Canucks May Be Headed For Full Fire Sale
The clock for the Vancouver Canucks is ticking as Quinn Hughes only has two more years until he is a UFA. There is no indication that he will re-sign, and the more likely scenario is that the New Jersey Devils, who have both of his brothers, are going to bring in Quinn.
Jeff Marek had some interesting words for the situation with the Canucks and future plans, stating "if you're the Canucks, we all know where this thing is heading with Quinn Hughes. If that's where the team is at, where Quinn Hughes is at, how are they not listening on...every single player?"
Money won't be an issue for the Canucks and they will probably try to overpay Hughes to try to get him to stay, but family might just be more important. Vancouver didn't exactly bulk up this offseason, losing Pius Suter, adding Evander Kane for the final year of his deal, and re-signing some big names, but there was some interesting movement last season with J.T. Miller out and players like Filip Chytil, Marcus Pettersson, and Logan O'Connor in.
If the Canucks are going to eventually go full fire sale, which is where the situation could lead to, I would keep someone like Jonathan Lekkerimaki around. The organization doesn't have too many talented young pieces they could consider part of the future and part of the solution.
Beyond that, it might be tough, but not impossible, to trade some of the players with many years left on their deals. If the Canucks would be selling, other teams on the cusp might be buying with cap space to spare. Take a look at this offseason with the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks, both ready to get back into the playoffs, both with room on the roster to upgrade, and both with cap space.
These players that it would take a big deal to move are Filip Hronek, Brock Boeser, Thatcher Demko, Elias Pettersson (F), Conor Garland, and Marcus Pettersson. But if the San Jose Sharks were able to move Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, Tomas Hertl, and Timo Meier all within a decently short timeframe, then the Canucks could do it and see a better turnaround than a team like the Buffalo Sabres.
The Canucks are headed into dangerous waters and don't have much time left. If Hughes is refusing to sign by next offseason, then the writing is on the wall and there will start to be trades.
Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
