Vancouver Canucks trade Mark Friedman to Nashville
The Vancouver Canucks management group is still hard at work and made yet another trade today.
The club dealt defenceman Mark Friedman to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations.
Friedman has played five NHL games this season, recording zero points. He played 23 games for the team last year, finishing with one assist.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have traded D Mark Friedman to the Nashville Predators for future considerations. pic.twitter.com/WiUFMNcQu1
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 7, 2025
The 29-year-old has also played in 20 AHL games this year with Abbotsford, scoring one goal and six points. He missed some time earlier this year with an injury after being on the receiving end of a scary hit.
The Canucks blue line was suddenly looking very crowded after trading for Marcus Pettersson and the emergence of rookie Elias Pettersson. This pushed Friedman further down the depth chart, and it looked more and more unlikely that he’d be able to get into NHL games. With the Predators, he’ll have a chance at a fresh start.
While the Canucks don’t get anything explicitly in return, they free up a contract spot, open an opportunity for younger players to grab more minutes, and offer Friedman a better chance at getting regular NHL ice time.
Friedman was initially acquired by the Canucks last year in a four-player deal which saw Jack Rathbone go to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rathbone was at one time an exciting prospect in the Canucks system but failed to ever make a significant impact at the NHL level. He has 15 points in 39 AHL games this season.
This is the third trade the Canucks have made in the past week. They’ve been busy tinkering with their roster, and with an entire month ahead of the trade deadline, there’s still time for more deals.
The focus has moved to acquiring a top-six forward, preferably a centre. We will see if this Friedman trade is a precursor for more in the upcoming days and weeks.