In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, the organization is high on defenceman Tom Willander and could select him at the 2023 NHL Draft. Also, Ethan Bear will have shoulder surgery and is out for some time. Lastly, Trevor Linden discussed his time as the Canucks’ President of Hockey Operations.
Canucks Are High on Willander
The Canucks hold the 11th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Rick Dhaliwal reported on Monday the organization is very high on defenceman Willander. The right-shot blueliner played in Sweden’s top U20 league with Rogle BK, where he scored four goals and 25 points in 39 games. He will make the jump to the NCAA next season and play for Boston University.
Additionally, The Athletic’s Harman Dayal reported the Canucks took Willander, Nate Danielson and Colby Barlow out for dinners last week in Buffalo (from ‘What I’m hearing about Canucks’ No. 11 draft targets: Tom Willander, Nate Danielson, more,’ The Athletic, Publishing Date). Danielson is a right-shot centreman, while Barlow is a left-shot winger. Willander is ranked 23rd overall by The Hockey Writer’s Peter Baracchini. Meanwhile, Danielson is ranked 13th, and Barlow is ranked ninth. Therefore, if the Canucks miss out on the two forwards, it won’t be a surprise if they choose to trade down in the first round and still get the player they’re interested in.
Bear to Have Surgery on Shoulder
Dhaliwal also reported that restricted free agent Bear will have shoulder surgery. The blueliner injured his shoulder during the round-robin stage of the World Championships in Finland while representing Canada. As a result, he missed the final two games of the tournament. Dhaliwal added Bear will miss four to five months, which means he’ll be out until October or November.
It’ll be interesting to see how the injury affects Bear’s contract negotiations, as he has likely lost some leverage. There is a good chance he accepts his qualifying injury. Meanwhile, the Canucks have to figure out what they’ll do with him out of the lineup to start the season. The injury opens up a potential return to the organization for pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Burroughs and an opportunity to start with the main roster for Jett Woo, who recently signed a one-year deal with the club. Additionally, the Canucks could sign Luke Schenn, who they traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline during the 2022-23 season. Nonetheless, the team will have to find a cheap option as they are tight on cap space.
Linden Discusses Presidency with Canucks
Former President of Hockey Operations and captain of the Canucks, Linden joined Sportsnet 650’s Halford & Brough to talk about his tenure with the team at the head of the organization. He discussed the direction he wanted the team to go in during his run.
Related: Canucks 2023 NHL Draft Target: Tom Willander
“We were probably trying to play both sides of it too much,” Linden said. “Someone in my spot, I tried to have a longer vision, but at times that didn’t work for people.”
Linden also said it was harder to do a complete rebuild with Henrik and Daniel Sedin still on the roster, adding he felt it was difficult to move both iconic players. He said when he joined the team, it was a difficult situation to come into, and the club was a bit of a mess.
The Canucks named him president after the 2013-14 season after the club fired general manager Mike Gillis. The organization missed the playoffs for the first time after appearing in the playoffs the previous five seasons. They traded Roberto Luongo during the season, and Ryan Kesler asked for a trade. The team had to decide whether they’d rebuild or retool and chose the latter, which hasn’t led to much success. Linden departed in 2018, likely due to him and the organization disagreeing on what the club’s direction should be.
