Canucks have trade interest in Devils defenceman John Marino: report
The Vancouver Canucks could be looking to the trade market to solidify their blue line.
The team has shown interest in New Jersey Devils defenceman John Marino per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Keep an eye on #njdevils today. Aside from interest in No. 10 overall pick, New Jersey is actively looking to move defenseman John Marino.#Canucks were one of the teams in the mix – a potential checkdown option if no Zadorov.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 28, 2024
With the news today that Nikita Zadorov will be exploring his options in free agency and not re-signing with the Canucks before July 1, it makes sense that the team could target another defenceman.
Marino is right-handed and had 25 points in 71 games last season. He previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and is therefore known to the Canucks current management group, who previously worked for the Eastern Conference team.
The 27-year-old has three seasons left on his contract, and he costs $4.4 million against the cap. He does have a modified no-trade clause which allows him to veto eight destinations around the league.
At 6-foot-1, Marino isn’t small, but he doesn’t bring the hulking size and physicality that Zadorov brought to the table. However, he’s a strong defenceman in his own right and very solid defensively. The Devils controlled the majority of the scoring chances and expected goals with Marino on the ice at five-on-five this season.
The Devils have many strong defence prospects and have been linked to pending free agent Brett Pesce. However, they might have a logjam on their blue line, and thus, they may be willing to give up Marino.
The Canucks have been linked to Marino in the past, so the interest is not brand new. The team does have three right-handed defencemen — Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Noah Juulsen — under contract for next season, but the position group is still relatively shallow.
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