[Speculation] Canucks Announce Offseason Plans

[RWJC]

Canucks Announce Offseason Plans

 

May 23rd, 2024 at 4:50pm CST • By Gabriel Foley

 

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin and head coach Rick Tocchet spoke with the media on Thursday about the team’s plans for the upcoming off-season. Coming off their most successful season in nine years, Allvin started interviews by emphasizing that the team needs to enter the summer with the mindset that they only managed to reach the second round. As shared by Pass It To Bulis’ Daniel Wagner, Allvin said “I’m not happy sitting here today…we lost our last game and it was only in round two.” 
 

The team’s off-season plans will reflect that high bar, with Allvin most notably sharing that they’re looking to bring in a top-six winger, shares Sportsnet’s Brendan Batchelor (Twitter link). Allvin added that the team is also looking to bring in more speed, while Tocchet spoke to needing more creativity and shooting out of the lineup. Each of those attributes could be met by pending Carolina Hurricanes free agent Jake Guentzel, who Vancouver was reportedly very interested in ahead of the Trade Deadline.

 

The Hurricanes ultimately acquired Guentzel in exchange for Michael Bunting, top prospects Vaisili Ponomaryov and Cruz Lucius, and second-and-fifth-round picks in 2024. That’s a tall price to pay for a Spring rental, and there’s no doubt Carolina will make a hardy push to extend Guentzel after he posted a combined 34 points in 28 games with the club.
 

But Guentzel left the door open to other destinations in his exit interview, acknowledging that hockey is ultimately a business. He’ll almost assuredly be due for an enthusiastic call from Allvin, should he decide to enter the open market.

 

The search for a top-six winger will headline Vancouver’s summer, with Allvin sharing that the team wants to retain its pending free agents otherwise, per Batchelor (Twitter link).

 

Allvin went on to name Nikita Zadorov, Tyler Myers, and Dakota Joshua as specific free agents the team is looking to retain. There shouldn’t be any pushback from the player’s side, with Joshua’s agent expressing a desire to return on the Donnie & Dhali Show while Zadorov speaking openly about his love for Vancouver during exit interviews. The trio are a part of Vancouver’s 11 pending free agents – a list that most notably includes Elias Lindholm and backup goaltenders Arturs Silovs and Casey DeSmith. The Canucks paid a pretty penny to acquire Lindholm earlier this season, while Silovs earned expanded opportunity with his fantastic playoff run. If and how the Canucks are able to lock up both players will be a major factor in how their 2024-25 roster is constructed.

 

Among his other thoughts, Allvin also made sure to mention the team’s top prospects – sharing that the team wants to create opportunity for those players. While he didn’t name any players outright, it’s not hard to reason that reigning SHL ‘Rookie of the Year’ Jonathan Lekkerimaki is among the top to earn a chance. Lekkerimaki recorded 31 points in 46 SHL games this season, adding two points in six AHL games following the end of Orebro’s season. He signed a three-year, $4.3MM entry-level contract in early May and could be one of Vancouver’s most exciting breakout candidates next season. Other top prospects Aatu Raty, Danila Klimovich, and defenseman Elias Pettersson could also push for an added role.

 

Vancouver’s postseason berth was just their second of the last nine seasons, and just their seventh time making it to the second round this century. It seems the team’s leadership core is ready to carry that winning mentality forward, looking at making impacts with externally, internally, and prospect decisions.
 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/05/canucks-announce-offseason-plans.html#ref=home

[Nucker67]

I don't understand how they're going to afford Guentzel. 

 

IMO, Petey is a highly paid winger (even though they're still trying to make him a C), and his salary is going to increase by $4 (basically an extra player)

 

Hoglander - Miller - Boeser

Mikheyev - Pettersson - Guentzel

Joshua - Suter - Garland

 

Is this the plan? ...because I still see 2-3 players in that Top 9 that held the Canucks back in the playoffs. Really hoping they can trade Mikheyev and possibly Suter.

