Report: Canucks have interest in Lucic

It’s the storyline that never seems to go away – Milan Lucic coming to the Canucks.

That idea got a little more traction today as Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger brought up the idea on Insider Trading:

The full video can be found here:

Now, it’s not simply the “Canucks have an interest” and thus it is something that will happen. It’s a more complicated matter than that with the major obstacles being the contracts involved.

But back it up a bit, the Canucks interest in Milan Lucic this time around shouldn’t be viewed as a shock. They were reportedly in the winger’s services prior to him being moved to Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal in the summer of 2015 and then again pursued him when he becomes a free agent in the summer of 2016. Lucic ultimately chose to head to Edmonton and then the Canucks moved their efforts to lock up Loui Eriksson as a free agent.

So, there is a clear trail of desire on the Canucks management side and they likely view this as a chance to get the player that they’ve been chasing for a while and also move out Eriksson’s contract.

Eriksson has three years left with an AAV of $6.0M per season while Lucic has four years left at the same compensation. Not to mention that although Lucic would have to waive his NMC to come to the Canucks, it would only be for the trade and thus would remain for the duration of the term with the Canucks. Thus the organization would be forced to protect him in the upcoming expansion draft.

That is where the issue comes up and why the need for a sweetener to be added on the Oilers side of the ledger.

Ultimately, the Canucks are likely wanting more depth within the organization, so I would expect them wanting a prospect that has some sort of NHL future to be the added piece.

It also depends on if the Canucks covet what Lucic brings more than what Eriksson does and are willing to accept the burden on having to protect Lucic in the upcoming expansion draft. It would have to be a nice sweetener.