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They are in a re-set. Trotz says step back for a year or two. Says they are caught in the mushy middle and need to become an elite team to win a Cup. Doesn't feel like he has any interest in the players Vancouver has made available. Can't imagine Allvin wouldn't have called every team and in particular those with cap space and picks. Trotz said he was looking to make trades well before the draft but with him then resorting to free agency seems like a rather solid indication that he didn't like what was available on the trade market. Probably too mushy middle when he's looking for high end. if they wanted offence they could have just kept Duchene who is 1-year remote from a 40 goal season. Priority seems developing their players and making the culture changes to become an elite team.

Tierney signed a 2-way. He spent part of last season in the AHL. Nosek seems more like a vet to strengthen their bottom-6. Boqvist who plays C/wing went unqualified and has signed with Boston. Miles Wood signed with Colorado.

McLeod finished the playoffs as C3 with Haula on his wing. If they keep that set-up missing a C4. Haula didn't often play as C for NJD. He was primarily wing to Hughes but took the face-offs. Meier addition probably has Haula out of top-6 but could stay wing to McLeod like they did to end their playoffs. Adding Nosek simply gives more options.

It often ends up close to the mid- way point - 3.65M here. Both sides argue their points and the arbitrator hardly leans full on one side - so player goes high and team goes low.

Backlund wants to see how the season goes - he doesn't sound done with Calgary. Would guess that if all goes off the rails Calgary goes into a re-tool and would then trade Backlund at the TDL. Toffoli was traded for a pick and a younger player - would guess that's the kind of return they would target rather than a player Vancouver is having trouble finding a taker for.

There was actually interest at the TDL with SJS apparently offering a 2nd round pick. Nashville had made him available because of expected cap issues and his QO/arbitration rights. Once they changed direction and cleared all that cap space at the TDL they decided to give him another try. New GM / new coach.

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Barzal - 8x 9.15M.

Qualifying offers expired yesterday and it looks like he simply signed his. He didn't have arbitration rights but will in a year.

Every insider seems to be saying that Vancouver has been trying to trade Garland for a long time and can't find a reasonable deal - Seravalli even talks of sweetener. Allvin didn't just say his preference is to avoid buyouts but instead argued against them, explaining that the dead cap would hurt the Canucks when they are looking to compete. He also propped up OEL putting blame on the lack of system under Boudreau and his injury at the Worlds. Would think that the OEL buyout was simply because he couldn't find takers for guys like Garland. Would guess that Allvin and his battery of AGMs have looked at all scenarios and called up every GM around. Not sure that trying to make a fair deal is possible when the market seems to be saying that it would be lopsided in favour of the other team.

They didn't have to give up assets to add Zucker. They might also be hoping to flip him at the TDL. He's also an established player that's going to bring leadership and work ethic to a very young team. Every indication is that Zucker has impeccable work ethic and trains like a madman in the off-season. Arizona coming out of their tank and looking for their young player to take the next step so they can be more competitive. Zucker seems a better fit because of his leadership/work ethic to help that young team take the next step vs Boeser who is trying to get back on track and whose work ethic looks to have slipped. Tocchet was highlighting how Boeser had to improve his conditioning and work on his footspeed and also talked of how he had to backcheck more. Arizona are relentless under Tourigny while that hasn't really been Boeser.

Jeannot's value isn't about points. Hockeyfights has Beauvillier listed with 1 fight in his NHL career back in 2020. Jeannot has 26 fights with 12 last season alone - including 3 for TBL with 1 in the post-season. For Beauvillier have to look at what skilled scoring wingers brought back and not fighters/bottom-6 grit. Johansson was roughly 0.5ppg and brought back a 3rd round pick for a 1.1M cap hit. Seems like a more reasonable comparable to Beauvillier than Jeannot.