 

 

[Comox Blaster]

Totally agree with Nucker67.  If he can somehow move Mikheyev and Suter they might have some cash for taking a shot at Guentzel.

Silovs has earned the right to back up Demko and be able to play at least 25-30 games.  Would be tough to let Lindhom walk after what they paid to get him here and the fact that he finally started to play decently.  However, too much money for a third line centre.  Finally, what does everyone think about retaining Myers on a new reduced offer?  He has played a lot better this past season under RT but still makes some bonehead plays per game.  Should be a fun and interesting off season for the management team.

 

[DeNiro]

36 minutes ago, Nucker67 said:

I don't understand how they're going to afford Guentzel. 

 

IMO, Petey is a highly paid winger (even though they're still trying to make him a C), and his salary is going to increase by $4 (basically an extra player)

 

Hoglander - Miller - Boeser

Mikheyev - Pettersson - Guentzel

Joshua - Suter - Garland

 

Is this the plan? ...because I still see 2-3 players in that Top 9 that held the Canucks back in the playoffs. Really hoping they can trade Mikheyev and possibly Suter.

 

 

Dumping Mikheyev either through trade or buyout will most definitely be in their plans.

 

Cant improve the roster with his almost 5 mil in dead weight. He’s not a top 6 despite being paid like one.

[stawns]

1 minute ago, Comox Blaster said:

Totally agree with Nucker67.  If he can somehow move Mikheyev and Suter they might have some cash for taking a shot at Guentzel.

Silovs has earned the right to back up Demko and be able to play at least 25-30 games.  Would be tough to let Lindhom walk after what they paid to get him here and the fact that he finally started to play decently.  However, too much money for a third line centre.  Finally, what does everyone think about retaining Myers on a new reduced offer?  He has played a lot better this past season under RT but still makes some bonehead plays per game.  Should be a fun and interesting off season for the management team.

 

 

Other than the first, they didn't deal anything significant.  They cratered Kuz's value and wanted to move the contract and I don't think they believed HB is going to be anything beyond a star in Jr.  

[Ghostsof1915]

Jake G is over-rated on here. We don't need another sub 6', sub 200 lb. forward. This is basically people looking at the stat sheet.

As pointed out by others he's going to be out of our price range.

We need a big forward, with speed and skill. We need someone who can help handle the bigger teams, and forecheck against the McDavids.

Jake has talent and can certainly score. Could we have used that? Sure. But we need balance. This was the part of the problem with Benning, he thought we could

out skill the opponents.

[stawns]

3 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

Dumping Mikheyev either through trade or buyout will most definitely be in their plans.

 

Cant improve the roster with his almost 5 mil in dead weight. He’s not a top 6 despite being paid like one.

 

I hope they at least give him a chance to train properly and regain some value first.  They botched the OEL situation and I'd hate to see them do it again, just a year later.

 

Let him train, start the season and then look at moving him around Xmas if he's close to being back to who he was.

[Bob Long]

12 minutes ago, stawns said:

 

I hope they at least give him a chance to train properly and regain some value first.  They botched the OEL situation and I'd hate to see them do it again, just a year later.

 

Let him train, start the season and then look at moving him around Xmas if he's close to being back to who he was.

 

there was no un-botching of OEL, he's never going to live up to his old deal, so for us he'd always be a cap problem one way or another. 

 

Personally I'm happy OEL is gone, he's not the player I thought he was in AZ, his attitude was shit here and I'm glad he's out of the room. 

Edited May 24 by Bob Long

[BPA]

Just re-sign Lindholm to play with EP.  That line was never given a prolonged look during the regular season.  
 

Podz Miller Boeser

Hogz Lindholm EP

Joshua Suter Garland

PDG Aman Karlsson 

Bains/Raty

 

Hughes Juulsen 

Soucy Hronek 

Zads Myers

Brisbois

 

Demko

Silovs

 

 

 

[stawns]

10 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

there was no un-botching of OEL, he's never going to live up to his old deal, so for us he'd always be a cap problem one way or another. 

