One Way Canucks Would Trade First-Round Pick

The Vancouver Canucks are not having a good season, but injuries to key players or positions have really hurt them. They have tried to recover and bring some pieces in at center, but those pieces aren't great and haven't panned out so far.

It is too early to properly judge David Kampf, but he is slotted in as the second line center. That is too high in the lineup, however you look at it. As well, Lukas Reichel hasn't been what was expected.

Elliotte Friedman said, "We know they don't want to trade (Braeden) Cootes. We know they don't want to trade their first (round pick). If they were to trade that first, it would be for a young center with term." That isn't very easy to come by, and the last young center with term acquired was Filip Chytil, who they knew had injury problems, and still brought him in. He has been on the IR in each of the two seasons so far.

The center depth for the Canucks at this time is Elias Pettersson, Kampf, Aatu Raty, and Max Sasson. Reichel is now a healthy scratch, while Chytil and Teddy Blueger are on the IR.

Pettersson is playing well and is looking more like his old self, but the rest is a problem. Kampf has played three games, gone pointless, logged under 14 minutes per game, and has a horrible expected goals for % of 29. Raty and Sasson haven't been bad, but they are also in positions that they weren't expected to be in due to injuries.

There appears to be very few options around the league that can satisfy that need for Vancouver. Since term was mentioned, that would indicate that they may still be on their entry-level deal, but more likely signed to an NHL contract and in their early 20s with NHL experience. The Canucks are wasting one of the likely two years remaining with Quinn Hughes, and then won't be trading their first-round pick, but rather trying to collect more.