The Vancouver Canucks have gotten out to a strong start to their 2024-25 campaign. They sit 4th in the Pacific Division with a 15-8-5 record through 28 games and seem poised to make a deep run in the playoffs this season. They had quite the offseason bringing in Jake Debrusk on a massive seven-year contract after losing Elias Lindholm to the Boston Bruins, and they tried to replace Nikita Zadorov by bringing in former Edmonton Oilers defender, Vincent Desharnais. Unfortunately, the fit has not been strong for Desharnais and the Canucks, and it seems as though his time as a Canuck could be coming to an end after a slow start to his campaign with his new team.
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Desharnais is a 28-year-old right-shot defender from Laval, Quebec. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Oilers, and has one goal and 17 assists for 18 points through 131 career games in the NHL. This season with the Canucks, he has zero goals and two assists for two points through 17 games. He has established himself as a physical depth defender who has almost no offensive side to his game, but his value lies in his physicality and work ethic.
In his most recent written version of 32 Thoughts, insider Elliotte Friedman brought attention to Desharnais’ start with the Canucks, and mentioned they are trying to find a new fit for him, as it hasn’t worked out the way everyone in the organization was hoping it would. Luckily for the Canucks, Desharnais’ contract isn’t outrageous, so it shouldn’t be hard to trade him. He may not have much value in terms of a trade return, but being a big right-shot defender will almost surely be an attractive asset to a few contending teams.
Which Teams Could Have Interest in Desharnais?
This is the first official report from a trusted insider that Desharnais could be on the move, or that the Canucks are trying to move him. With that being said, no connections to another team have been made just yet, however, it isn’t too difficult to figure out which teams are in desperate need of defensive help and could swing an offer to the Canucks if their asking price isn’t high. His $2 million cap hit makes him an easy target for many teams, including his former one.
The first team that comes to mind when considering the need for a right-shot defender is the Oilers who have been dealing with their injury issues well enough to be safely in a playoff spot, but they will still need to bring in some extra depth if they want a chance at contending this season. Desharnais played a depth role for the Oilers in the playoffs last season as the team ended up losing in the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers, but his physical presence was felt on a nightly basis. While a reunion isn’t impossible, there may be no way the team can find the money to bring him back. There is some familiarity there, but not enough for the team to consider moving out money to bring him back.
A couple of other teams that come to mind are the Calgary Flames and the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have a strong team and have turned their season around since making a shocking coaching change, but they don’t have a strong enough lineup to be considered championship contenders by any means. The Flames are in an odd position where they are battling to maintain a playoff spot, but fans want them to embrace the rebuild and start selling more of their players for future assets. Both teams could look at Desharnais as a project, as he needs a fresh start and could find his way with one of those teams.
At the end of the day, all signs point to Desharnais’ time with the Canucks coming to an end soon. I would assume they could ask for a mid-round pick in return for him if a team was willing to take his entire cap hit, but time will tell how much teams truly value his physical play, considering his defensive ability isn’t the strongest.
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