Welcome Matt: Canucks move on from Mikey with Studnicka gamble

It’s another depth trade for the Vancouver Canucks and at a perceived high cost, so I can understand why fans are angsty.

If everything goes right for Jack Studnicka from here, then maybe — maybe — you’ve got a third-line centre. It’s about a 50/50 proposition that he’s a lasting NHL player. More likely, you have a quad-A player who will shine with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and be depth for the parent club.

I talked to an eastern scout last night who thought 23-year-old Studnicka wasn’t even an NHL centre right now because his faceoffs and defensive zone coverage still need work, so we’ll have to see if he can replace the injured Curtis Lazar as the Canucks’ primary right-handed centre, especially on the penalty kill, where he did do well in the AHL.

Despite good size at 6’1″ and 187 pounds, my scout didn’t think him a heavy Boston Bruins-style player but said he had enough tools — skating, hands, quickness — and anticipation to be an asset. His effort level is commendable and he has deliberately played a more defensive game in his NHL cameos, leading to just seven points in 38 games. There may be some upside, however, given his strong AHL totals.

The Canucks will hope he figures more things out in the NHL and it leads to more production and a serviceable bottom-six forward who kills penalties and can at least play wing, if not centre.

As for the give, seeing a former *name* prospect like Mikey DiPietro and right-handed defenceman prospect Jonathan Myrenberg go to Boston continues a trend for Canucks fans. Why does Vancouver always have to add the sweetener?

Myrenberg, 19, was one of the few right-shot defencemen in the organization who had upside. I saw former Canucks analyst Rachel Doerrie throw her support behind him on Twitter.

Count me as a Myrenberg fan. Really like him. Upside as a legit 5/6 D, imo.
Other two are guys you hope benefit from a change in scenery. https://t.co/m4WL61wpXE

— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) October 28, 2022

The Canucks had already moved on from DiPietro, so the trade risk here is that Myrenberg becomes an NHL player, which wouldn’t happen in the next year or two anyway.

I don’t love this deal for the Canucks, but I can understand it and the reality is neither player shipped out is likely to come back to haunt.

Of course, we thought that about Gustav Forsling.