Welcome back to WWYDW, the only hockey column on the internet still collected in trade paperback format.

Speaking of trades, it stands to reason that the Vancouver Canucks are going to make a couple this offseason. There’s a brand-new managerial group in town, and they’ve arrived with a plan for both short- and long-term change.

And with new GM Ryan Johnson straight-up saying there are no untouchable veteran players, and that “there’s nothing off the table,” it’s hard to ignore.

That, combined with a renewed interest in potentially trading up in the 2026 Draft, has led to a resuscitation of trade talk surrounding Filip Hronek. There’s little doubt that, among the Vancouver veterans, he holds the most theoretical trade value, and would bring back a massive return. As a 28-year-old top-pairing right-shot defender signed to a reasonably-priced long-term contract, Hronek is simply one of the most valuable types of assets in the sport of hockey.

Now, Hronek and his agent have infamously shut down trade speculation in the past, but a new front office and the looming prospect of playing through a few more losing seasons may have changed that dynamic. A trade could now be significantly more likely.

But it’s still a topic that has and will continue to divide this fanbase. Should the Canucks cash in on the massive future-asset value that could come from dealing Hronek away to a contending team? Or should they keep him in the fold to serve as a mentor and an insulator for their new youthful core?

It’s a debate worth having this offseason, and one that might have a lot to do with who the Canucks draft at third overall in the upcoming Entry Draft.

But before we get to that point, we’d like to check the trade-talk temperature heading into the offseason.

This week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

Results are what really matters. My initial impression was a feeling of being whelmed. A predictable outcome, hopefully not followed by the predictable results we have become accustomed to.

I am happy they went with Ryan Johnson over Evan Gold. I was concerned that Evan Gold would bring the Boston “endless retool” model to Vancouver and I am pleased that ownership chose to go with Rutherford’s “rebuild without shortcuts” model that is once again proving itself in Anaheim and SJ instead.

If this FO becomes a reality, I think they will make a good management team. Young guys that have been around the league for their entire adult lives. They know the team and what’s wrong with it, and I see them being patient and focused. The shape Rutherford left the team in, it wouldn’t have mattered who they hired. It’s going to take years to fix it. They have to hit on their draft picks and not get carried away with trying to get rid of every old asset right away. At some point, they will have to concentrate on finding a way to get rid of the long-term no-trade protection contracts. Which will be a huge challenge.

I see the twins and RJ working well together. Time will tell. I won’t be judging them right off the bat. That’s a fool’s game.

If this is who the team goes with, the direction of the team will be determined by who they select.

Will it be a small skilled team, will they go for some size and nastiness, or will they be looking at speed, or lack thereof.

So, to answer the question, for me anyways, will have to wait until after the draft.

I think this will be a great match. Not only former teammates during the best Canucks team but have worked together in Abby for about five yrs. Character will be front and center.

I’ve been hearing a lot of negativity around not hiring Gold because fans want an “outside perspective,” but every regime since Nonis has come from outside. Handing stewardship over to people of good character and intelligence, who know and care about this team and city, who have soldiered through terrible times and still want to be here to turn it around… that feels like real change, as odd as it sounds. Promoting the guy who brought the organization it’s only championship – without a single star-level draft prospect on the roster, I might add (given Lekki was a bit of a ghost) – feels like an absolute no-brainer and the kind of move smart organizations make. Given where the Canucks are headed, I’m genuinely stoked to see what RJ can build at this level… provided The Family doesn’t get gun-shy a few years in and turf him for Dorion.

Generally optimistic if they fill out the rest of their staff with people who balance their strengths and weaknesses. Especially if the way this search was conducted is a signal that ownership has a new approach.

I am pleased with the promotion for Ryan Johnson to GM. He has learned how to manage and has built a winner in Abbotsford. I feel confident that he knows what it takes to actually build a team as opposed to the piecemeal, trade picks for broken spare parts approach we have seen through the Allvin and Benning years. I just hope he has enough free rein to do what he needs to do and is given the time to do it.

