Can Canucks trim the fat by trading one of these 6 mid-level players?
Canucks players are sick of trade talk, and it’s hard to blame them.
This season’s trade deadline must feel like the longest one ever for them, given speculation on many of the team’s best players has been ramping up ever since Jim Rutherford took over as president of hockey operations back on December 9.
Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin have been clear with their publicly-stated goals. They don’t believe the current group of Canucks players is good enough, and they need to clear cap space to get better.
Much of the focus of trade rumours has been on Vancouver’s top players, with J.T. Miller leading the way given his age and the potential haul the Canucks could command for him.
But there is of course a flip side to moving Miller, or players like Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, and Conor Garland. They’re good players, and with the exception of Boeser, they’re on really good contracts. There are only so many of them that you can move out, and even then, you need to replace them.
It doesn’t mean that Allvin shouldn’t still look to trade one or two of his best forwards, but what if he could also clear out some players from the next tier?
It might take some creativity from Allvin, but he could set the Canucks up well this summer by moving as many players from Vancouver’s fatty middle.
I’m talking about players like Tanner Pearson, who has two more years left at $3.25 million and Jason Dickinson, who Vancouver is on the hook for $2.65 million, also for two more years.
Will anyone touch Tyler Myers? He makes $6 million a year for two more seasons beyond this one.
Can they interest someone on Travis Hamonic for one more season at $3 million, or Tucker Poolman with three more years at $2.5 million?
How about a gently-used Jaroslav Halak on an expiring deal?
But are they movable?
Surely, the new Canucks management team would love to move all of the above-listed players, but is it possible?
The Canucks traded Loui Eriksson, so any contract is movable depending on what you’re willing to give up to make it happen.
1. Tanner Pearson
Pearson is the most marketable of the players listed, but he has a full no-trade clause. That turns into a modified no-trade clause (seven-team no-trade list) this summer before trade protection is fully removed in the 2023 offseason.
For that reason, this is probably a player that gets moved at a later date.
Pearson has 25 points (11-14-25) in 51 games this season, and at age 29, there’s probably still a team out there that would take him. Stanley Cup pedigree still means something, and Pearson has a reputation as a consummate professional.
Verdict: You won’t get more than a mid-round pick for him, but he is a movable piece this summer.
2. Jason Dickinson
Dickinson has had a disastrous season in his first year in Vancouver.
With just six points (3-3-6) in 49 games, Dickinson is having by far the worst season of his NHL career.
He only has one more assist than Thatcher Demko to this point.
Dickinson has failed to solidify the third-line centre role like the Canucks had hoped, and he might not be a fourth-line centre answer either.
But there is a reason why the Canucks gave up a third-round pick to get him. Dickinson was a much better player in Dallas, and perhaps there’s a team out there that still views him as such.
Would the Stars take him back? They know Dickinson better than anyone and they were forced to move him in the offseason for fear of losing him to Seattle in the expansion draft.
Verdict: Without taking back salary, it’s unlikely the Canucks will be able to find a taker for Dickinson. He’s a buyout candidate this summer, but the Canucks might be wise to hold onto him for another year hoping he bounces back. The problem with buying out Dickinson is it extends the pain, costing the team nearly a million dollars against the cap until three of the next four years.
3. Tyler Myers
Myers’ value likely fluctuates greatly around the league.
Anyone would love to have a 6-foot-8 defenceman that can skate like he does, but of course, he’s prone to mistakes defensively.
Playing a reduced role on the Canucks’ power play this season, Myers’ offensive production has taken a dip, with just 13 points (1-12-13) in 55 games.
Say what you want about his play, Myers does play big minutes for the Canucks, usually in a shutdown role with Oliver Ekman-Larsson. That says something about the player.
Is there a team that views him as a credible top-four defenceman that can help them win? Probably not at $6 million per season, but the Canucks have the option to hold back salary.
Verdict: I think there’s a team out there that would take Myers if the Canucks retain salary, but they won’t get much back for him.
4. Travis Hamonic
For various reasons, Hamonic has only appeared in 16 games for the Canucks this season. He’s played just 18:20 per game, primarily in a third-pairing role.
He’s just one year removed from being a top-four blueliner on the Canucks though. Hamonic is a right-shot defenceman, which is always seemingly in demand. He’s also big (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) and tough.
Hamonic has a modified no-trade clause (eight-team NTC) this season, but trade protection is gone from his contract in the offseason.
Verdict: Hamonic is a better candidate to be moved next season if he can regain his form when his contract is expiring.
5. Tucker Poolman
If Poolman was hard to deal before, he’s virtually impossible to deal now while on LTIR.
Even for a supposed defensive defenceman, his inability to contribute offensively is shocking. He has just four points in his last 78 regular-season games with Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Poolman won’t get much easier to deal next season either, unless he improves his play. The 28-year-old has three more years on his contract beyond this season. Nobody has fewer points in the NHL over the past two seasons, with at least 65 games played.
Verdict: Unless something drastic changes, nobody’s touching that contract.
6. Jaroslav Halak
There was a time when people thought Halak was a potential solution for the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending troubles.
Not anymore.
Prior to February, Halak was a steady veteran backup goalie with a .918 save percentage. After being shelled in two straight starts in recent weeks, Halak now sports a disappointing .883 save percentage — the worst save percentage in the NHL among goalies with at least 10 starts.
His cap hit is a very reasonable $1.5 million, before becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. But he’s also due a $1.25 million performance bonus, which according to a report by The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, can be moved if negotiated in a trade.
Complicating matters further? Halak has a full no-movement clause.
Verdict: If Halak wants to leave, there might be a team that takes him. Just don’t expect much in return, or for another team to be willing to buck up on his performance bonus.
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