Will Canucks spend Beauvillier money on Ethan Bear?
After trading Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Vancouver Canucks have some cap space available. The organizationĀ performed a tidy piece of business by not retaining a single cent of the winger’s $4.15 million salary.
“They’re going to use that money. They’re going to hit the market and look for a defenceman. They’ve been looking for a defenceman since training camp,” reported CHEK Media’s Rick Dhaliwal today onĀ theĀ Donnie & Dhali Show.
They now have just over $4 million in prorated cap room with roughly three-quarters of the season left.Ā This new management regime, led by Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin, has shown a willingness to be aggressive in upgrading the roster. With a few million to spare, there are options on the table for how to proceed.
One name has continued to be linked to the Canucks over the past few months. Former team member Ethan Bear is still without an NHL contract. It was reported earlier this year that the Canucks were going to aggressively pursue the 26-year-old, who was spotted skating in Kelowna earlier this month.
“I’ve been in contact with Ethan’s agent since last year and we check in frequently. Ethan is a UFA and I’m sure he will reach out to us and other teams when he’s getting closer,” Allvin said to the media today.
Bear is a right-handed defenceman that played 61 games with the Canucks last season. He scored 16 points and was one of the team’s more reliable options among blueliners. The 5’11” player has also flashed some chemistry with now-captain Quinn Hughes.
Besides the constant rumours, there are other signs that the Canucks could be planning to ink the 26-year-old. In fact, the Canucks’ head coach may have inadvertently provided a clue last night.
“We need the cap space,” Rick Tocchet said when discussing the Beauvillier trade. “Now we got some cap space to get some stuff that we need to do down the road.”
That sure makes it sound like the Canucks already have a target and plan in mind.Ā The big question mark in this whole situation with Bear is his timeline to recover from shoulder surgery. Allvin said today that he “didn’t know” when Bear would be ready to return to the NHL.
Some clarity on the recovery process was offered by Dhaliwal on today’s Donnie & Dhali Show.
“He’s expected to be healthy after Christmas. He’s still two to three weeks away from signing,” Dhaliwal reported.
Earlier the guys reacted to the Anthony Beauvillier trade and @DhaliwalSports shared what he is hearing around the #Canucks.https://t.co/h4e2SKM7eJ pic.twitter.com/Uw07ZBJuf9
— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) November 29, 2023
Will the Canucks have the patience to wait that long, or will they opt for a player who can slot into the lineup right away? There are a lot of directions they could go to add to a roster that could take the division lead with a victory tomorrow night.