On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal tackled a few key issues facing the Vancouver Canucks, including Filip Hronek’s absence, the potential need for a defensive addition, and the emergence of Max Sasson as a depth contributor.

Filip Hronek’s absence has created a significant void on the Canucks’ blue line, leaving the team scrambling for solutions, especially regarding who should pair with Quinn Hughes.

“It’s a tough spot for the Canucks to be in where there isn’t an obvious solution for who should play with Quinn,” said Harman. “People wonder if, stylistically, Erik Brännström is the closest you can get to replacing Hronek’s offensive IQ, skating, and the way he’s able to complement Quinn offensively.

“A few issues I see with that. Number one, would the coaching staff trust having two five-foot-ten defencemen on the same pair, considering the monstrous minutes Hughes logs and will continue to? And number two — and the bigger concern and why I’d be hesitant — with Hronek out, can you afford to stack your only two decent puck-movers on the same pair? Or do they need to drive their own pairs at this point?”

Harm highlighted the struggles of the bottom-four defensive pairings when puck-moving capabilities are limited.

“The bottom-four already struggles to move the puck. I wouldn’t want to go back to opening night in Calgary, with a Forbort-Desharnais third pair and Soucy-Myers. That scares me. I’m not married to the idea that Myers has to be the one to stick with Hughes, but if Hronek misses some time, that’s the first one I’d try. Brännström has been stabilizing the bottom-four, and I think they need him there for now.”

“I don’t envy the position the Canucks are in,” said Harm. “It’s easy to say they need to add a defenceman — we knew that already. But we also don’t have any idea of a timeline for Hronek. If it is long-term, they need to kick some tires.

“The problem is, if we’re talking about a modest acquisition cost, there isn’t an immediate slam dunk. There are options; it’s just a case of whether you’re willing to pay the price. For example, the asking price for Ivan Provorov is a first-round pick right now. Do you want to give up a first-round pick for a decent second-pair defenceman as a rental? Provorov is a good player, but he’s a rental. Are you at the point where you’re willing to part with those types of assets for a guy who might walk away in the summer?”

While Provorov is a prime example, other rental options come with similar risks, leading to questions about whether the Canucks should focus on short-term fixes or remain patient and address their blue-line issues in the offseason.

The conversation took a positive turn as the guys discussed Max Sasson, who has impressed since his call-up and registered his second point in two games during the Canucks’ matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Max Sasson looked great; he’s got two points in two games,” said Quads. “I really liked his work on the forecheck, and I think he deserves a longer look to potentially take over where [Arshdeep] Bains is on the depth chart. It’s the forechecking, the hustle, and the zone-entry — it’s his bread and butter.”

Harm echoed the sentiment but cautioned that consistency would be key for Sasson moving forward.

“He’s definitely brought more to the table than Bains with the speed and physicality. The question now is his consistency. A lot of times, a player will get called up and look like they were shot out of a cannon for 5-10 games but just can’t keep the motor up. It’s difficult to sustain that level of intensity 24/7.

“Look at Phil Di Giuseppe. Last year, he was dominant in camp, and we were singing his praises early on, but as the season progressed, he lost that juice.”

While Sasson’s immediate impact has been promising, the Canucks will be monitoring whether he can sustain his performance over a more extended period, especially as the team navigates injuries and depth challenges.

With Hronek sidelined and questions surrounding the Canucks’ defensive depth, the team faces some hefty challenges in keeping their early-season momentum alive. Whether through internal adjustments or external moves, finding a way to stabilize the blue line will be critical. Meanwhile, players like Max Sasson may just play a crucial role in keeping the team afloat, provided they can maintain their current level of play.

You can watch the full segment below.