Canucks looking at signing Evan Rodrigues in free agency: report

Aug 20 2022, 12:29 am

The Vancouver Canucks may not be done yet in free agency, even as it concerns adding a forward.

While defence is the most pressing concern, with blueliner Calvin de Haan being brought up recently in rumours, the Canucks are taking a look at another player, according to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal.

In an interview with Sekeres and Price today, Dhaliwal revealed that the Canucks have interest in signing Evan Rodrigues.

“I was told this morning the Canucks are poking around on Evan Rodrigues,” Dhaliwal told hosts Matt Sekeres and Blake Price.

 

Rodrigues is a 29-year-old centre that’s coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 19 goals and 43 points. That bested his previous career-year, achieved in 2018-19 with the Buffalo Sabres when he had nine goals and 29 points.

The Toronto native averaged 15:50 of ice time last season, including 1:55 of power play time and 0:25 on the penalty kill. He also had a team-best 56.91 Corsi-for percentage, among players that played at least 60 games.

Rodrigues joined the Penguins by way of a trade with the Sabres in 2020, when Jim Rutherford was still GM in Pittsburgh.

If the Canucks do land Rodrigues, it would add another player to an already-crowded forward group. The Canucks already have 10 players that most would consider top-nine forwards. Meanwhile on the back end, the Canucks have only three players that could be considered top-four defenceman, and some would argue they only have two.

Dhaliwal reiterated that he believes the Canucks are “still in the mix” to sign de Haan, a left-handed defenceman that can play left or right defence. De Haan was fourth in average ice time among Chicago Blackhawks defencemen last season, tallying four goals and eight points in 69 games.

The Canucks could also opt to trade one of their forwards for a right-side defenceman, though that’s easier said than done.

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