After a one week absence, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/author/jeffpaterson">Monday Mailbag</a> has returned. And while games are still being played at both the National and <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-jim-benning-nephew-delivers-ot-dagger-abby-canucks-charlotte-ties-calder-cup-final-1-1">American Hockey League levels</a>, you can feel the anticipation building rapidly in the hockey world for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-draft-options-15th-overall-cole-reschny">NHL Draft</a> less than two weeks from now and, beyond that by a few days, the start of free agency. 
Yes, it won’t be long now until we all see just how aggressive Canucks management plans to be in and around the draft and on the open market. But we’re not there yet. First things first, we have several questions to answer in this week’s mailbag. Let’s get down to business:
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It&#39;s almost two months since the Canucks played hockey. In that time management has done almost nothing to improve the roster. Two months of inaction (probably a lot of meetings if that matters). If they were in any other business they would be fired.Question: When will Canuck management act?
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:hv3npjo7qwe3td4h6hwmqq6p?ref_src=embed">grahamdun (@grahamdun.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:hv3npjo7qwe3td4h6hwmqq6p/post/3lrlhxgq5zk27?ref_src=embed">2025-06-14T17:27:40.375Z</a></blockquote>
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Okay, I’m struggling with this one. What exactly did you expect from management from season’s end until now? They can’t sign NHL free agents until July 1st. There is a general understanding in hockey that trades of significance aren’t made in April and May. The club’s farm team is three wins away from the Calder Cup title. 
That feels like something. You can’t say they’ve done nothing. They signed Latvian free agent Anri Ravinskis on May 22nd. So there’s that. But until the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/nhl-notebook-new-york-rangers-trade-chris-kreider-anaheim-ducks-edmonton-oilers-line-changes-ahead-game-4-more">Ducks and Rangers hooked up on the Chris Kreider deal last week</a>, there really hasn’t been a substantial trade since the March deadline. So I don’t know what you were looking for in terms of roster improvements. 
The past few months are not the time to make hay. But as of this moment, this front office is on the clock to both move and shake. They have promised changes and upgrades and now it’s time to deliver. So don’t judge the group on its lack of activity over the past two months. Look around the league. It’s been quiet everywhere when it comes to roster construction. But the next two to three weeks are the time to be proactive on the trade front, especially in the days leading into the June 27-28 Draft. And then, let’s see what this team does in free agency. 
Check back in three weeks. If nothing has changed by then, I’ll join you in hitting the panic button.
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:j7dyf27z5qfanf4nqglkjslm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrlhhluet226" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreihlxysnc3vfsmpwhsihwilva5jaf7km46gtezac73oal4jh5h7nae">
More likely Canucks start the season with Demko or Silovs on the roster?
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:j7dyf27z5qfanf4nqglkjslm?ref_src=embed">JR (@justnucks.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:j7dyf27z5qfanf4nqglkjslm/post/3lrlhhluet226?ref_src=embed">2025-06-14T17:18:48.885Z</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I’m going to say Thatcher Demko. I recognize that he may be one of their top trade chips, but I think as a new head coach Adam Foote will want the security blanket of a Demko-Lankinen 1-2 punch in goal. You know the old hockey adage, ‘show me a good coach and I’ll show you a guy with a good goalie.’ In this case, maybe it’s two good goalies. I’m fascinated to see where the Demko extension talks go this offseason. I understand there are all sorts of moving parts with waivers and expiring contracts and such when it comes to this topic. But you asked a question, and I’m going to answer Demko. I’m just not sure how confident I am in that answer.
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Should the Canucks draft a goalie at some point during this year&#39;s draft keeping in mind they haven&#39;t added one in the previous 3 drafts ?
&mdash; phil verret (@BasketballPhil) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballPhil/status/1933937273550369179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Yes. By all means, yes. The Canucks took Ty Young in the fifth round of the 2022 Draft. He’ll be 21 by the time the new hockey season rolls around. Before that, they nabbed Aku Koskenvuo in the fifth round in 2021. He’s now 22. So it only makes sense to stock the prospect cupboard with another netminder a few years behind on the aging curve. I don’t think the Canucks will use their first or second round picks on a goalie, but after that all bets are off. Personally, I want them to select Mans Goos or Love Harenstam just based on their names alone. Both are legitimate Swedish prospects, so it’s not completely out of the question.
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How likely is it that a trade involving the 15th overall pick and Lekkerimäki is already a done deal?
&mdash; Canucks.uncensored (@NucksUncensored) <a href="https://twitter.com/NucksUncensored/status/1933935796131910027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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I have seen this suggestion in a number of places online and I don’t buy it for a second. The Abbotsford Canucks are doing everything they can to win the AHL Championship. They’re icing what they feel is their best line-up and the one that gives them the best chance to win on a given night. They’re not in the business of sitting a top prospect to protect an asset to keep an acquiring team happy. 
Besides, any team interested in Jonathan Lekkerimäki would almost surely want to see this guy play and perform in the Calder Cup playoffs. So <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/4-reasons-vancouver-canucks-could-sitting-already-complete-trade">while the framework for a trade may have been discussed</a>, I just don’t believe the Canucks have signed off on any kind of deal and are simply waiting for Abbotsford’s season to be over to announce it. Lekkerimäki may very well be peddled this offseason. That’s absolutely a possibility. However, him sitting in recent AHL games isn’t trade related. That 15th overall pick, however, it very likely has one foot out the door.
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Should the Canucks sign Jonathan Toews to teach his teammates how to win and provide leadership?
&mdash; Doug Wong (@drwong99) <a href="https://twitter.com/drwong99/status/1934279616958746938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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I always come at these kinds of questions from the other side. Why would Jonathan Toews want to sign with the Vancouver Canucks? He’s 37-years old. He’s an unrestricted free agent. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two time Olympic gold medalist. The guy is all about winning. And after being out of the game for two seasons, he’ll surely be selective in where he signs and I’d have to think having an immediate chance to contend for another Cup will be at the very top of his list of priorities. 
So to answer your question: sure, the Canucks should be doing their due diligence on this player. They could absolutely use the many intangibles a player like Toews has demonstrated throughout his career. But I just can’t imagine a world in which Toews would look at the Canucks and think that is the best landing spot for him as he attempts an NHL comeback.
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How much despair/hope should <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canucks</a> fans feel if on draft day, there are no major deals, and the team makes their 1st round selection?
&mdash; Michael Paweska (@mrpaweska) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrpaweska/status/1934300157614407840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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I think it would be fair to feel some level of despair for next season if the Canucks hold their 15th pick and use it on June 27th. Every indication is the Canucks plan to be aggressive on the trade front to bolster their forward ranks in an effort to be competitive next season. That 15th overall pick is among their best trade assets. On its own, it’s not going to address the lack of depth at centre, but it could certainly be a key piece in any deal made to upgrade the centre ice position. 
Jim Rutherford has made a career of being an early mover on the trade front and has already indicated he believes the trade route is the path this team needs to take. So if it gets to the middle of the first round of the draft and the Canucks head to the podium (or however they make their pick in this year’s decentralized draft) to make their selection, it will likely signal that their off-season plans have taken a detour. 
That doesn’t mean they can’t still make deals to help the hockey club, but if they’re using their first round pick then they’re likely going to need a Plan B to pull off the kinds of trades they’re looking for.
<h2>PRESENTED BY WHISTLER GOLF CLUB</h2>
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<div>This article is a presentation of the Arnold Palmer designed Whistler Golf Club.  Spring preparations are underway with opening day on May 9th.  Whistler Golf Club is now accepting online bookings for the entire 2025 season, so no need to wait to get those times locked in.  If you have a group of 12 or more, get those times on hold now as prime times are filling up fast.  For more information, head to <a href="https://www.whistlergolf.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.whistlergolf.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1744132058749000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ap1p40lH7OdVKoTc7zBpV">https://www.whistlergolf.com/</a></div>

