Canucks trade first-round draft pick to Detroit for Hronek
The Vancouver Canucks have made a major move ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline, and no, it doesn’t involve J.T. Miller or Brock Boeser.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin has traded a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick in this year’s draft to the Detroit Red Wings for defenceman Filip Hronek and a fourth-round pick. The first-round pick is the one that the Canucks acquired from the New York Islanders in January as part of the Bo Horvat trade.
The first-round pick will be in this year’s draft, provided it’s not a top-12 pick. The Islanders will hold onto their pick in this year’s draft if it’s between 1-12, in which case Detroit would get New York’s first-round selection in 2024.
The Islanders are currently in a playoff spot, with the 15th-best points percentage in the NHL.
GM Patrik Allvin announced today that the Canucks have acquired D Filip Hronek and Detroit's 2023 4th rd pick in exchange for the conditional 1st rd draft pick acquired in the Bo Horvat trade with the New York Islanders and Vancouver’s 2nd rd pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. pic.twitter.com/fm1IqhLByB
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 1, 2023
The Canucks paid a stiff price for Hronek, who will help their defence immensely.
A 25-year-old right-shot defenceman, Hronek has been a top-pairing blueliner for the Red Wings for the past four seasons. The Czech defender was second on the Wings in average ice time (21:32) this season, including time on the power play (2:24) and penalty kill (1:37).
Hronek has nine goals and 38 points in 60 games, which are both career highs and rank first among Detroit defencemen this season.
Listed at 6’0″ and 190 pounds, Hronek has one more year left on his contract beyond this season, carrying a reasonable $4.4 million cap hit. He can become a restricted free agent in 2024.
“We are excited to add a 25-year-old right-shot defenceman who handles the puck well and possesses a strong two-way game,” Allvin said in a media release. “He has steadily progressed throughout his time in Detroit to show that he is a top pairing defenceman in this league. We are happy to continue to add younger pieces to build out the core of this team.”
Hronek was picked by Detroit in the second round, 53rd overall, in the 2016 draft. He has 156 points (30-126-156) in 305 career NHL games since making his debut for the Red Wings in 2018.
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