5 puck-moving defencemen Canucks could target in a trade
The Vancouver Canucks are tied for first place in the NHL, and all signs point towards the team adding to its current roster before the trade deadline.
While there’s a lot of chatter about the Canucks targeting a forward, the team could also use another puck-moving defenceman. The Canucks can sometimes struggle to break the puck out of their zone effectively, and having someone other than Quinn Hughes that can be trusted to move the puck effectively would help a lot.
In addition, Hughes has always looked his best when playing beside a partner that can move the puck, including current defensive partner Filip Hronek or Ethan Bear last season, which makes targeting this player archetype even more important for the Canucks.
There are a few names on the trade market that could work as targets for the Canucks before deadline day. Here are the five top targets we think they could go after.
1. Chris Tanev, Calgary Flames
- 2023-24 stats: 45 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS
- Handedness: Right
- Age: 34
- Contract: $4.5 million through 2023-24
The Canucks have already traded for one Calgary Flames defenceman this season and are obviously very familiar with Chris Tanev. Captain Hughes has reportedly made it clear to management that he’s a fan of Tanev, a sentiment many fans in the market would agree with.
Tanev is right-handed, can kill penalties, and has a history with the club. His acquisition makes sense in a lot of ways and would help the Canucks round out their defence corps.
2. Mike Matheson, Montreal Canadiens
- 2023-24 stats: 48 GP, 7 G, 26 A, 33 PTS
- Handedness: Left
- Age: 29
- Contract: $4.875 million through 2025-26
If the Canucks wanted to take a big swing, Mike Matheson would be a huge addition. While the defenceman isn’t loved in Vancouver due to an incident with Elias Pettersson years ago, there’s no doubting that the 29-year-old is a very strong player.
He’s a great skater and can chip in offensively, averaging more than half a point-per-game so far this season. He’s also under team control for less than $5 million for another few years. While the price would be high, Matheson would help give the Canucks another elite puck mover on the back end, and one that’s signed at a reasonable price to boot.
3. Sean Walker, Philadelphia Flyers
- 2023-24 stats: 49 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 PTS
- Handedness: Right
- Age: 29
- Contract: $2.65 million through 2023-24
Sean Walker is a player who was expected to end up on the trade block before the season started. While the Philadelphia Flyers beating expectations means that they might be less willing to lose Walker, the right offer should still pry him away.
Walker is not expected to cost as much as someone like Matheson in a trade. Since he counts for just $2.65 million against the cap, Walker would be an easy fit for the Canucks’ finances. As a right-handed player, he would help the team balance out the defence.
Walker started the season on fire but has since cooled off slightly. He can kill penalties and already has multiple short-handed goals this season. Overall, the pending UFA would be a good mid-tier pickup for the Canucks.
4. Adam Boqvist, Columbus Blue Jackets
- 2023-24 stats: 20 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 7 PTS
- Handedness: Right
- Age: 23
- Contract: $2.6 million through 2024-25
If the Canucks wanted to go a different direction, Adam Boqvist is a young defenceman that could use a new home. The former top-10 pick has failed to find his footing at the NHL level so far.
However, there is no doubt that Boqvist is talented offensively. He has recorded 82 points in 194 career NHL games.
Still just 23 years old, Boqvist has more untapped potential than the other names on this list. His acquisition would be a longer-term play, and if the Canucks could help develop the Swedish player — something that doesn’t seem impossible with the team’s current coaching staff — it could be a bet that pays off big.
5. Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
- 2023-24 stats: 35 GP, 1 G, 25 A, 26 PTS
- Handedness: Left
- Age: 26
- Contract: $9.583 million through 2027-28
While this is a very unlikely target for the Canucks, Werenski would be a huge get for a team that would suddenly have no issue breaking out of their own zone.
Fitting the contract into the team’s cap situation would be tough, though. The deal would likely need to see Andrei Kuzmenko and potentially another roster player heading the other way, alongside a bevy of top prospects and draft picks.
The 26-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his career but would give the Canucks one of the best puck-moving duos, between Werenski and Hughes, across the entire NHL.
While this is most likely a pipe dream, the Blue Jackets are going nowhere fast. They may be looking to sell off some of their best players, and if the Canucks are willing to part with a top prospect or two, it could be enough to get the deal over the line.
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