AROUND THE LEAGUE - 26-27

[dangler]

It seems Vancouver is Wright’s “preferred destination”. Kid has balls, I’ll give him that.

Not sure what kind of leverage that actually gives anyone, though.

Botterills ask is gonna have to come wayyy down for that deal to happen.
The guy had 27 pts last season.

[Meds]

It seems Vancouver is Wright’s “preferred destination”. Kid has balls, I’ll give him that.

Not sure what kind of leverage that actually gives anyone, though.

Botterills ask is gonna have to come wayyy down for that deal to happen.
The guy had 27 pts last season.

Which was good for 9th on his team, and 7th among forwards.

His team is trash.

I'm not saying pay a ton to acquire him, but don't dismiss his value based upon point production on a team that had a down year.

I would offer them Lekkerimaki and a 2027 2nd rounder.

[dangler]

It seems Vancouver is Wright’s “preferred destination”. Kid has balls, I’ll give him that.

Not sure what kind of leverage that actually gives anyone, though.

Botterills ask is gonna have to come wayyy down for that deal to happen.
The guy had 27 pts last season.

Which was good for 9th on his team, and 7th among forwards.

His team is trash.

I'm not saying pay a ton to acquire him, but don't dismiss his value based upon point production on a team that had a down year.

I would offer them Lekkerimaki and a 2027 2nd rounder.

If the Canucks were another year or two into the rebuild I could see the value. But at this point I don't think they're in any position to give up draft picks, even if it is only a 2nd.

[Meds]

It seems Vancouver is Wright’s “preferred destination”. Kid has balls, I’ll give him that.

Not sure what kind of leverage that actually gives anyone, though.

Botterills ask is gonna have to come wayyy down for that deal to happen.
The guy had 27 pts last season.

Which was good for 9th on his team, and 7th among forwards.

His team is trash.

I'm not saying pay a ton to acquire him, but don't dismiss his value based upon point production on a team that had a down year.

I would offer them Lekkerimaki and a 2027 2nd rounder.

If the Canucks were another year or two into the rebuild I could see the value. But at this point I don't think they're in any position to give up draft picks, even if it is only a 2nd.

You put too much importance on draft picks.

The guy put up 44 points in his first full season, and while this season was a bad step backwards for him, it was a bad season for most players in Seattle. Either way, Wright is right now what the vast majority of 2nd round picks will never be: A full-time NHL player capable of scoring at 0.5 PPG.

The only reason to turn one's nose up at this opportunity is if the homework has produced reliable information that the player is a problem child that will hinder the development of the culture the Canucks are trying to create. Otherwise, you take your chances on a 6-foot, 200-lb RS pivot and hope that he can become what Rossi currently is, a 2C.....that displaces or replaces Rossi as the team matures.

[donlever]

Yeah, agreed Mëds.

What's the over/under on any second round pick being what Shane Wright currently is (a player who will have an NHL career of some nature in a tough to fill position as a right shot) or even may be (a credible T6 pivot with good size).

Also.

The fact that he is vocal about wanting to come here and be part of building something and growing with that development speaks contrary to character issue discussions.........

.......(cough...DeBrusk...cough).

Again.

If the Canucks aren't pursuing this they are not trying hard enough.

If a deal can not be made due to ask so be it....but you have to dig into the opportunity as Management.

Finally, let's not kill a young player for stats just yet....his NHL averages per 82 games for a player only 22 y/o entering next season are decent (18G 21A + or -) AND he had a very good regular season AHL campaign in 23/24 while also scoring 4G 9A in 12 playoff games that post season for Coachella.

[Lancer]

Agreed. At least the kid WANTS to play in Vancouver.

The points between his two seasons can be plausibly explained any number of ways that don’t point to him being a lemon on the ice. The only concern I would have is potential character issues, but hopefully management would exercise their due diligence if they’re seriously considering him.

If the price is right, and management doesn’t have concerns about Wright being a potential cancer in the room, take a swing. I’ve seen previous regimes spend more on worse trades.

[Tciso]

DeBrusk for Wright. Simple and clean.

[Hockey Widow]

I would do Lekkerimaki for Wright. Both come with high potential. Both have not reached "star" status but still hold that potential. To me that would be a fair swap.

Wright has a lot of what RJ likes.

He captained the WJ team in U17, U18, U20 teams. The 2021 U18 won gold. The 2023 U20 won gold.

He was also named captain of Kingston at the age of 17.

RJ has said a few times how he values players who have worn letters.

[theman]

DeBrusk for Wright. Simple and clean.

I would do this, might even add a 3rd/4th round pick too

[UWSaint]

Assume Wright passes the "character" prerequisite.

The primary thing the Canucks are trying to acquire these days is players who might become part of a future core of a team that at first competes the playoffs and then the Cup. As of now, all spots are open for this core in say, 3-5 years time. There are a handful of veterans that depending on the scenario could be kept around for that time and play at that level as the 4th or 5th member of a core, but set those guys aside. We're talking first and quality second line centers, first line wingers, 2-3 caliber or better D, and a better than average starting goalie. Not every core player fits perfectly into the typical characterization, but that's a good way to think about it when the path ahead is wide open.

