Canucks' Myers cashes in $5 million bonus today, but will a trade follow?
It’s signing bonus day for Tyler Myers and the Vancouver Canucks.
Today is the day that fans and media have been talking about for months, as the 6-foot-8 defenceman gets a big payday.
Myers is set to be paid $5 million today, his agent J.P. Barry confirmed earlier this month. It means that the Canucks have just $1 million left to pay on Myers’ contract, which makes him far more affordable to other teams around the NHL in a potential trade.
The problem? Myers’ cap hit will remain at $6 million, even if he’s only due a fraction of that from a new team. Very few teams in the league have that kind of cap space right now, meaning that Vancouver would likely have to take back a bad contract or retain salary to make a trade work.
Bonus paid or not, there's not many teams in the NHL that have the room to add Tyler Myers' $6 million cap hit right now. I'd be shocked if the #Canucks trade him before the season.
📷: @CapFriendly pic.twitter.com/AUZWLxqC3k
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) September 14, 2023
The Canucks and San Jose Sharks were reportedly discussing a potential trade involving Myers and winger Kevin Labanc, who has one year left on his contract at $4.725 million. But do the Canucks need another winger?
Another issue is that the Canucks are rather thin on the back end as it is, so moving Myers may not make the team better. The 33-year-old looks likely to play on the Canucks’ third pairing this season.
Myers’ value should rise as we get closer to the trade deadline, reportedly set for March 8, when only a portion of his cap hit remains. The Canucks have designs at making a run for the playoffs, though. If Myers is contributing to their success and the team is still in the hunt for the postseason, Vancouver GM Patrik Allvin may opt to keep the veteran blueliner.
Another thing standing in the way of a Myers trade is the fact that he has a modified no-trade clause, where he can submit a 10-team no-trade list, according to CapFriendly.
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