Who will the Canucks go after?
Pretty much everyone who knows anything about the Vancouver Canucks, knows they need help up front. So who can they go after to add to their top six forwards?Over the last half dozen games or so, the Canucks have had tremendous success with their top line of Sedin/Sedin/Naslund. The trio have a combined 20 points over their last 6 games, showing some tremendous chemistry. With their first line finally starting to produce, it’s time to focus in on the secondary scoring.
After watching the Canucks over the last couple of seasons, it’s obvious that the Canucks need at least one more top six forward. This was especially evident in the playoffs last year when Anaheim shut down the Canucks top line, and thus shut down their offense.
With obsolutely no offensive additions in the off season, the Canucks started off this season the same way they ended last season…no depth up front. So how are to Canucks going to get another forward. Nonis has already said he doesn’t want to trade away Vancouver’s future, which is the smart thing to do, and he doesn’t have anyone on his roster that he can trade and get someone worth while in return. So what can he do? Well, try to land someone who is having a slow start or isn’t being used on his respective team. One example that jumps out is Brad Boyes in St. Louis. The Blues pryed Boyes away for Dennis Wideman? Who you ask. Exactely my point. St. Louis landed Boyes who has 12 goals in 20 games so far this season for a number 5 or 6 defenseman. This is exactely what Nonis has to do.
I’ve made a list of a few possibilities that could be had for relatively cheap based on their current statistics. All of which are right wingers, since Vancouver’s current roster doesn’t include a natural right winger.
San Jose – Steve Bernier – 7 points in 21 games – averaging 12 minutes a game
Buffalo – Ales Kotalik – 10 points in 18 games – averaging 14 minutes a game
Montreal – Michael Ryder – 10 points in 22 games – averaging 15 minutes a game
Ottawa – Patrick Eaves – 8 points in 20 games – averaging 12 minutes a game (I know he was just injured but he would still be a great fit with the Canucks)
NYI – Trent Hunter – 8 points in 19 games – averaging 18 minutes a game (He does average more icetime than all of the other players, but he would be a perfect match)
Philly – Scottie Upshall – 6 points in 11 games – averaging 14 minutes a game
Now, with all of the above options, the second piece of the puzzle would be who would you play him with. With Kesler’s steller play this year, he could be looked upon as the second line center, but his offensive production still isn’t that of a second liner. So … Morrison would in turn be the middle man. If one of those players were to be added, the line combinations would probably look like this:
Sedin Sedin Naslund
Pyatt Morrison Eaves (or whoever)
Cooke Kesler Isbister
Burrows Ritchie Linden
Cowan
I know, not the major move that most Canucks fans are crying for. But I think it would definately help. Getting a top six forward would be a tremendous addition to a lineup that has only 3 or 4 bonaified top six forwards.
So, who would you give up for some help? A draft pick? A prospect? Well a 2nd rounder would probably do it for most of these guys, but if not, Bourdon’s stock is starting to rise. And with Edler’s tremendous play thus far filling in for Bieksa/Salo/Ohlund, Bourdon wouldn’t be as hard a lose to the Canuck’s prospect system as once thought.
Well, that’s my two cents.