 

Personally I'm happy OEL is gone, he's not the player I thought he was in AZ, his attitude was shit here and I'm glad he's out of the room. 

 

He would have been solid under Tocchrts system, as he is under Maurice's.  They should have been patient, let other teams see he was still a good dman and then moved him. 

 

They probably wouldn't have got much in return, maybe had to add a sweetener, but they'd have been able to move him if they gave him a chance to show he was still a good dman, which he clearly is.

 

I dont have any issue with him but being part of the plan, it's the path thrh took that I have an issue with

[canucks curse]

Milky+ Podz to CHI for VAN 2024 2nd, CHI 2024 3rd

 

-5.4 in cap 

cap space 29.1

 

Hronek to CAR for Necas and rights to Jake G- then we can give him max term to lower AAV 

 

Necas 5.0

Guentzel 6.5x 8

Bluegger 1.5 x 4

Dhillon 3.25 x 2

Tanev 4.5x 2

Myers 2.75x 3

Cole .8 x 3

silovs 1.75 

= 26.2

 

[Bob Long]

Just now, stawns said:

 

He would have been solid under Tocchrts system, as he is under Maurice's.  They should have been patient, let other teams see he was still a good dman and then moved him. 

 

but he's not worth 8 mil. Never will be, which is the problem. Yes we have dead cap, but we'd have even more lost value by keeping him. 

 

Just now, stawns said:

 

They probably wouldn't have got much in return, maybe had to add a sweetener, but they'd have been able to move him if they gave him a chance to show he was still a good dman, which he clearly is.

 

I dont have any issue with him but being part of the plan, it's the path thrh took that I have an issue with

 

If we didn't move him, we don't have the pieces for the playoff run we just had. 

[Nucker67]

24 minutes ago, stawns said:

 

Other than the first, they didn't deal anything significant.  They cratered Kuz's value and wanted to move the contract and I don't think they believed HB is going to be anything beyond a star in Jr.  

 

What I recall with Brzustewicz was when he was drafted and interviewed he talked a bit about liking a lot of sports and I believe he said he wanted to one day be on the media side of sports. Who knows with this kid, he might lose interest in playing the game after some time and prefer to be in front of the camera talking about it. 

 

Is there a player at around pick #27 that is a must have?  IMO, by then and on, it's a crap shoot which kids will actually make an impact in the NHL. 

 

The Draft is going to be boring AF this year, but I am hoping Allvin can find diamonds in the rough in the 3rd and 4th Rounds.

[Chicken.]

24 minutes ago, canucks curse said:

Milky+ Podz to CHI for VAN 2024 2nd, CHI 2024 3rd

 

-5.4 in cap 

cap space 29.1

 

Hronek to CAR for Necas and rights to Jake G- then we can give him max term to lower AAV 

 

Necas 5.0

Guentzel 6.5x 8

Bluegger 1.5 x 4

Dhillon 3.25 x 2

Tanev 4.5x 2

Myers 2.75x 3

Cole .8 x 3

silovs 1.75 

= 26.2

 

takes Guentzel to 37/38 years old... oof

[DeNiro]

1 hour ago, stawns said:

 

I hope they at least give him a chance to train properly and regain some value first.  They botched the OEL situation and I'd hate to see them do it again, just a year later.

 

Let him train, start the season and then look at moving him around Xmas if he's close to being back to who he was.

That would be nice, but I just don’t see them forgoing the chance to re-sign key players or target players in free agency if they’ve already moved on from Mikheyev internally.

 

That cap space can be used to re-sign key players like Blueger and Joshua who we already know work on this roster.