The Sedin part is a bit more of a mystery to me. Sure, they are smart diplomatic guys who have been loyal to this team through the years, but the move from player development to head of hockey ops is understated by saying it is a huge leap. It’s like going from serving fries at McDonalds to all of a sudden working in the CEO’s office. I’m a bit concerned that they are not experienced enough for this function but will certainly be willing to give them a chance.

We don’t know what the Sedins are like behind closed doors. There’s a good chance that they have ice water in their veins and a steely eyed management style. We do know that they are hard workers and as players, when the going got tough, they got going.

Great move. Now let’s change up the coach and assistant GMs.

So it is official now. Several reliable media sources report that the Sedins will be co-presidents and RJ will be GM. My question is why is there a need for two presidents? This reminds me of the JB/TL era all over again.

If there are two people who know how to deal with the heat in this crazy market, it’s Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

Inevitable.

Sedins were always destined for the top and RJ has been groomed for the GM job.

The convoluted “search” was a smoke screen.

Here is what Rutherford will say: “We did the most extensive search in team history and found the best candidates were here in our organization.”

This is a good move.

The only feeling I have about the new management is uncertainty. We don’t know who is all part of the management team and don’t know what the roles are.

Who knows if the Sedins can be good managers. Linden is a good guy, too, and he was terrible.

I am uncertain about Johnson. Over his whole tenure of the farm team and decade of player development, he had one good season. Don’t know what decisions he was responsible for. Malhotra and Silovs’ goaltending were big factors. Uncertain Johnson is any good at anything.

The saving grace is this is the easiest part of a rebuild. Doesn’t take a lot of skill to suck and get some high draft picks. Just need enough discretion to not sign bad contracts or start trading for expensive veterans.

The real question is why would the Sedins agree to fill the job of Head of Hockey Operations after seeing how Trevor Linden was treated.

I have no doubt the Sedin Twins will get on great with Johnson as their GM, since they have already worked together at the AHL level. Johnson seems to be highly regarded, so I look forward to seeing what he can do.

My biggest concern is ownership. Will ownership let his management group manage the team or will Aquilini constantly second-guess every decision that is made, effectively handcuffing the team?

This new management group will only be effective if they are given free reign to actually work. They need to do a rebuild the proper way and not take any shortcuts.

Aquilini loves shortcuts, so I hold out little hope that things will improve.

All three are winners, are great people of the community and all have the work ethic needed for the big job ahead. The impact the Sedins had their first year “hands on” in Abby with the Calder Cup run and then last year —  taking the youngest team in the AHL, and the most call ups to the NHL, into a competitive team by the end of the year – speaks volumes.

I am disappointed. It’s too much same old same old. I was looking forward to a Gold/Langenbrunner pairing and the new perspectives they could bring. I would’ve preferred a clean out of the management and scouting which has failed for four and a half years.

Assuming the reports are correct, I’m surprised the Sedins took a role for which they do not seem to have been prepared for, unless working directly with player development is a typical path for President of Hockey operations.

I’m good as long as their responsibilities center around limiting ambiguous statements that give the press opportunities to run away with their own imagination. The media in general, and the Vancouver media in particular, are a little too easily triggered to eat their own young.

This seems like a logical and solid decision to run with the twins and RJ. They, along with Malhotra, built a winning culture in Abbotsford. Gold on the other hand, his AHL team continually gets knocked out in the first round. Analytics provide you with options to build a team, it’s what you do with that team that gets you results. Malhotra will be promoted, if not this season, he will be asked to develop more prospects in Abby for one more season with the promise of taking over from Foote after Foote has tanked for another 3OA pick in 2027.

It will be interesting to see who they hire in the FO and what they do with the scouts. The Foote decision is a big one. Looking forward to the draft!

After listening to most of the presser, one has to at least believe the sincerity of the new POHOs and GM. IMO, they said all the correct things and seemed to have the new course set in the right direction. Namely, building slowly via the draft and enhancing departments that have been lacking.

I was driving and at times lost the audio, so maybe I missed it, but I didn’t hear anyone ask what specific identity they were looking to build in this organization. Florida, Tampa, Colorado, and Utah, for example, all seem to have unique identities that they play with and draft/build around. The Canucks don’t have that…yet. Hopefully that becomes evident sooner than later, as that may well define what we see for years to come.