In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, Brock Boeser’s agent speaks to a few teams as the Canucks look to trade the forward. Meanwhile, Bo Horvat re-signing with Vancouver seems less likely as more teams show interest in the captain. Also, Tucker Poolman’s future will soon become clear.
Boeser’s Agent Speaks to Six Teams
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Boeser’s agent Ben Hankinson has talked to six teams since last week and continues to talk to clubs about the forward. The Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens are teams that have been listed as potential trade partners for Boeser.
LeBrun adds a Boeser trade isn’t imminent and believes it will take a lot of work to get a deal done between now and the March 3rd trade deadline. He says Boeser’s contract is the issue as he has two years remaining after this season with an annual average value (AAV) of $6.65 million. He says teams have interest but are hesitant since they have no wiggle room cap-wise over the next few years.
“There is one team I believe that is pretty serious about getting involved if the Canucks [are] willing to eat part of Boeser’s contract. But at this stage of the process, I don’t think Vancouver wants to do that. Clearing some serious cap space has to be a very important part of any trade involving Boeser from the Canucks’ perspective.”
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says, in his opinion, a trade with the Washington Capitals makes sense. Anthony Mantha is the player he mentions as a potential one-for-one swap with Boeser. Mantha has a $5.7 million cap hit but one year less left on his contract than Boeser.
Horvat Contract Extension Unlikely
Friedman said in his 32 Thoughts article that Horvat’s extension is not trending well. Additionally, Frank Seravalli says he has reason to believe one team is willing to pay Horvat a number that starts with a nine. He adds that the same team believes he is a younger version of the 2019 Conn Smythe and Selke Trophy winner Ryan O’Reilly.
What has made Horvat’s value rise is his performance, as well as the recent signing of Roope Hintz. Hintz signed an extension for eight years with an AAV of $8.45 million with the Dallas Stars. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal noted the Canucks will be reluctant to pay their captain $8 million as the Canucks will have to extend Andrei Kuzmenko this season and centre Elias Pettersson soon (from ‘What we’re hearing about Brock Boeser on the trade block, Bo Horvat and more,’ The Athletic, December 4, 2022). Horvat will likely be the top asset available across the league at the trade deadline.
Related: Canucks Should Wait Until After the Season to Extend Kuzmenko
Horvat has been impressive this season, scoring 20 goals and posting 29 points in 27 games. He is on pace to score 61 goals in a full 82-game season.
Poolman’s Future
Dhaliwal said there is a feeling out there that we will find out about Poolman’s future soon. The defenceman has been suffering from migraines and has missed a majority of the season, only playing in three games. Poolman has been seeing a specialist and his agent Dean Grillo says they should know more soon. Dhaliwal adds some feel it will be a long road ahead for the defenceman.
The Canucks placed Poolman on long-term injured reserve on Oct. 24. The club signed him to a four-year deal in the 2021 offseason with an AAV of $2.5 million. Throughout his five-year NHL career, he has been unable to play a full season.
Lekkerimaki and Pettersson on Sweden’s WJC Camp Roster
Team Sweden announced their preliminary roster for the 2023 World Junior Championships. Two Canucks prospects made the roster in 2022 first-round pick winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki and third-round pick defenceman Elias Pettersson.
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Lekkerimaki’s status may be questionable as he suffered a concussion late last month and hasn’t returned to action in two weeks. If he plays, Canucks fans will have an opportunity to see his skills as he will likely play in a top-six role. As for defenceman Pettersson, he has been promoted from the J20 Swedish league to the Swedish Hockey League. He will likely be a depth defenceman if he makes the team.