Vancouver would be trying to do the best out of a bad situation. The only reason to trade Pettersson is if he refuses to extend and wants to go to free agency. Winnipeg did well with Dubois but it could also turn into an Ottawa/DeBrincat situation. There's no reason for NJD or Florida or even Tampa to mess with what they have going - it's not because Vancouver would be forced to trade Pettersson vs lose him for nothing that these teams have to bid when they already have a direction and their core defined. Would think there would be quite the list of interested teams. He's the elite C1 that Trotz sees as a crucial need. Minnesota is going to have those buyouts coming off their books when he hits UFA - Kaprizov going to need someone to play with as Zuccarello is not getting any younger. St Louis was trying to acquire Meier as they are going for a quick re-tool. San Jose, Montreal, Carolina if Aho walks, Pittsburgh where Dubas wants to reduce the gap to the next era, Boston has a need at C. There are enough teams that would bid and Vancouver would need to find the best deal - it's that or nothing if he wants out.

Jeannot had 14pts in 56 games when he got traded at the TDL for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th round pick - quite a few teams were after him. Tom Wilson's best season when he signed that 5M+ deal: 35pts / 14 goals. They open up room for others and have the built for the post-season. Boeser's agent was given permission to seek out a trade since December before Boeser rescinded his demand. LeBrun says no teams came calling. Garland has been on the trade block for quite some time with Seravalli even saying that the Canucks would need to pay to move his contract. On the other hand quite a few teams have been calling for Anderson but Montreal not willing to move him. Doesn't feel all that close.

It's probably going to take a fair bit more than that to get Anderson out of Montreal. Hughes says Anderson is in extremely high demand. So much that he even called Anderson in his office to let him know that they aren't looking to trade him. He didn't guarantee he wouldn't be traded if a team overpays but every indication is that he won't be cheap to acquire because Montreal is not looking to move him. St Louis says he brings elements that are hard to find. Talks of how he has size, speed and strength and does stuff that can't be taught.

Not a buyout - that's not an option. This is a contract termination for breach of contract - he doesn't get paid.

Injuries count against the cap - ie it can't drop them below the floor. They are above the floor already and can fill the rest of their roster with league minimum players.

They have even put his picture up in their hallway in replacement of Johansen's or Duchene's - presser for O'Reilly today so media noted the change. Feels like it would just be adding another odd piece vs really addressing a need. They need a matchup C3 that can go up against top lines. Novak still has to prove he belongs and looks to be top-6.

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Novak signed his deal before breaking out. He was signed by Poile before Trotz was even announced as incoming GM. He was playing bottom-6 and spent even time in the AHL when he signed his deal. They really had no idea he would emerge as a top-6 option. It's the TDL trades and the slew of injuries that gave him an opportunity in the top-6. Sure sounds like Trotz wants to give him a real opportunity to show what he can do. There's a reason he named him specifically as reason to trade Johansen. Can't really draw conclusions from early last season when Trotz is now setting a new direction. From the TDL onwards that's Trotz but everything before was Poile. Hynes tried to box them into a playing style but that's not the type of roster they've drafted or Trotz is looking to build.

Podkolzin could become waiver eligible mid-season - once he plays his 42nd game. Waivers is whichever comes 1st between a number of pro-seasons and NHL games played - it's dependent on signing age. He will reach the pro-seasons only in a year but could reach the games already this season which would trigger the waivers requirement. He's exempt for 3 pro-seasons or 160 games. This will be his 3rd pro-season and he already has 118 games.

Feels more like they didn't like the players that were available by trade so they resorted to free agency. Beauvillier was available already in NYI when Trotz was still there - wouldn't expect him to want a reunion. Trotz wasn't looking for short term but players who would fit what they were looking to build for the long term. If he thought that Beauvillier or Garland were fits he would have already traded for them. Here's the clip from 1 June - ie well before the draft and free agency. He did quite a few radio shows and interviews where always the same theme. Cap space is so valuable. Not looking for trades to make trades but finding pieces that will help them become an elite team because the aim is to win a Cup. Says they are in the mushy middle. Beauvillier - Garland are probably available on the Vancouver side because they are too mushy middle.