There are signs Vancouver Canucks will use Höglander as trade bait
It feels like the Vancouver Canucks and Nils Höglander are heading for a divorce.
The 24-year-old is struggling to mesh with Rick Tocchet’s system. While he was one of the team’s biggest breakout stars last season with 24 goals, his production has fallen off a cliff this year.
This has led to a career-low in average ice time, multiple benchings, and even sitting out last night’s game as a healthy scratch.
With the Canucks badly needing a defenceman, it feels like Höglander could be dangled as trade bait. That feeling seems to match what the insiders are reporting.
“The agent has already talked to this team a few weeks ago and everybody agreed ‘we’re going to work together’ to try and get his confidence back,” explained CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal on Halford & Brough.
“I asked the agent last night if they’ve asked for a trade or got permission to look for other teams. You know what I got? Zero response.”
“That’s telling. That’s telling to me when I get zero response. I’ve known that agent for many years; there has to be frustration.”
It’s hard to overstate how much of a nightmare season it’s been for Höglander so far. He has just two goals and hasn’t scored in 26 games. He also doesn’t have a point in his last 21 contests.
With each passing poor performance, Höglander’s trade value continues to trend downwards.
The Canucks signed the Swedish forward to a three-year extension just before opening night. The contract costs $3 million against the cap, meaning that he’s cost-controlled, although it’s a rich deal for a player with five points in 31 games this year and starts next year.
No trades are allowed across the league until December 28 due to the NHL’s roster freeze.
The Canucks management group is one of the league’s most aggressive, and they’re not afraid to move off underperforming players. With how much Höglander has struggled and other glaring needs on the roster, it feels like his time with the team will be up soon.