[Proposal] Jason Dickinson, 4th round pick, Carson Focht for Zack Kassian @ 50% retained

[Ilya Mikheyev]

To Arizona: Jason Dickinson, 4th rounder 2024, a low level prospect (Jurmo, Focht, Kunz, etc.)

 

To Vancouver: Zack Kassian @ 50% retained (1.6 AAV)

 

Why

 

For Canucks - Dickie has been a failed center experiment, and they have too much depth on the W for him to play above the 4th line (Kuzmenko, Boeser, Pearson, Podkolzin, Hoglander, Garland, possibly Miller OR Petey) plus any FAs or trades.

 

Canucks need more sandpaper/grit, something management has mentioned on numerous occasions. They lost Motte and have a spot on the 4th line. Kassian was still 2nd in hits for Edmonton last season and in the playoffs (after Evander), played every playoff game on a decent run for EDM (put up 4 points in 16 games w/ limited TOI). He can put up some decent offense for a bottom-6 player. Although he's been off the PK, MacLennan did utilize him on the PK regularly (on a fairly bad PK overall, however). This is still an overpayment for Kassian however it's at least money allocated toward a position they need to fill.  With Deslauriers being linked to Edmonton and likely to get a longer term deal on the open market, Kassian is a slightly worse (maybe?) but cheaper, shorter term version of the same role. Lockwood and Kassian could compete for the 4th line and 13th forward position at camp. Kassian has overcome a lot since his last stint in Van, and was a well-liked teammate in Edmonton.

 

At worst, Canucks clear some salary for a 4th rounder and can bury most of Kassian's AAV in Abby if necessary (and he'd be a welcome addition to Abbotsford's top 6, which is set to be undersized again this year).

 

Kass is only slighly removed from effective back-to-back 15 goal seasons when he was given a bigger role.

 

For Arizona - they milk more out of taking Kassian's salary. They also get a player who could bounce back in a non-pressure environment and a bigger role. Their team is awful and he would definitely see top-9 and PK time. Dickie did show tools last year, and some decent stints, but unless there's injuries in Vancouver, he might not get a chance to put together much TOI. At next year's deadline, they might be able to squeeze yet another asset out of Dickie, especially at - 50% at the TDL.

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Teemu Selänne

[mll]

In Arizona ownership is very frugal - can't be spending anything more than necessary with agents saying that the situation is pretty ridiculous.  

 

Kassian at 100% is 5.8M.  Dickinson has 5.95M left.  You are basically asking them to increase their spending by 50% and use an extra contract spot for only a 4th round pick.   Doubt they'll view it as enough.  

 

Focht cost a contract spot which many teams are reluctant to do because of the 50 contract limit.  If he had potential Vancouver wouldn't be moving him given how bare their prospect pool is - he's a negative for Arizona.

[Ghostsof1915]

Move on from Zack. He's not the answer.

[Ilya Mikheyev]

2 minutes ago, mll said:

In Arizona ownership is very frugal - can't be spending anything more than necessary with agents saying that the situation is pretty ridiculous.  

 

Kassian at 100% is 5.8M.  Dickinson has 5.95M left.  You are basically asking them to increase their spending by 50% and use an extra contract spot for only a 4th round pick.   Doubt they'll view it as enough.  

 

Focht cost a contract spot which many teams are reluctant to do because of the 50 contract limit.  If he had potential Vancouver wouldn't be moving him given how bare their prospect pool is - he's a negative for Arizona.

Focht aside, what round of pick do you think would be tempting for Arizona to increase their spending by 3M over two years?

[DrJockitch]

[JM_]

the more I look at our options, the more I think we should just buy out Dickie and bring in someone like Lyubushkin or Mikheyev. Make an incremental improvement and just be done with Dickie. 

[mll]

31 minutes ago, Teemu Selänne said:

Focht aside, what round of pick do you think would be tempting for Arizona to increase their spending by 3M over two years?

Armstrong says they are actively calling teams to leverage their cap space - they are still below the floor so they are going to have to spend.  I would guess that they are ideally targeting teams where the salary is lower than the cap hit - less money to spend but it depends on the asset they gain.  
 

Kassian 3.2M at 50% + Dickinson 2.65M = 4.25M cap hit so roughly a 2x 1M increase in cap while adding circa 3M in salary.   Salary higher than the cap hit.

 

Kassian was a 2nd and a 3rd round pick (and a switch of 1st with Arizona going from 32nd to 29th).  Arizona know they would be helping Vancouver cap wise so they'll probably also factor that into the cost.  A 3rd might be too light.  Vancouver is not really in position to make that kind of trade.  Kassian doesn't help them build towards contender status + it's a pick they are giving up when the prospect pool is pretty bare. 

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by mll

[DrJockitch]

6 minutes ago, JM_ said:

the more I look at our options, the more I think we should just buy out Dickie and bring in someone like Lyubushkin or Mikheyev. Make an incremental improvement and just be done with Dickie. 

Oddly he looked good in pre-season and at times when playing PF role with Bo early in the Bruce Bump. 
Not offensively but he was a big body getting into tough places and disrupting all the fancies.

