In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, the organization wants to trade for Calgary Flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov. Additionally, former Canuck Bo Horvat returns to Vancouver on Wednesday. Also, general manager (GM) Patrik Allvin comments on Elias Pettersson’s contract negotiations.
Canucks Want Zadorov
Flames’ defenceman Zadorov requested a trade over the weekend after the team lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rick Dhaliwal said the Canucks like the blueliner for his physicality and will go after him on July 1 if they can’t trade for him. He also said the Canucks will likely offer Conor Garland or Anthony Beauvillier in a deal but added he gets the feeling the Flames don’t want to trade the blueliner to Vancouver, which means they’ll likely ask for a lot.
Zadorov is a bottom-four left-shot defenceman. Along with his physical style of hockey, he is a great skater. With Ian Cole and Carson Soucy on the left side, the Canucks will have four left-shot defencemen if they add Zadorov, but Cole and Soucy can play on the right side as well. The Canucks could benefit from adding Zadorov mid-season but shouldn’t give up too much and wait for free agency if the Flames are asking for more than the defenceman is worth. However, the injury to Soucy might make the team a little more desperate.
Horvat on Return to Vancouver
The New York Islanders are in town for their matchup against the Canucks on Nov. 15. This means former Canuck and the 14th captain in franchise history Horvat makes his return since the club traded him.
Horvat commented on his return to Vancouver, saying he circled the date as he is coming back to the city where it all started for him. Some Canucks fans aren’t welcoming the forward with open arms due to his comments from last season. As the Islanders were in the playoff race, Horvat commented on the team’s run.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s been unbelievable,” Horvat said. “It’s a lot better than Vancouver. I’ll tell you that for free.”
A few days later, he said he didn’t mean any disrespect to Canucks fans, his teammates or the city of Vancouver. He added he was told one thing, but the opposite happened, which led to the team trading him. Horvat also talked about how he expects the fans to respond on Wednesday night.
“I have no idea, to be honest with you. I think some of them were pretty upset with what I said last year,” Horvat said. “The fans took it more personally than I wanted them to take it.
“Obviously, it wasn’t directed at them. I was just more upset with how everything went down last year.”
Related: Canucks Could Clear Logjam in Bottom Six With Zadorov Trade
He said he’s happy with the Islanders, but the way things ended in Vancouver still stings, from the media coverage to how he and his family were treated.
“Something I didn’t forget. I said what I said. I’m just excited to get back there. I started my career in Vancouver. I loved the city, the people, and the fans when I was playing there. Excited to get back there and play again.”
The Canucks traded the forward for a 2023 first-round pick, Beauvillier and Aatu Raty. The first-round pick was included in a package sent to the Detroit Red Wings for Filip Hronek. Meanwhile, Horvat has four goals and 11 points in 13 games, and the Islanders hold a 5-6-3 record.
Allvin on Pettersson Contract Talks
GM Allvin discussed the ongoing contract extension with Pettersson. The Canucks forward is a restricted free agent this offseason and is likely looking for a long-term deal with a massive cap hit. Pettersson is on pace to post another career year with seven goals and 25 points in 15 games so far.
“I’ve had conversations with [Pettersson’s agent] Pat Brisson and I met with his Swedish agent a couple weeks ago when he was in town,” Allvins said. “We’re continuing to talk there and see where things go. Hopefully we’ll get it done sooner rather than later.”
The Canucks’ hot start likely means Pettersson is willing to sign an extension. The Canucks should try to get him on a long-term deal, regardless of the cap hit. Pettersson is the team’s star player and plays a large role in the club’s current success.
Soucy Injured
Allvin announced Soucy is out for six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury on Wednesday. The veteran defenceman left the game against the Montreal Canadiens after blocking a shot on the side of his foot during the second period.
The Canucks had a scare on Sunday, as Tyler Myers also left the game for a bit on the same shift. However, he returned but didn’t practice on Tuesday or skate on Wednesday. He’ll likely play on Wednesday.