Rumoured Canucks trade target Zucker traded to another team
The Vancouver Canucks have missed out on yet another top winger at this year’s trade deadline.
The Arizona Coyotes have dealt Jason Zucker to the Nashville Predators per Sportsnet‘s Elliotte Friedman. The winger was someone that the Canucks were reported to be interested in.
The Predators sent a 2024 sixth-round draft pick from the Dallas Stars the other way.
Jason Zucker from Arizona to Nashville
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 8, 2024
Zucker carries a relatively expensive cap hit at $5.3 million. There was no money retained by the Coyotes. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer on July 1.
The Predators are in the hunt for a playoff spot and could be a first-round opponent for the Canucks. They currently occupy the first Wild Card spot and are eight points clear of the playoff bar, although the chasing Calgary Flames do have some games in hand.
The 32-year-old has nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 51 games so far this season with the Coyotes. He’s also just one year removed from scoring 27 goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.
Zucker has four seasons with at least 20 goals and an additional season with 33 goals on his resume.
Jim Rutherford was the Penguins’ general manager when the team traded for Zucker in 2020. The Canucks’ president of hockey operations has shown a desire to acquire players he has had on his teams in the past. Sam Lafferty, Casey DeSmith, and Elias Lindholm are just some of the several examples on the roster at the moment.
The Canucks, who have been targeting a top-six winger, have now watched Zucker, Jake Guentzel, and Tyler Toffoli all be traded to other teams.
While the Canucks already made a big move in acquiring Elias Lindholm a few weeks prior to the deadline, they have stayed quiet over the past few days while several other contenders add to their rosters. The noon PT trade deadline is fast approaching for the club.