, it sure sounded like the interest was mutual.

As it stands now, the Canucks don’t have much room for Tryamkin on the right side of their depth chart, where Tryamkin typically plays, with Troy Stecher, Tyler Myers, and Chris Tanev—but that could change soon.

If the Canucks find themselves on the outside of the playoffs looking in, they will likely deal Chris Tanev at the Trade Deadline—opening up a spot for Tryamkin. If they’re in the hunt for the playoffs come February 2020, Tanev probably stays—but it’s hard to imagine him being offered a contract of any significant length thereafter.

The chances of Tryamkin unseating someone on his natural left side is significantly more remote, with Alex Edler, Jordie Benn, and Quinn Hughes are signed for the next two years at least and Olli Juolevi on the way.

Tryamkin makes for a logical successor to the spot that Tanev will eventually vacate—or, at the very least, a more-than-adequate stopgap between Tanev and Jett Woo.

It’s thus safe to say that Nikita Tryamkin wants to return to the Vancouver Canucks and that the Canucks want him back—so how soon can they make that happen?

Technically speaking, Nikita Tryamkin’s KHL contract expires on April 30, 2020.

In reality, however, he can sign with the Vancouver Canucks as soon as Yekaterinburg Avtomobilist is eliminated from the KHL playoffs—and that could happen while the Canucks still have regular season games on their schedule.

Avtomobilist plays their final regular season game on February 27 against Ak Bars Kazan, and if they don’t make the playoffs at all Tryamkin would be eligible to return then—but Avtomobilist will almost certainly make it to at least the first round.

Beyond that, it’s a guessing game as to when Tryamkin’s KHL season will end. The first round typically ends in early March, the second round by March 22, and the third by early April—the same time the NHL regular season ends.

If Tryamkin’s team makes it all the way to the Gargarin Cup Finals, his contract won’t expire until well into the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs—too late to make a late-season comeback.

What all that means is that Tryamkin could return as early as the final month of the Canucks’ regular season—but that will require Yekaterinburg to once again lose in one of the first two rounds of the KHL playoffs. If not, he won’t be able to return until the beginning of the 2020/21 season.

The Vancouver Canucks retain Nikita Tryamkin’s RFA rights and have him on their Reserve List—which means that they can sign him and add him to their roster at any point, regardless of the deadlines that govern other signings from European leagues. He would not have to pass through waivers and could theoretically start suiting up for the Canucks immediately after signing his new contract—following a lengthy flight across several time zones, of course.

It’s still a waiting game for fans eager to see Tryamkin in Canuck colours once again—but at least the game finally has an endpoint in sight.