3 Trade Destinations for Canucks’ Filip Hronek

It’s no secret that trade chatter has been intensifying in the NHL. Just this week, so far, we’ve seen several blockbusters, including Brady Tkachuk going to the Florida Panthers, Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, and Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, among other major moves.

Filip Hronek is a really solid top-pairing player. While he may not be a number-one defenceman on a winning team, he’s shown that he can hold his own on a top pair and put up great numbers in the process. He’s a well-rounded player and also a locker room leader, something that teams may be willing to pay quite a price for. His deal runs out in 2032, and his cap hit is $7.25 million, which is an enticing combination of affordability and term for a defenceman under 30 who can fill a big role.

With the stove hot, this seems like an opportunity for selling teams to acquire assets for their best players. With Byram netting the Buffalo Sabres the fourth overall pick in the draft, it’s clear that it’s a seller’s market, especially with a subpar free agency class this offseason.

So, which teams could be interested in Hronek’s abilities? Well, here are three that might just give the Canucks a call.

San Jose Sharks

In many ways, this seems like the most obvious fit. The San Jose Sharks don’t have much in the way of defencemen going into next season. In fact, they only have four of them signed. With a good portion of their blue line hitting free agency, the Sharks will have to replace or re-sign these players. It also seems like the rebuilding phase is about to be over, as the Sharks will be hoping to compete as soon as next season. An established presence like Hronek could be key to stabilizing this team’s back end. He also could fit very well next to young defender Sam Dickinson, who will be looking to take the next step and become the team’s top blueliner.

It’s of note that the Sharks recently acquired the ninth-overall pick from the Ottawa Senators. This gives them three picks in the first round. With the high price that proven defencemen are commanding right now, perhaps a package of pick No. 9 and pick No. 27 would be needed to get it done. They could also explore moving a young forward like Collin Graf alongside the 27th pick.

St. Louis Blues

Similar to the Sharks, the St. Louis Blues have stockpiled a bunch of picks from various trades. It seems unlikely that they are going to be selecting four times in the first round, especially with their retooled core group looking pretty close to contention. If the Canucks are really all in on the rebuild, perhaps they would ask for at least two of these picks to get a head start on building a future core.

While some may think a forward would be what the Blues are looking for to fill out their lineup, an upgrade on defence is essential if they want to compete. Hronek could pair well with Phillip Broberg, the promising young left-handed defenceman who is on a real upward trajectory. 

It’ll also be interesting to see if they revisit trading Colton Parayko, who used his no-trade clause to block a move to the Sabres. Perhaps this could become a three-team trade, with the Blues getting five years younger at right defence and another blue line-needy team getting Parayko.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks’ blue line is likely to be gutted quite a bit this offseason, with John Carlson, Jacob Trouba, and Radko Gudas hitting free agency. This makes getting help on defence quite the priority, and with very few options in the free agency market, Hronek may be the perfect fit.

Hronek would look especially great beside Jackson LaCombe, as we saw Hronek play an integral role in Quinn Hughes’ ascent to superstardom.

The question for the Ducks and Canucks is, what would this trade cost? It’s a bit of a different scenario from the Sharks and Blues, who have a plethora of first-round picks. The Ducks gave up their 2026 first to acquire Carlson, who looks to be moving on. Perhaps the Ducks dip into the prospect pool to get it done? One interesting question is whether they would dangle Roger McQueen, their top prospect centre. Though McQueen projects to be a great top-six forward, the Ducks still likely view him as the future 2C behind Leo Carlsson.

There’s also the possibility it becomes a three-team trade, with the Ducks moving Mason McTavish to another bidder and the Canucks getting back the assets from the team acquiring McTavish.

Stay in Vancouver?

While Hronek is a juicy trade bait piece, it may make sense for the Canucks to keep him in Vancouver. He’s a clear locker room leader and could be key to the development of the young defencemen who make up the Canucks’ blue line. Still, he could earn the Canucks a king’s ransom, which at the very least means the new front office will consider it.