Jeff Paterson's weekly Vancouver Canucks mailbag.

After a one week absence, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/author/jeffpaterson">Monday Mailbag</a> has returned. And while games are still being played at both the National and <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/farmies-jim-benning-nephew-delivers-ot-dagger-abby-canucks-charlotte-ties-calder-cup-final-1-1">American Hockey League levels</a>, you can feel the anticipation building rapidly in the hockey world for the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-draft-options-15th-overall-cole-reschny">NHL Draft</a> less than two weeks from now and, beyond that by a few days, the start of free agency. 

Yes, it won’t be long now until we all see just how aggressive Canucks management plans to be in and around the draft and on the open market. But we’re not there yet. First things first, we have several questions to answer in this week’s mailbag. Let’s get down to business:

https://bsky.app/profile/grahamdun.bsky.social/post/3lrlhxgq5zk27

Okay, I’m struggling with this one. What exactly did you expect from management from season’s end until now? They can’t sign NHL free agents until July 1st. There is a general understanding in hockey that trades of significance aren’t made in April and May. The club’s farm team is three wins away from the Calder Cup title. 

That feels like something. You can’t say they’ve done nothing. They signed Latvian free agent Anri Ravinskis on May 22nd. So there’s that. But until the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/nhl-notebook-new-york-rangers-trade-chris-kreider-anaheim-ducks-edmonton-oilers-line-changes-ahead-game-4-more">Ducks and Rangers hooked up on the Chris Kreider deal last week</a>, there really hasn’t been a substantial trade since the March deadline. So I don’t know what you were looking for in terms of roster improvements. 

