Top Five Trade Destinations for Radim Vrbata

A year removed from one of the more active trade deadline periods in recent memory, it’s been all quiet on the western front to date. The stagnating salary cap and false positives that give the illusion of parity are making for a nasty set of circumstances for the transaction savvy fans in all of us.

One such team that is contributing to the malaise are the Vancouver Canucks. They’ve one of the better rental forwards the market could bear, should they choose to go that route, in Radim Vrbata. With just one year remaining on his two-year pact with the Canucks, at an AAV of $5-million, there’s little investment beyond spring for contending sides.

Should the Canucks opt to sell at this year’s deadline, one has to imagine Vrbata will be one of, if not the first piece out the door. So, let’s do the Canucks a solid and try to find a fit for them.

The Blackhawks core is still in their prime and gearing up for another run at the Stanley Cup. Their depth pieces leave much to be desired outside the top-six, but they’ve still as good a chance as any team in the west to come out of the conference. Would a player like Vrbata put them over the top? It’s certainly a better option than last year’s acquisition of Antoine Vermette. Besides…

Potential trade chips: first round pick, second round pick, Jiri Sekac, Vincent Hinostroza, Ville Pokka, Marko Dano, Ryan Hartman

This might be Tampa Bay’s last kick at the can with Steven Stamkos as their captain. Unrestricted free agecy is on the horizon and they’ve still yet to come to terms on an extension. The time is now. Don’t be surprised if they’re a little less risk averse than usual. Working out the dollars and cents will be a little tricky, but perhaps the Canucks can help the Bolts do away with one of their more onerous contracts in the process to make it work.

Potential trade chips: first round pick, second round pick, Matthew Carle, Jonathan Drouin, Adam Erne, Anthony Deangelo, J.T. Brown

If nothing else, the firing of Mike Yeo showed how deep their commitment to making a run this season goes. Makes sense given the age of some of their core members. The Wild as a team have struggled to score goals for much of the season, which makes a player like Vrbata right up their alley. 

Potential trade chips: first round pick, second round pick, Joel Eriksson Ek, Alex Tuch

The Canucks and Rangers are no stranger to each other on the trade market, having swapped Nicklas Jensen and Emerson Etem not that long ago. The Rangers, much like the Blackhawks and Lightning, are all-in on the season and looking better in the second half. Wouldn’t be overly surprised to see them mortgage more futures for another kick at the can.

Potential trade chips: second round pick, Pavel Buchevnich, Brady Skjei, Ryan Graves

The Anaheim Ducks will have $35-million plus in cap space at the deadline. That makes them a serious player. They’ve also a wealth of assets at their disposal should they look to enter the rental market. The injury to Chris Stewart puts a sizable dent on their right flank. Vrbata would represent an upgrade in the long term and a great short term fill-in. 

Potential trade chips: first round pick, Josh Manson, Brandon Montour, Stefan Noessen, Jacob Larsson, Marcus Pettersson