If it is going to cost assets to sell or facing buyout may be best to give him another year with Bruce for camp. If it still isn’t working, waivers and can buyout next year or look to dump some other way with less contract remaining. 
That being said if can be traded for any sort of positive value or in bigger deal then great.

But no not for Zack Kassian. Imagine giving up assets for Kassian. 

[mll]

13 minutes ago, JM_ said:

the more I look at our options, the more I think we should just buy out Dickie and bring in someone like Lyubushkin or Mikheyev. Make an incremental improvement and just be done with Dickie. 

Drance says management aren't interested in buying out Dickinson - not worth it.  They want to play with more structure - maybe that helps his game + new season.  

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, mll said:

Drance says management aren't interested in buying out Dickinson - not worth it.  They want to play with more structure - maybe that helps his game + new season.  

Maybe Dickinson would do well as a defensively minded guy with Petey and Brock?  He’s a big guy, who can skate and play heavy.  Good on pucks.  Very smart (defensively).  Not sure if his lack of hands and offensive awareness would drag down the other two though?  

[JM_]

15 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

Oddly he looked good in pre-season and at times when playing PF role with Bo early in the Bruce Bump. 
Not offensively but he was a big body getting into tough places and disrupting all the fancies.

If it is going to cost assets to sell or facing buyout may be best to give him another year with Bruce for camp. If it still isn’t working, waivers and can buyout next year or look to dump some other way with less contract remaining. 
That being said if can be traded for any sort of positive value or in bigger deal then great.

But no not for Zack Kassian. Imagine giving up assets for Kassian. 

I'd take Zack if it was on a league minimum deal but yeah don't really want to trade for him. 

 

13 minutes ago, mll said:

Drance says management aren't interested in buying out Dickinson - not worth it.  They want to play with more structure - maybe that helps his game + new season.  

we'll see, it might be one of the only ways to bring in more speed (e.g, Mikheyev) or small d upgrade (Lyubushkin).

[Elias Pettersson]

Kassian is a 4th line plug.  His only usefulness is beating up Matthew Tkachuk...

[Bell]

5 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Kassian is a 4th line plug.  His only usefulness is beating up Matthew Tkachuk...

When Kassian first came to Vancouver, he and Lapierre would absolutely terrorize the opposing teams dmen on the forecheck.  He was very effective way back then but as you say his best days are long gone.  He was a super fun guy to have on the canucks back then.

[Gurn]

12 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Kassian is a 4th line plug.  His only usefulness is beating up Matthew Tkachuk...

So, almost worth trading for. 

[Elias Pettersson]

2 minutes ago, gurn said:

So, almost worth trading for. 

Almost...  

[Chris12345]

1 hour ago, Teemu Selänne said:

Focht aside, what round of pick do you think would be tempting for Arizona to increase their spending by 3M over two years?

Zero. They have no money.

 

Well maybe a first but that's it.

[Pears]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Kassian is a 4th line plug.  His only usefulness is beating up Matthew Tkachuk...

…and being fed tap ins from McDavid and Draisaitl 

[Ilya Mikheyev]

2 hours ago, DrJockitch said:

Oddly he looked good in pre-season and at times when playing PF role with Bo early in the Bruce Bump. 
Not offensively but he was a big body getting into tough places and disrupting all the fancies.

If it is going to cost assets to sell or facing buyout may be best to give him another year with Bruce for camp. If it still isn’t working, waivers and can buyout next year or look to dump some other way with less contract remaining. 
That being said if can be traded for any sort of positive value or in bigger deal then great.

But no not for Zack Kassian. Imagine giving up assets for Kassian. 

I don't really see giving up assets for Kassian - almost everything in my proposal is negative value for both teams except a 4th round draft choice in 2024 - a pretty cheap cost for clearing approx. 1M in cap hit plus at least 750,000 for the player who would take Kass' spot.

 

I agree Dickie should some signs of being able to turn it around, and I hope he does.
 

2 hours ago, mll said:

Armstrong says they are actively calling teams to leverage their cap space - they are still below the floor so they are going to have to spend.  I would guess that they are ideally targeting teams where the salary is lower than the cap hit - less money to spend but it depends on the asset they gain.  
 

Kassian 3.2M at 50% + Dickinson 2.65M = 4.25M cap hit so roughly a 2x 1M increase in cap while adding circa 3M in salary.   Salary higher than the cap hit.

 

Kassian was a 2nd and a 3rd round pick (and a switch of 1st with Arizona going from 32nd to 29th).  Arizona know they would be helping Vancouver cap wise so they'll probably also factor that into the cost.  A 3rd might be too light.  Vancouver is not really in position to make that kind of trade.  Kassian doesn't help them build towards contender status + it's a pick they are giving up when the prospect pool is pretty bare. 

 

Fair enough. So a 3rd + a 5th or 6th is probably the cost in your eyes, and I agree that's a bit high for what the Canucks get in receipt, but I still wouldn't be against it tbh. If Canucks were doing a Chitown or Arizona style rebuild rn, I would definitely think otherwise. But, I clearly think more of Kassian than most considering the replies.