Let's also set aside goalie prospects and look at the skaters. Let's also set aside unicorn developers, the potential some second and later round pick turns out to be a diamond in the rough.

The Canucks have a handful of young guys (lets just look at the 2022 draft class and after) that retain some potential to be a core player. Zeev is probably the most likely candidate, then there are longer but conceivable odds on Malhotra and Cootes, and then Willander is in the next bucket -- surely tracking to be a 4-5 at bottom so can he go up two levels? In the last bucket, there are remote but non-zero odds on Sushi, Ohgren, and Novotny, with the former two needing to take a step forward this season to stay on this list. Ohgren's game doesn't project to be a core player and will likely be a valuable complementary player at best -- but its conceivable he makes it through brute force and determination; Sushi has the projectable skill and has used it very effectively in the AHL, but he's never shown he can overcome his strength and battle deficiencies to use the shot at the NHL level and the injuries have both stalled his development for reasons beyond his control and also are an independent concern.

Zeev
--
Malhotra
Cootes
--
Willander
--
Sushi
Novotny
Ohgren

The Canucks need to find 4 players from this group or young guys who will join this group. Odds are very much against them that this group produces 4 core players. 2 or 3 is more reasonable to expect.

In my view, Wright's "core" potential is at least high as Willanders, and I can see arguments that he's slot in alongside Malhotra and Cootes. So should the Canucks go for him? Of course -- unless they wish to take the 2022 draft class out of the potential mix, take Sushi and Ohgren out of the list, treat the non-Zeev, non-Novotny Hughes return as assets to flip, and flip Sushi too.

Because the Canucks have no sure things and aren't deep with potential skater core players yet (no longer shallow, but not deep), I wouldn't be trading non-zero chance under 23 asset in the system away to get Wright. Wright's not the LAST piece -- the number of darts matters, and Wright would become the oldest of the better chance group.

And I wouldn't trade a first rounder in a world where the Canucks likely have a top 10 pick. But I'd objectively value Wright as the equivalent of a mid first rounder at this point in terms of potential to be a core player, even with last year's step back. There is still a lot of potential in that player, and there's a fair shot that this potential is the same as possessed heading into last season. (Plus, he still needs to show Montreal, right?).

Would DeBrusk bring back a mid 1st? No, I doubt it. It will take DeBrusk and more. And more than a 3rd or 4th, which have negligible value.

[Cornuck]

... I wouldn't be trading non-zero chance under 23 asset in the system away to get Wright. Wright's not the LAST piece -- the number of darts matters, and Wright would become the oldest of the better chance group.

Good analysis, and you're right about the core still being in the potential phase, and the mix of players who have a 'non-zero chance' of being in that core.

Wright would be another in the mix, and if it takes DeBrusk and a second, I could live with that.

[donlever]

Thanks for the input UW.

Basically agreed.

I would trade Sushi (he "may" blossom beside Beniers) and a 2nd for Wright as Mëds indicated earlier in the thread.

Rossi
Wright
Cootes
Malhotra

.....is a decent enough asset base down the gut for a team looking 3, 4, 5 years down the road as "go time".

I don't think Kraks have any interest in Loui's kid.

[theman]

I didn’t think Marcus Pettersson would bring back a 1st and he did, albeit in the 30/31 draft. Don’t think it is a stretch to think DeBrusk and a high mid round pick could bring back Wright.

[UWSaint]

I would trade Sushi (he "may" blossom beside Beniers) and a 2nd for Wright as Mëds indicated earlier in the thread.

Rossi
Wright
Cootes
Malhotra

.....is a decent enough asset base down the gut for a team looking 3, 4, 5 years down the road as "go time".

I don't think Kraks have any interest in Loui's kid.

(1) While I prefer to burn out Sushi's value (hits for us or eventually becomes flotsam), if the question were: what has a better chance of making 1 core player: Shane Wright or Sushi and a 2d, the answer is Shane Wright. So the question isn't about the logic of that move -- its a good move compared to where the Canucks are -- the question is whether there are other ways the Canucks might get another dart targeting 2022 draft class and later prospect that doesn't also lose a dart.

(2) That's a very good U-22 down the middle group. So good, you might say the Canucks would be Kraken....

(3) The Kraken's interest in Robertson ... they are looking for a scoring wing or a star player. DeBrusk is half of one of these.... You'd have to think that if they aren't interested in DeBrusk (or Boeser), and are interested in a scoring winger now (and not just potential), the Canucks aren't really the best trade partner for them. There has to be another team out there with some extra scratch on the side that could use down the middle help who could blossom into more. Like, I don't know -- a trade centering around Wright to Philly and Tippet to Seattle?

[donlever]

To point 3 agreed.

I think there are better deals out there for the Kraken than with us if they are looking for an NHL proven scorer with duration and value.

I don't see us obtaining Wright for that reason.