WWYDW: After Elias Lindholm, who or what is next on the Canucks’ deadline shopping list?
5 months ago
Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet that has operators standing by to take your orders now.
Speaking of The Home Shopping Network, that might as well be a nickname for the front office of the Vancouver Canucks this season. GM Patrik Allvin and Co. have made a good half of all trades leaguewide in 2023/24, and they’ve been shopping for both quantity and quality.
Many people said that another forward who could play in the top-six at either center or wing was the team’s top priority heading into Trade Deadline 2024. Allvin landed Elias Lindholm, perhaps the best possible player to fill that particular need. And he did it more than a month ahead of the actual deadline, to boot.
No one should get to thinking that Allvin is done shopping this early, though. The Canucks are going for it, and there are other spots on the roster that could use a bit of an upgrade – even on a team performing as well as they are right now.
But what to add? Who is next to come on down and demonstrate their product for the studio audience in Vancouver?
This week, we’re asking you:
After Elias Lindholm, who or what is next on your 2024 Trade Deadline shopping list?
Let it be known in the comment section.
What is your instant reaction to the Elias Lindholm trade?
You answered below! (And a lot of you did. We had to do some trimming, and offer apologies to anyone we left out.)
JCanuck:
Shocked at the low price, how early the trade was made, and saving $5.5 mil next year.
Killer Marmot:
Hate the trade. Gave away far too much. They should have traded a first-round draft pick or Brzustewicz, but not both.
burnabybob:
Kuzmenko was basically found money last year when he signed with the Canucks. He wasn’t producing much this season but was taking up significant cap space, and had worn out his welcome with Tocchet with his lackluster defensive play. Losing yet another first round pick is lame, but it’s a late first round pick in a below-average draft. I liked Brzustewicz, but he wasn’t a sure thing by any means. Fourth rounders are usually long shots. So it may seem like the Canucks gave up a lot, but to get a bonafide second line center, it’s a pretty good deal, especially as the team is decidedly in WIN NOW mode and going all-in for a deep playoff run this year.
King Richard:
Love the trade. You don’t get anywhere in life without rolling the dice. Kuz might find his hockey mojo in Calgary, but maybe not (I wish him well); the first rounder is probably a long shot; HB likewise. Bold moves can bring championships, whereas timid, cautious moves (or non-moves) never do.
BeerCan Boyd:
Ecstatic. With Demko in net, and now possessing a very good defensive 2C, they have all the makings of a real contender. Like others, I’m shocked at the collection of middling assets the Canucks only had to give up. Qualifier, I’m not sold on an overage smallish d-man with average skating ability and no physicality to ever be a top NHL PP quarterback. And besides, we already have that PP QB on the roster and no offence, but he’s about 1000X better than HB will ever be.
I think the Canucks won this trade, and not by a small margin.
William Grouse:
Kuz may have been a good teammate and a fan favorite, but the reality set in that he just wasn’t engaged and didn’t have it in him or didn’t want to buy into the system. I wish him well and hope he finds his game in whatever system. Shocking really how he collapsed.
Time will tell if this trade is good or bad, gave up a promising prospect and a first and change.
Shouldn’t be any doubt about what we got, and what we needed. D is still in question and the rumor mill is rampant so more to come, I would guess. All and all, I’m all right with the trade. Gave up futures but didn’t give up any established bodies in the lineup or in Abbotsford.
I’m looking forward to some fun hockey.
speering major:
The price was fair and this makes it even more exciting to be a Canucks fan.
I think they should see if Mikheyev finds chemistry in the top-six or he should be moved at the deadline as well.
I would have preferred Buchnevich, but who knows if he’ll be made available or if the Canucks could land him.
On paper, Lindholm does check all the boxes as far as team need in the top-six. Hopefully, this turns into a long-term fit.
HockeyfanMexico:
I will summarize what I have commented to this point on other articles.
- Reasonable and expected price for the most coveted available center
- Instantly makes our team better for the remainder of the season.
- Cap space gain for next season with the Kuzmenko salary dump gives us some flexibility for next season.
- Insurance against EP40 contract negotiations. If we have to sign Lindholm as a 2C and get a haul back for EP40, we still have a great 1/2 punch down the middle.
- Really hope our RHD prospect does not turn into a Hughes type of defensemen which bites us in the rear, but it’s not likely.
Overall I like it!
Jon0:
We got the best player available for less than I would’ve expected, and sooner than I’d expect him to be moved. We also got cap space which is another massive advantage to add some depth for the playoffs.
We also gained leverage in Petey’s contract negotiations and the cap space we needed to sign our RFAs this offseason. This is a resounding win both today and for the future of this team.
RealPB:
Really like this trade. It’s reasonably fair on both sides, especially this middling package for what is a rental. Similar to the Horvat trade and arguably less of a cost (mid-first, good prospect, top-nine F with an off-year vs late-first, good prospect, top-nine F with an off-year, additional mid-round pick, additional meh prospect). Lindholm checks so many boxes – even if it doesn’t work out this is a gamble that absolutely is worth it. It’s going all in this year, not forever.
