Report: Canucks “trying very hard to create cap space” at the NHL Draft combine

“The NHL draft combine is in Buffalo this week, 106 of the top prospects for the NHL Draft have gathered in Buffalo. Busy time for the scouts, but I’m told this morning the Canucks are trying very hard to create cap space at the combine as well. Same suspects, Connor Garland, Tyler Myers, and OEL. But one name we’re not hearing as much is Brock Boeser. In early December, Boeser’s agent Ben Hankinson was given permission by the Canucks to help facilitate a trade for Boeser out of Vancouver. Hankinson worked hard, especially at the deadline, but no deal. These days Hankinson is nowhere near as busy looking for a trade for Boeser, in fact very quiet on the Boeser trade front. Not many teams are calling and I’ve been told this morning — I don’t think Boeser is very high on the list of players the Canucks actually want to move out right now. Besser has also made it clear he wants to stay, there is no urgency right now to move Boeser. It looks like right now the team would like Rick Tocchet to work a year with Boeser and see what he can do and if he can get back to his old form, and maybe he can hit 30-35 goals in Vancouver. I don’t know, he’s got to stay healthy. But it just sounds like they’re not trying to move Boeser right now.”