Canucks still the frontrunner to sign Ethan Bear: report
The acquisition of Nikita Zadorov does not seem to have cooled the Vancouver Canucks’ interest in Ethan Bear.
The Canucks are “probably the team to beat” to land the free-agent defenceman, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who spoke about Bear on Monday’s edition of Donnie and Dhali.
“I do think Vancouver remains very high on his list. I think they’re still very interested in him,” Friedman told hosts Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal. “I think they’re probably the team to beat.”
"All things being equal I think they are probably the team to beat.."@FriedgeHNIC on if the #Canucks will add Ethan Bear at some point.
Full interview..https://t.co/7U0uhEwEfI pic.twitter.com/CYMn7w6mdq
— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) December 4, 2023
The Canucks were able to open up $400,000 in cap space by swapping in Zadorov ($3.75 million) for Anthony Beauvillier ($4.15 million). That does help in the effort of bringing Bear back, though their blue line is much more crowded than it was when Vancouver opted not to tender Bear a qualifying offer back in June.
With six defencemen making $3 million or more already on their roster, it might be tough for Bear to get playing time when everyone is healthy. He is a right-shot defender, though, and that’s still something the Canucks are lacking.
Adding Bear would give the Canucks added depth, which would help if injuries begin to pile up.
It would be understandable if Bear wants to look elsewhere, but reports like this one today suggest that the 26-year-old is partial to Vancouver.
Bear makes his offseason home in Kelowna with his wife Lenasia and daughter, who was born earlier this year. Also a possible good sign for Canucks management? Bear was spotted skating in Kelowna, wearing Canucks gear.
The Regina native is expected to be healed and ready to go later this month as he rehabs a shoulder injury suffered while playing for Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
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