NHL Rumors: Canucks & Sharks Talking Trade?
The Vancouver Canucks need center help, and Alex Wennberg sits in a realistic lane of targets.
With Filip Chytil out and Teddy Blueger in and out, management has kicked the tires on the San Jose forward while keeping that 2026 first-round pick off the table.
Wennberg can play center or wing, he wins enough draws to stabilize a line, and he fits a coach-friendly profile for defensive usage. The question is whether he is the right answer at the right cost.
Frank Seravalli: Re Canucks center search: You've got Alex Wennberg out in San Jose, you could bring Adam Gaudette back; Ryan Poehling; if you wanna wait...we could be talking about...Pageau; Kevin Hayes...could he be a guy - Frankly Hockey (10/22)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) October 22, 2025
Why Wennberg fits what Vancouver needs
Wennberg checks several boxes the Canucks are missing right now. He can handle middle-six minutes against quality, kill penalties, slide onto the second power play unit, and keep the puck moving north.
He is on an expiring deal, which aligns with Vancouver’s preference to avoid long commitments for non-core pieces. If acquired with salary retained, his cap hit becomes manageable without touching key roster players. He also gives Adam Foote a veteran who can take tough matchups and free Elias Pettersson for more offensive starts.
For a team averaging too few shots and chasing structure down the middle, that profile has value.
Harm believes the Canucks may have to overpay to bring in someone like Alex Wennberg. Would you be okay with the Canucks ‘overpaying’ to improve their centre depth?
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) October 24, 2025
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The price, timing, and first-round line in the sand
San Jose is not motivated to sell this early unless a bidder overpays. Leaguewide reluctance to move first-rounders is real given the strength of the 2026 class, and Vancouver has been firm about keeping its own.
That narrows the path to a trade built around a mid pick plus a prospect, likely with Sharks retention. The new retention rules add a wrinkle. Acquiring Wennberg well before the deadline preserves the option to flip him later with additional retention if the season turns, which helps manage risk on the upfront cost.
The counterpoint is role. Wennberg is a reliable middle-six center, but asking him to carry a true second-line scoring seat for months is a stretch. If the ask creeps toward premium assets, the Canucks are better off riding internal options like Lukas Reichel in the short term and keeping the first-rounder protected for a bigger swing.
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