The past few months are not the time to make hay. But as of this moment, this front office is on the clock to both move and shake. They have promised changes and upgrades and now it’s time to deliver. So don’t judge the group on its lack of activity over the past two months. Look around the league. It’s been quiet everywhere when it comes to roster construction. But the next two to three weeks are the time to be proactive on the trade front, especially in the days leading into the June 27-28 Draft. And then, let’s see what this team does in free agency. 

Check back in three weeks. If nothing has changed by then, I’ll join you in hitting the panic button.

https://bsky.app/profile/justnucks.bsky.social/post/3lrlhhluet226

I’m going to say Thatcher Demko. I recognize that he may be one of their top trade chips, but I think as a new head coach Adam Foote will want the security blanket of a Demko-Lankinen 1-2 punch in goal. You know the old hockey adage, ‘show me a good coach and I’ll show you a guy with a good goalie.’ In this case, maybe it’s two good goalies. I’m fascinated to see where the Demko extension talks go this offseason. I understand there are all sorts of moving parts with waivers and expiring contracts and such when it comes to this topic. But you asked a question, and I’m going to answer Demko. I’m just not sure how confident I am in that answer.

https://twitter.com/BasketballPhil/status/1933937273550369179

Yes. By all means, yes. The Canucks took Ty Young in the fifth round of the 2022 Draft. He’ll be 21 by the time the new hockey season rolls around. Before that, they nabbed Aku Koskenvuo in the fifth round in 2021. He’s now 22. So it only makes sense to stock the prospect cupboard with another netminder a few years behind on the aging curve. I don’t think the Canucks will use their first or second round picks on a goalie, but after that all bets are off. Personally, I want them to select Mans Goos or Love Harenstam just based on their names alone. Both are legitimate Swedish prospects, so it’s not completely out of the question.

https://twitter.com/NucksUncensored/status/1933935796131910027

I have seen this suggestion in a number of places online and I don’t buy it for a second. The Abbotsford Canucks are doing everything they can to win the AHL Championship. They’re icing what they feel is their best line-up and the one that gives them the best chance to win on a given night. They’re not in the business of sitting a top prospect to protect an asset to keep an acquiring team happy. 

Besides, any team interested in Jonathan Lekkerimäki would almost surely want to see this guy play and perform in the Calder Cup playoffs. So <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/4-reasons-vancouver-canucks-could-sitting-already-complete-trade">while the framework for a trade may have been discussed</a>, I just don’t believe the Canucks have signed off on any kind of deal and are simply waiting for Abbotsford’s season to be over to announce it. Lekkerimäki may very well be peddled this offseason. That’s absolutely a possibility. However, him sitting in recent AHL games isn’t trade related. That 15th overall pick, however, it very likely has one foot out the door.

https://twitter.com/drwong99/status/1934279616958746938

I always come at these kinds of questions from the other side. Why would Jonathan Toews want to sign with the Vancouver Canucks? He’s 37-years old. He’s an unrestricted free agent. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two time Olympic gold medalist. The guy is all about winning. And after being out of the game for two seasons, he’ll surely be selective in where he signs and I’d have to think having an immediate chance to contend for another Cup will be at the very top of his list of priorities. 

So to answer your question: sure, the Canucks should be doing their due diligence on this player. They could absolutely use the many intangibles a player like Toews has demonstrated throughout his career. But I just can’t imagine a world in which Toews would look at the Canucks and think that is the best landing spot for him as he attempts an NHL comeback.

https://twitter.com/mrpaweska/status/1934300157614407840

I think it would be fair to feel some level of despair for next season if the Canucks hold their 15th pick and use it on June 27th. Every indication is the Canucks plan to be aggressive on the trade front to bolster their forward ranks in an effort to be competitive next season. That 15th overall pick is among their best trade assets. On its own, it’s not going to address the lack of depth at centre, but it could certainly be a key piece in any deal made to upgrade the centre ice position. 

Jim Rutherford has made a career of being an early mover on the trade front and has already indicated he believes the trade route is the path this team needs to take. So if it gets to the middle of the first round of the draft and the Canucks head to the podium (or however they make their pick in this year’s decentralized draft) to make their selection, it will likely signal that their off-season plans have taken a detour. 

That doesn’t mean they can’t still make deals to help the hockey club, but if they’re using their first round pick then they’re likely going to need a Plan B to pull off the kinds of trades they’re looking for.
<h2>PRESENTED BY WHISTLER GOLF CLUB</h2>
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<div>This article is a presentation of the Arnold Palmer designed Whistler Golf Club.  Spring preparations are underway with opening day on May 9th.  Whistler Golf Club is now accepting online bookings for the entire 2025 season, so no need to wait to get those times locked in.  If you have a group of 12 or more, get those times on hold now as prime times are filling up fast.  For more information, head to <a href="https://www.whistlergolf.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.whistlergolf.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1744132058749000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ap1p40lH7OdVKoTc7zBpV">https://www.whistlergolf.com/</a></div>

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