underrated Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 The Canucks should be aiming to build their core with players 27 and under. The older group (25-27) will be the leaders as the young ones come up. Guys like Tanev as the anchor on D. Most of the older assets (except for the Sedins, that might re-sign and play one more year or retire), should be traded for assets, to free up cap space as well as roster spots for younger players. Our aim should be to start being competitive with a deep good young lineup in 2019/2020. This is my proposal to get there. A couple key signings, one big trade, and a few smaller trades to sell players for future assets. There are two very good, fairly young (25-26 year old) unrestricted free agents this offseason that I think the Canucks should strongly pursue this summer, even if we have to overpay. Those two are Mark Stone from Ottawa and Jonathan Marchessault from Vegas. Each are nearly a point per game. While they are slightly older than the core we are building from, they can be the core group of talented forwards helping the young guys develop in a winning atmosphere, and being the veterans as we rise back to being a top team. We sadly say goodbye to the Sedins. We could keep them, but I'd rather make a push for younger players entering their prime like Stone and Marchessault. Deadline Trades: TRADE #1 - Vancouver & Dallas (Similar to one I proposed a few weeks ago) To Dallas: Alex Edler Brandon Sutter Thomas Vanek Anders Nilsson (Cap 13.8) To Vancouver: Jason Spezza (cap dump, only playing 13 minutes per night. Has one year remaining after this season) Kari Lehtonen (for cap purposes, expiring contract) Julius Honka (key piece of the deal, a top defensive right hand shot prospect that is pretty much NHL ready) 2018 First round pick 2019 Fourth round pick (Cap 14.6) Why: Dallas went big in the offseason with Bishop, Radulov, Methot and Hanzel, but it still hasn't put them back into the elite category they hoped. They double down with this trade, getting rid of their two worst contracts (Spezza and Lehtonen) to a rebuilding team, while adding four good pieces. Edler gives them a top four defenseman with playoff experience, Sutter gives a hard working veteran centerman, Vanek is a much needed additional sniper and Nilsson is a more solid backup goalie. This trade rounds out their team much better. For the Canucks, they add three key rebuilding pieces, specifically the high end prospect in Julius Honka, who could be in the #1 pairing with Juolevi long term. The first round pick is likely going to be mid round (18-24), and the fourth round pick is another asset. None of the four players the Canucks are trading would be worth Honka or the first round pick alone, but the package of four guys along with taking back bad contracts gives the Canucks a good return. Trade #2 - Granlund to the Ducks To Anaheim: Markus Granlund, conditional draft pick (2nd round if they miss playoffs, 3rd for first or second round, 4th if making conference finals or SC finals) To Vancouver: Jacob Larsson Why: The Ducks are stacked on defense presently and in the future, even after trading Vatanen. With injuries, aging forwards, and a fairly short window to really compete with this core of Getzlaf, Perry and Kesler, the Ducks move a very good defensive prospect for Granlund to be a piece of their present and future, with a flexible contract. They also get a good draft pick, due to the high value of Larsson, which effectively helps replace the pick they used to get him. The Canucks get another good defensive prospect to add to the pool (#11 D Prospect in League: https://thehockeywriters.com/who-is-the-nhls-top-defence-prospect/). Trade #3 - Gudbransson to the Leafs To Toronto: Erik Gudbransson To Vancouver: 2018 2nd & 4th round picks Why: The Leafs are a playoff team this year, and Gudbransson fits a need as a left hand defenseman, who provides needed depth. He's also young, if they want to re-sign him, and flexible if they want to dump him after the season. He's technically a rental, but young enough to be a part of their team going forward, if they decide. For the Canucks, we have Hutton, Del Zotto, Pouliot as left shot defenders (plus Edler and Gudbransson if they aren't traded) so this is an area of depth that we can afford to lose. Gudbransson could be re-signed but he'll never be a top end guy, so getting assets to help the rebuild makes sense. Trade #4 - Sam Gagner to the Devils (this trade could also just be done in the offseason) To New Jersey: Sam Gagner To Vancouver: 3rd and 5th round picks Why: New Jersey just traded Adam Henrique, so this is a fairly low cost acquisition to add a centerman to replace him. He's a real upgrade on Pavel Zacha in the #3 center role. For the Canucks they shed payroll and add picks. Off-season Free Agency: Jonathan Marchessault - 5 years @ 5 million Mark Stone - 6 years @ 6.5 million We will have more money to offer if needed due to losing both Sedins and Edlers contract. 2018/2019 Roster Baerstchi - Horvat - Boeser Eriksson - Marchessault - Stone Goldobin - Spezza - Virtanen Gaunce, Chaput, or young guys to get their shot Hutton - Tanev Del Zotto - Stecher Pouliot - Jonka Larsson Markstrom Overall this roster is weak on defense, but banking on Hutton, Stecher, Pouliot, Jonka and Larsson to continue to develop. Offensively we lose the Sedins and gain Marchessault and Stone, which make us better and far younger. This team will not be great, but a key building year towards competing the following year. 2019/2020 Roster (TRADE: Sell Eriksson, along with a high draft pick, to a team that will take him in exchange for the asset, like Vegas. Also trade Del Zotto for a pick) Goldobin - Marchessault - Stone Baerstchi - Horvat - Boeser Dahlen - Petterson - Virtanen Gadjovich - Gaudette - Lind (or if these guys are still developing, have other fourth liners fill in) Juolevi - Tanev Hutton - Honka