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I really don't have the sense that Willander's stock is rising or falling. He's a mid first round pedigree of a player in a draft where, two years since the draft, not one defenseman take in the first of second round has played an NHL game. (Put in perspective, Drysdale had playing 105 NHL games within 2 years of his draft -- albeit for an AHL caliber team....). Willander looked good at BU, but did he blow the door off expectations? Not really. He's the player that got drafted, progressing at a pace that's right in the middle of what was projected, without concerning red flags, but still with the biggest steps still to come.

[ADDED] I don't mind moving on this player for the right return, but I just don't think its the profile of a guy that gets a sure thing return. Second pairing D don't return first line centers; projected to someday be second pairing D surely don't get that kind of return. Could a team with a young kid who isn't meeting the highest projections and needs a new scenery be in the offering? Sure. Or a forward prospect from the 2001-2004 drafts with similar potential to Willander? Sure. But Willander's only a piece of any acquisition with a higher probability of success return.

Solid post as per usual UW.

He had a quality World Jr. Tournament.

donlever wrote: ↑Mon Apr 14, 2025 1:55 pm Or a Bourdon.

Shit happens.

Keep the kid AWAY from motorcycles!!!

I’m very excited, we have Quinn Hughes and a bunch of middling D-men, an oft injured goalie and hands down the worst forward group in the NHL with two (Boeser, Suter) leaving and nothing in the pipeline but middling forwards, I’m completely tapped out on coming up with trade suggestions

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 7:13 am I’m very excited, we have Quinn Hughes and a bunch of middling D-men, an oft injured goalie and hands down the worst forward group in the NHL with two (Boeser, Suter) leaving and nothing in the pipeline but middling forwards, I’m completely tapped out on coming up with trade suggestions

The Canucks have a top 5 defense in the game. You must be trolling for attention to call Hronek and M Petey middling players. Yes the forward group needs work but fuck is this fanbase a bunch of miserable pricks. They have cap space and their prospect pool is mid pack.

Agreed the Canuck defence looks excellent going forward. Goalies are set and could be top five in the league, too, if they stay healthy. Sorry to be glass half full in the sea of negativity. The Canucks have lots of NHL calibre forwards, but they need at least two, preferably three high end forwards. The upside of not signing Boeser, Suter or Forbort is whoever they sign with the money they save will undoubtedly be faster. None of those three are speedsters. Management has its work cut out for it, but they have until October. Lots can happen. This team doesn’t need a rebuilt. A few astute signings or trades and they could be right in the mix next season…


and if I’m completely wrong, two word… Gavin McKenna!

Marcus is just OK, that’s all I gotta say, just ok. He ain’t great he ain’t bad. Just the mushy middle mid pairing.

Let’s put it this way, remove Hughes from that group how good is the group? He makes the others look better than they are. IMO the D is not top 10 in the league, but somewhere between 10 and 15

The forward group is absolutely atrocious. I have no words, I’m perplexed. And when Allvin let’s Boeser and Suter walk for free in July and sign some other mushy middle UFA we will still be an atrocity at forward.

Picker of Cherries wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 7:59 am Agreed the Canuck defence looks excellent going forward. Goalies are set and could be top five in the league, too, if they stay healthy. Sorry to be glass half full in the sea of negativity. The Canucks have lots of NHL calibre forwards, but they need at least two, preferably three high end forwards. The upside of not signing Boeser, Suter or Forbort is whoever they sign with the money they save will undoubtedly be faster. None of those three are speedsters. Management has its work cut out for it, but they have until October. Lots can happen. This team doesn’t need a rebuilt. A few astute signings or trades and they could be right in the mix next season…


and if I’m completely wrong, two word… Gavin McKenna!

We won’t be bad enough to land McKenna. We are the mushy middle here. We like to draft 14th overall, that’s the Aqualini goal, mandate if you will, a wildcard warrior.

Blob Mckenzie wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 7:41 am

The Canucks have a top 5 defense in the game.

I can get behind this especially when you consider they have another 2-3 excellent D prospects that will be turning pro within the next couple of years.

So how do they go about building their center depth back up without weakening their foundation?

Is there a market for a Demko calibre gamble by a contender where they might part with a promising center?

Brough had floated the idea of a Hronek trade if they feel Willander would be capable of stepping in to a top 4 role but if I'm Van I don't touch that one without an extended look.

It's tough to build up like this without adding assets for cap space only

I wouldn't delve too deep into the middle of the upcoming draft prospects rankings as I highly doubt we make that selection

They need to do something drastic ole Wooly Socks. The forward group is abysmal.

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:15 am They need to do something drastic ole Wooly Socks. The forward group is abysmal.

The JT Miller trade is an example of what needs to happen. Rutherford is a wily old coyote with plenty of connections. We don't have much choice but to trust him to sort it out.

Remember, he basically flipped the entire organization overnight from having a rubbish defense with that gangly bean pole Desharnais and Branstrom to what we are seeing today which is currently being discussed as one of the league's best.

Chytil, Markus Pettersson and Victor Mancini for JT Miller and a 1st is not the worst trade in team history considering the extenuating circumstances with JT losing his shit

Cousin Strawberry wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:13 am It's tough to build up like this without adding assets for cap space only

Definitely
I wouldn't want to weaken The D or Goal so the options are:
UFA-with the cap going up, anyone decent will be resigned by their club
Trade- Canucks are shy on assets, unless they want to weaken their depth by trading one of their top-end prospects
Offer sheet- Again with the cap going up it's not the year to be trying that

With $14+M in cap space it really isn't that much in comparison to what alot of other teams have. If they re-sign Suter that knocks it down to $10M.
I think their best bet might be to make their 1st rd pick and try and make a deal after training camp. Some prospects are going to graduate to the NHL making others available. Hell,Canucks might even have one of their own come in and earn a spot.
It's concerning if the Canucks can't significantly improve by the time Quinns contract negotiations roll around, but mortgaging the future by doing a desperate trade and having Quinn walk anyways would hurt the club more.

Cousin Strawberry wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:19 am
Remember, he basically flipped the entire organization overnight from having a rubbish defense…

To absolutely annihilating our centre slot (Horvat for Hronek and Miller for Pettersson and Mancini).

While one hand is bailing water out of the canoe the other hand is drilling holes.

Chef Boi RD wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:38 am

Cousin Strawberry wrote: ↑Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:19 am
Remember, he basically flipped the entire organization overnight from having a rubbish defense…

To absolutely annihilating our centre slot (Horvat for Hronek and Miller for Pettersson and Mancini).

While one hand is bailing water out of the canoe the other hand is drilling holes.

In fairness, what the fuck was he supposed to do and how was he to know Miller would lose his marbles on his teammate like that?