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Should the active RD trade market make the Canucks reconsider a Filip Hronek trade?: Canucks Conversation
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Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Clarke Corsan
Mar 5, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Mar 5, 2026, 12:58 EST
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UPDATE: Colton Parayko has declined to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Buffalo Sabres, so even though a deal leaked and was on the table, the Sabres are theoretically still searching for a top four right-shot defenceman.
On Wednesday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal discussed the suddenly aggressive trade market for right-shot defencemen and whether it should make the Canucks reconsider the possibility of moving Filip Hronek.
Several notable defencemen moved in recent deals – including Mackenzie Weegar, Tyler Myers, and Colton Parayko (pending player approval) – and the returns caught Harm’s attention.
“These are players who weren’t necessarily expected to be available, especially in the case of Mackenzie Weegar,” Harm explained. “So I think we’re realizing that buyers, rather than settling and paying lower prices for mediocre players, are more willing to pay big prices for established players.”
That shift in buyer mentality has created a market where teams are prepared to pay significant assets for proven right-shot defencemen instead of cheaper stopgaps.
“It didn’t seem like Calgary had to move Weegar, but if the offer is serious and strong enough, they’re saying alright. Same with the Canucks; they didn’t have to move Myers ahead of the deadline, and a lot of us didn’t expect him to be moved, but when the market and offers are strong enough where you can get a second-round pick plus for Tyler Myers, it’s suddenly something you have to consider.”
In Harm’s view, contenders are choosing impact upgrades rather than marginal improvements.
“It’s interesting to see that some buyers are willing to pay steep but fair prices for more established players that otherwise wouldn’t have been available rather than settling for marginal upgrades. Teams are taking swings here.”
That reality naturally leads to the question of whether Vancouver should explore the value of Hronek.
“The hypothetical that I’ve laid out for a while is if you end up drafting third overall and you get Keaton Verhoeff or Chase Reid, you add one of them and all of a sudden your right-shot pipeline has Verhoeff and Willander,” Harm said.
“For the prices to look like this – Parayko went for a guy that was drafted top ten just this past year, and another first-round pick. If that’s the market for a right-shot defenceman of that calibre, I’d be really tempted to try and cash in on Hronek at an all-time high, even though I really value the idea of having Hronek around to mentor the young defencemen.”
Still, the situation isn’t as straightforward anymore – especially after the Canucks already moved Myers.
“This is also where, because they moved off Myers, does that decrease the likelihood of them shopping Hronek in the summer? I think yes. Going back to the Colton Parayko example, he’s 32 years old, whereas Hronek is 28. Four years younger and he’s signed through 2032. It’s worth mentioning Parayko is a bigger defenceman, but man, for a guy who’s four years younger? In that trade, the main chip isn’t the first-round pick. If it’s a first-rounder this year, it’ll presumably be a late first that Buffalo surrenders, but you also got a guy who was drafted top ten this past summer. That’s an elite prospect you’re adding to your timeline and that’s enticing.”
Even with that kind of upside, Harm believes recent developments inside the Canucks organization may ultimately point toward keeping Hronek.
“But again, with the Myers trade and all the captaincy rumours, that makes me more inclined to believe that even if the Canucks end up in a position where they’re drafting a Verhoeff or Reid, they’re more likely to want to hold onto Hronek.”
With the market for right-shot defencemen hotter than ever, the Canucks may at least have to consider the possibility – even if the odds still favour Hronek remaining a key part of Vancouver’s blue line moving through this rebuild.
Watch the full replay of the episode below!

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The 2026 Trade Deadline Special is going LIVE March 6th. Join the Daily Faceoff crew on Friday, March 6th from 8 AM-12:30 PM PT for wall-to-wall coverage of every single move as it happens. Get instant reaction, expert analysis, and exclusive insights from special guests throughout the day. Tune in LIVE on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and don’t miss a second of deadline day chaos.

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