WWYDW: Free Agency

NHL free agency begins in just under a week, and rumours are starting to trickle out about which players the Canucks might have interest in.

Myers and Nyquist are just a couple of the names available, though and the Canucks could be in on any number of the smaller names available as well as the big tickets. Who would you like to see the Canucks go after in free agency?

Last week I asked: Who should the Canucks select at 10th overall?

Depends who is on the board at 10. If someone who you have rated in the top 7 you take them. If theres 3 or 4 players you like left and they are fairly equal then trade back.

Maybe something like 10 and Hutton to Montreal for 15, 2nd rounder and Josh brook.

Then draft seider or soderstrom as one should be there. If not take a forward.

This is a tough one, because it’s hard to predict who will be available after 1 and 2. Here is my list of preferences, based on who MIGHT be available

1. Podkolzin
2. Cozens
3. Dach
4. Krebs
5. Caufield
6. Zegras
7. Boldy
8. Soderstrom

I do think they should take a forward in the first round, as there does seem to be some separation between them and Soderstrom. The Canucks also need goals badly, and they can hopefully pick someone like Thomson, Korczak or Honka in the second round.

Assuming the first four picks are Hughes, Kakko, Byram, Turcotte, then I would take the top remaining player in this order:
Zegras
Krebs
Podkolzin
Dach
Boldy
Seider

Keep the #10 pick for BPA but be willing to sell high from current roster for another pick from 8-19, someone in that range can be convinced to make a deal for established veterans to help with their playoff push.

To embrace the grind of a rebuild means that you have to do it properly, and the best way is to acquire core pieces by packaging existing players of value that won’t be here when the team turns a corner. It would be very optimistic to turn what is essentially spare parts into high draft picks but there is enough opportunity there for some progress.

See how serious Edmonton is about cap relief and see what they need to get 8th overall off their hands. Anything short of a key core prospect or a draft pick should be seriously considered. Also see how serious Vegas is about their cap room and see what #17 would cost with the same considerations. Both teams need to win now much more than they need prospects, there’s a deal there with enough of a salary dump or retention.

Philadelphia has had the best prospect pool for years and the last thing they need is another draft pick, see what they’ll need for a playoff push next year and do everything you reasonably can to make that trade for another pick. If you can walk off the floor tomorrow with a skilled forward at 10 and one of the top RHDs at 11 then you’ve pretty much won the day.

So tough to answer this considering we don’t know who’s available at 10. Also, I’m not going to pretend I have a great book on any of these prospects so I’m going off of what little I’ve seen and some articles

I think Zegras is a great fit. Both Petterson and Boeser are great shooters. Horvat is more of shot first center than a playmaker. It makes sense to look at a highly skilled playmaking winger. Zergras seems to fit that description

I really like Boldy. Seems to do everything at a high level but his skating is nothing special. From everything I’ve seen he has a really high floor.

Cozens size and skating really stand out to me. I think Canucks fans are a bit shell shocked with JV going at 6 but his hockey IQ isn’t comparable to Cozens IMO. I think one of those 3 will be available and that’s who I would take

Also I think Benning should go hard at a team like LVK at 17th who has cap issues. Try to package the Canucks 40th and whatever pieces it takes to make it happen. Maybe 40th + 2020 pick + a comet for 17th and Clarkson

I think at 17th one of the following would be available. These players could really accelerate a rebuild. Seider, Harley, Soderstrom, Broberg, or York. Possibly take Kaliyev in that spot also. Having a deep pool is important but these are the kind of players that can crack a line up in a year or 2. The Canucks need to swing for another first rounder IMO