Hockey Bunker:
My dream was a defenseman, however I couldn’t even fathom PA pulling off this deal. My imagination was too limited.
Amazing.
To delete a guy who is out of step with the team and add a guy who is made for the team and will be a large improvement and is only a year older and for the second time from the same division rival is fantastic!
And it gives the team some roster insurance we hope they never have to cash in.
There will be so much forced change this coming offseason due to expiring contracts, clearly this is the year to go for it.
Another defenseman would be handy.
PavelBuuure10:
My sister spoilered this trade to me via a text with a Patrick Allvin Avengers photo with Lindholm in the palm of his hand. I went quickly to the web and scrolled down (ever so slowly) through each of the assets Canucks gave up. It was incredible to me that they gave up no-one on the farm or a Grade A prospect! No Raty or Podkolzin? Wow.
Although I wanted a gritty North American top-six player, I have to admit this guy fits the puzzle perfectly, and it makes sense to keep the defensive-mindedness of the system in check.
Go Canucks Go!
elliot:
(Winner of the author’s weekly award for eloquence)
The future is now! Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die.
defenceman factory:
Can’t bear any further weighing of theoretical pros and cons. Management wasn’t looking backwards or years into the future with this trade. Once it happened, I took a few minutes to process and get to where management must have been at when making it. Then I had a reaction.
Giddyup! Can’t wait to see the upgraded top-six in action.,
I’ll concede right now to all those bemoaning the trade, you have the right to say I told you so. How good does saying “I told you so” ever feel? Wouldn’t it be more fun to really enjoy a deep playoff run?
ShawnAntoski:
Cautiously optimistic and realistic that the Cup drought number will increase…
The Flakes fan are really happy about the inter-division overpayment. Read an article about Hunter being touted as the “OHLs’ Adam Fox.”
Beautiful Home:
Good trade. One understated part of it is trading out Kuzmenko and freeing up more cap space. Kuzy is due another $5.5m next year and they got rid of that cap space problem. Better team now and more flexibility for next season, as well. Cgy is happy with the trade too, so it keeps the channels open for more trades in the future. PA seems to be very good at finding situations that work (eg trading out Beauvillier earlier in the season) versus paying the cost to get out of underperforming contracts. I’m curious how other GMs view the trade and if/what effect it has on the trade market. The biggest/best forward available is now gone.
Kearnsie:
At first blush it looks like an overpay for Lindholm, but that will depend on how deep the Canucks go in the playoffs, and whether they can re-sign him.
Sammydevo:
I think both sides got what they wanted, and we really didn’t give up any significant assets.
Just as an aside, and I hope it’s not true, could this signing act as insurance if EP40 contract negotiations stall?
If they want to extend Lindholm, clarification for EP40 has to happen first.
kanucked:
I’ve been cautiously optimistic this year, but nervous that the team would sacrifice the future for a Cup run this year similar to the sugar high during the 2020 Covid playoffs.
I really like this trade. The price wasn’t high.
I feel like a playoff run isn’t coming at the expense of more heartache. Hope is a good thing!
Reg Dunlop:
What is not to like about this trade. Management realizes that this is an opportunity to take a real run at the Cup. Sitting on your hand was not really an option given how well this team has played. Adding a legitimate top-six forward who is known for his defensive play, kills penalties, and has had good offensive numbers recently just makes this club that more of a solid contender. There is a good chance one or two of the prospects turn into solid NHL players, but there is no guarantee either. I also like the timing of the trade as it gives Lindholm a little more time to get adjusted to his new team.
UncleJeffy:
I’m really struggling with this. Mainly because I have a very strong (yet unwelcome) gut feeling that the Canucks will at best win one playoff series this season.
So unless the Lindholm deal improves — or at least doesn’t harm — the team’s chances next year, I see this as a step back.
How does the team deal with Lindholm’s upcoming UFA-ness? Sign him to an extension early (make no mistake, if he is as good as his reputation for the rest of this season, his next [retirement] contract will be $60M+) which would hammer the cap room to re-sign EP, and replace or re-sign all the other upcoming UFAs. Or hold off on extending Lindholm to see what happens with EP in the summer, thus risking a Benning-like situation where Lindholm just moves on. So the team either loses him for nothing or is saddled with another retirement contract that impacts the cap room to build depth.
On the other hand, I’m happy that the team is improved significantly for this year’s playoffs, and I will be ecstatic of they have an extended playoff run. But I just don’t see this team making a deep run this year. they lack the playoff experience.*
* Of the last 30 Stanley Cup winners, not one missed the playoffs in the three prior years. Only one, Carolina, missed the playoffs in the prior two seasons, but that was in 2006 after the lockout year and after they made it to the final in 2002.
Quinns Quest:
Thank you to ownership from learning from the past and getting the right management team who gets things done. A first place team just got better and it allows for another move too.
Lindy is everything the Canucks need now and was acquired very reasonably. Beating out Canuck competitors to get him too. Moving out cap better spent for fit now and next season. It’s just a win-win no matter the results.
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