Larsson - Stecher Pouliot Demko Markstrom For teams to win in this league, they need players on young rookie contracts adding in to the players in their prime. This team should truly compete with LOTS of young talent and some key veterans around. A lot is banking on the development of the young players but this team is really deep with quality young players. It can roll three good lines, and if guys like Juolevi and Honka step up, they could be really good defensively too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Zamboni Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 the most underrated thread of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2011 Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 Vancouver needs an elite defenseman. the d group you have above are average at best. Not contenders by any means. I'd rather continue with Bennings rebuild through the draft and overspend on an elite defenseman like Karlsson or Doughty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nucker 67 Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 I am of the opinion that once the Sedins retire this team's direction will change. Until then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuman491 Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 Well done with your trade proposals. Well thought out. I know I'm nit picking, but Gudbranson is a RHD. Anyway, I like the Dallas trade. I think that one has potential as long as Dallas is on the playoff bubble. I also think the Toronto trade is realistic. The Anaheim trade doesn't look great. Granlund's year last year is really starting to look like an anomaly. I don't think his value gets us such a nice prospect. I'd be down with trading Gagner. Not sure if a team would take his contract judging by his impact so far this year. Really like the Toronto and Dallas trades though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 - Your rationale for trading Honka is also the same rationale that Dallas won't trade Honka. He's on an ELC, he's a RHD. Two things you'd have to overpay them for. Why would Spezza waive his no trade to go to Vancouver? Lehtonen and Hamhuis are on expiring contracts and that's 10 million in cap space without doing anything. - Normally you get a better draft pick the farther you go in the playoffs, not worse. - That's a horrible return for Gudbranson. - The way Gagne is playing we'd be lucky to get a 5th for him. Or we can try and sign Tavares with the $11 million and get a player that makes his wingers better. Bo then can be 2nd line, it gives Petterson time to develop. I'd rather keep Gudbranson, and move guys like Hutton, Edler, and maybe Stecher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GritGrinder Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 A couple of things. Its likely that Dallas and the Canucks will be out of the playoff race by the TDL so I can't see them making a 7 player 2 draft pick trade just to finish out the season. Mark Stone is an RFA not a UFA. Also that 2019-2020 defense will be the softest in the West if not the whole league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovy Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 Kudos for the effort! Edler just walks? The D will be terrible and a bunch of smurfs. I hope Pouliot can continue to develop. Could be way better than Honka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_314 Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 Highly doubt that much movement takes place in the Dallas trade when the team is already as bad as it is now. We see that with Bo gone there's no one ready to carry the roster up the middle, and you'd trade Sutter (one of the few guys who could at least help out) after the Twins walk? Marchessault's a wing and Spezza's already 34 so I doubt he'd be a good piece to re-sign (35 year old players normally don't have much shelf life left), and in essence the team's back to being a West Coast Express team with one strong scoring line and next to no help after. No dice to that (Edler alone, for all his hate, can probably net a decent chunk of that, e.g. prospect and 1st if a cap dump is thrown in and Nill trusts he can still play big minutes). Nilsson should stay, Sutter should as well to help with the transition, and if Vanek's going to be undervalued then I have no issues keeping him as he's still productive. I might be a homer in hoping that the Ducks deal works but if they do it I'm down. Indifferent about the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c00kies Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 That Dallas trade seems too big for the trade deadline. The deadline is usually a pick/prospect for a player, unless the piece is big like the Brad Richards and Marian Hossa deadline deals. I also don't think the deal is worth it for the Stars to give up Honka and a first. The two middle deals seem alright, but Gagner probably has negative value this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noble 6 Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 Stone is a RFA. He's going to be worth a lot to acquire in a trade. Offer sheeting him would be counter productive. He's one of the few wingers I would even consider in Selke type talk. Marchessault is someone I would be wary of. This season seems like it could be a flash in the pan. He might earn big payday after this year and slowly fade away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripplereh Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 to much of wishful thinking but TDL deals will be done, for me I'd try a trade of Guddy and Vanek to a team any making the playoffs with an injury that would give us a young top 3 player in their system , plus a first, a 4th and we take a bad contract till end of year to even money out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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