In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, the organization is shopping Ilya Mikheyev. Meanwhile, Nikita Zadorov is unlikely to re-sign with the Canucks. Also, the club could trade Elias Lindholm for a draft pick.
Canucks Shopping Mikheyev
The Canucks are reportedly shopping forward Mikheyev. The organization attempted to trade him at the trade deadline and started talks again after they were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Russian forward has two years remaining in his deal with a $4.75 million cap hit, which would allow the Canucks to re-sign their other free agents.
Mikheyev struggled to perform during the regular season, scoring 11 goals and posting 31 points, and in the playoffs, he didn’t register a single point through 11 games. Teams are expecting the Canucks to include a sweetener with Mikheyev, but the club believes he will be much better next season as it takes a full year to recover from ACL repair. Mikheyev underwent ACL surgery in February 2023 and wasn’t ready for training camp before the 2023-24 season.
Trading the forward without a sweetener will be difficult for general manager Patrik Allvin. There is no guarantee that Mikheyev will bounce back and return to his old form. Additionally, most teams aren’t willing to take on his $4.5 million salary, especially the way he played this past season.
Zadorov Is Unlikely to Re-Sign
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said it is unlikely the Canucks will re-sign Zadorov. He said he believes the team wasn’t far from the defenceman’s asking price, but neither side is willing to budge. Friedman added that Zadorov would’ve left money on the table to return to Vancouver.
The Canucks’ initial offer to the defenceman had an annual average value (AAV) of $4.5 million. The 6-foot-6 defenceman will have a lot of suitors in free agency willing to pay him a lot more than Vancouver. Zadorov provided an offensive and defensive presence in the playoffs, scoring four goals and posting eight points in 13 games, while throwing 45 hits.
Lindholm Could Be Traded for a Draft Pick
Rick Dhaliwal said Lindholm’s camp is not commenting on whether the forward is hitting free agency on July 1. Therefore, the two sides could still agree on a deal, although that is unlikely. However, the Canucks could trade the forward for a draft pick, as the organization lacks draft capital.
Related: 3 Top-Six Wingers the Canucks Should Target in Free Agency
The Canucks could capitalize on the lack of top-six centres in free agency and move Lindholm for draft picks. Multiple teams will be desperate to add a centreman in free agency, and the Canucks should take advantage of that. Teams trading for the forward will get an opportunity to sign him before he hits the free agent market, while Vancouver adds a much-needed draft pick. The organization doesn’t have a pick until the third round of the 2024 Draft and has a chance to gain a total of six picks by trading Lindholm.
Canucks Will Target Guentzel
While the Canucks will move on from Lindholm, the club will target Jake Guentzel in the offseason. The organization knows they need to add a winger for Elias Pettersson as the centre is headed into the first year of his eight-year deal with an AAV of $11.6 million. Dhaliwal said the Canucks will give it a heck of a shot to sign the forward this offseason.
Signing Guentzel would add another scoring dynamic to the Canucks. He has only scored less than 20 goals once in his career, which came in his first year in the NHL, with 16 goals in 40 games. He has two 40-goal seasons and two 30-goal seasons, through his eight-year NHL career. Additionally, he is a playoff performer, scoring 38 goals and 67 points in 69 games.
Canucks Still Interested in Duhaime
With Sam Lafferty heading to free agency, the Canucks will need to add a depth forward. Dhaliwal reported the Canucks are interested in Brandon Duhaime. The club was interested in acquiring him at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Wild and that interest remains.
The organization needs to add fourth-line forwards, and Duhaime fills out all their needs. Dhaliwal said he can kill penalties, plays with energy, is tough, and sticks up for his teammates. The Canucks will potentially lose some toughness this offseason in free agency, and signing Duhaime would help that. Additionally, the high-energy forward suits Tocchet and his system well.