 

 

Edited May 24 by DeNiro

[Captain insano]

I get the feeling hronek Cole Lindholm lafferty and mikheyev all get removed from our roster the mikheyev being the most difficult for obvious reasons, I see management taking a look at guentzel Bertuzzi and Toffoli as top 6 winger options 

[steviewonder20]

4 hours ago, DeNiro said:

That would be nice, but I just don’t see them forgoing the chance to re-sign key players or target players in free agency if they’ve already moved on from Mikheyev internally.

 

That cap space can be used to re-sign key players like Blueger and Joshua who we already know work on this roster.

 

 

But having 6.9 million and then 6.3 million in dead cap space would be very painful. I don’t see how we can buy him out on top of OEL. 

[steviewonder20]

5 hours ago, canucks curse said:

Milky+ Podz to CHI for VAN 2024 2nd, CHI 2024 3rd

 

-5.4 in cap 

cap space 29.1

 

Hronek to CAR for Necas and rights to Jake G- then we can give him max term to lower AAV 

 

Necas 5.0

Guentzel 6.5x 8

Bluegger 1.5 x 4

Dhillon 3.25 x 2

Tanev 4.5x 2

Myers 2.75x 3

Cole .8 x 3

silovs 1.75 

= 26.2

 

We don’t have a 1st or 2nd this year.

[Provost]

We aren’t in cap hell anymore, but we are certainly in cap “heck”.

 

The only way to significantly alter the roster to try to get better is to trade Mikheyev and Hronek.  Maybe even Silovs while his value is high.

 

Raises, the increasing OEL cap hit, and the fact our better prospects are still likely 2-3 years from making a material impact on the roster mean it will be tough to have a team as good as this one next year.

 

[canucks curse]

32 minutes ago, steviewonder20 said:

We don’t have a 1st or 2nd this year.

Correct 

Chicago has our 2nd 

we get it back in this trade 

[NoCupSyndrome]

6 hours ago, BPA said:

Just re-sign Lindholm to play with EP.  That line was never given a prolonged look during the regular season.  
 

Podz Miller Boeser

Hogz Lindholm EP

Joshua Suter Garland

PDG Aman Karlsson 

Bains/Raty

 

Hughes Juulsen 

Soucy Hronek 

Zads Myers

Brisbois

 

Demko

Silovs

 

 

 

 

I worry about commiting that much AAV to a 29 year old (30 I'm December) who has showed serious offensive regression. Really like him as a player and his defense is close to elite but don't think that is enough to justify the AAV he is reported to be after. If his actual AAV ask is much lower then probably a deal.

 

Ultimately, I think I would prefer multiple other UFAs retained over just Lindholm retained

 

 

[NoCupSyndrome]

36 minutes ago, Provost said:

We aren’t in cap hell anymore, but we are certainly in cap “heck”.

 

The only way to significantly alter the roster to try to get better is to trade Mikheyev and Hronek.  Maybe even Silovs while his value is high.

 

Raises, the increasing OEL cap hit, and the fact our better prospects are still likely 2-3 years from making a material impact on the roster mean it will be tough to have a team as good as this one next year.

 

 

Mgmt has shown good creativity so I think they can get better as a group. They are one of the younger teams, if EP, Hughes, Hogs, Podz, etc. all continue to improve them the team can keep getting better as a whole. The core needs to improve though.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

39 minutes ago, canucks curse said:

Correct 

Chicago has our 2nd 

we get it back in this trade 

 

Not any more, they don't.

 

 

[rmok]

Jake Guentzel at 30 years old for like 9 million with huge term is going to be a MASSIVE mistake. Why are people over rating him so much? He would have been great as a rental this year.. but at his age, term and desired AVV he is not a good long term solution. 

 

Guentzel scored 40 goals two seasons ago... SO DID LINDHOLM!!

Lindholm is a center, penalty kills, face offs, defensively sound etc. Way better use of 8 or 9 million on a 30 year old. 

 

You don't bring in a 30 year old for 'speed'.. thats what the young guys are for. 

 

If they sign Guentzel it will be a regret within 2 seasons mark my words.