Price is Right: Canucks could have to trade prospects to get out from "cap hell"
A lot of ink has already been spilled on the trade deadline, and of course, first and foremost in those considerations are the NHL players going to and fro, and secondly any draft picks that may be included for the Vancouver Canucks or any other team.
There is one other facet to be considered of course.
The prospects.
And before the coffee comes spilling out of your nose, yes, the Canucks have prospects.
How many are they willing to part with in order to make a deal happen? The Canucks are in cap hell, they know it, you know it. And moving out salary will have to come with something attached to it.
The Canucks could retain salary in deals, but that’s rarely beneficial in the medium to long term and feels like you’re just making today’s problem tomorrow’s as well.
Picks are the easy fit, cause every team is happy to steal them from you. But the Canucks need to restock the cupboards, and this administration wants more picks to call their own.
And then there’s the prospects: but The number of whom that have league wide value, remains small.
So who could actually help the Canucks get out from under deals? The list as I see it is: Nils Höglander, Jack Rathbone, Johnathan Lekkerimaki, defenceman Elias Pettersson, Aatu Räty, Aiden Mcdonough, Danila Klimovich and Arturs Silovs.
Let’s throw five out immediately… Their top two picks from last year aren’t going anywhere. It’s not the style for Rutherford and Allvin, even with a down year for and a likely season-ending injury for Lekkerimaki.
Räty just arrived, he’s likely safe. Never say never. And the organization has spent some sweat and tears on Klimovich and he’s still only 20 year old, so I think they keep him. And Silovs seems to be a favourite too, particularly for goalie guru Ian Clark
That leaves just three.. Hoglander, Mcdonough, and Rathbone.
And as much as it feels backwards to give up on a young defenceman that has only, barely, dipped a toe in the league like Rathbone, all three players may have to serve a purpose if the Canucks are to make any head way against the cap going forward.
It’s not ideal. Not at all. But paying many of these veterans millions of on the cap for the next 2-4 years isn’t ideal either.
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