The Vancouver Canucks are juggling more than one major storyline right now, and Shane Wright has become part of the mix.
According to Ben Kuzma of The Province, the Seattle Kraken center is being shopped, and Vancouver has surfaced as a possible landing spot. The interest appears to go both ways. Wright is said to be intrigued by the Canucks’ long-term outlook and the chance to grow alongside a rebuilding core.
The price tag, though, is steep. Reports say Seattle has asked for either Zeev Buium or Tom Willander, and Vancouver has already turned that down.
The Canucks are also being linked to another forward on the market. Anaheim has reportedly approached Vancouver about Frank Vatrano, a move that would likely need incentives from the Ducks, who are dealing with the consequences of matching Leo Carlsson’s $18 million offer sheet.
Carlsson’s agent said four teams made offers, and the center was shocked by the size of Philadelphia’s front-loaded pitch. The Ducks had tried multiple times earlier in the season to sign him, but told him to wait because they believed the market would bring in more.
At the same time, the Elias Pettersson chatter in Vancouver has not gone away. The Canucks are believed to be open to moving the 27-year-old center, but there’s no sign a deal is close. His declining production and long-term contract have made teams hesitant, leaving him in more of a buy-low category than a headline-grabbing trade target.
Pittsburgh has shown some interest, though the Penguins are also looking at Jason Robertson. Pittsburgh recently signed Jason’s brother Nick to a two-year extension.
Elsewhere, Montreal is still hunting for help in its top six, and Anthony Mantha has come up as a possible fit. The 31-year-old is coming off a career-best season and has drawn attention from multiple teams, but his asking price has become a sticking point. He’s reportedly seeking a long-term deal worth $5-6 million per year over several seasons, and that has made teams pause.
The Canadiens, in particular, are reluctant to overcommit to a player with an inconsistent track record. Their plan appears to be waiting to see whether Mantha lowers his demand. His size and scoring touch would fit with Montreal’s young core, but some analysts believe his recent numbers were helped by elite linemates, which only adds to the hesitation.
A shorter deal could work for both sides. If Mantha doesn’t adjust his ask, Montreal may simply move on.
In Columbus, the focus is much clearer. The Blue Jackets are working to lock up Adam Fantilli, and general manager Don Waddell has sounded confident that it will get done. He has said publicly that the team is committed to keeping the 22-year-old.
Columbus is also prepared to match any offer sheet that comes Fantilli’s way, a sign of how central he is to the organization’s plans. Negotiations are still ongoing, but the Blue Jackets seem optimistic an agreement will come together before other teams can really get involved.
Waddell also said the club is taking care of its restricted free agents before turning to other roster moves. With no major cap issues expected, Fantilli and the rest of the RFAs appear likely to be signed without much trouble.
In Other News...
Canadiens Just Added A Young Defenseman Fans Will Want To Track
The Canadiens have quietly added another name to their defensive pipeline, with Kent Hughes signing Konyushkov and keeping the young blueliner on loan in the KHL for another year before he makes the jump to North America. It is the kind of move Montreal has leaned into as it tries to stock the blue line with players who can grow into NHL roles without being rushed, and this one comes with a profile that has already started to draw attention.
Konyushkovs game and offensive touch have drawn comparisons to Alexandre Carrier, which gives Canadiens fans a pretty clear idea of the type of defender Montreal thinks it may be getting down the road. If he develops the way the organization hopes, he could eventually fit into a similar role on the right side of the blue line, giving the team another mobile, puck-moving option to track closely over the next year. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Already Drawn A Hard Line With Kirby Dach
Peyton Krebs new four-year, $18 million deal in Buffalo has quickly become a useful marker in the Kirby Dach negotiations, and it gives Montreal a pretty clear reference point as the sides head toward arbitration. Krebs had the healthier, fuller season, playing all 82 games with 39 points and a plus-13 rating, while Dachs year was interrupted by injuries and produced 15 points in 37 games with a minus-2 mark.
The Canadiens have already put down a $4 million qualifying offer, and the July 30 arbitration hearing is now looming as the next real checkpoint. For Montreal, the hard part is balancing Dachs upside against what he has actually been able to deliver lately, and the comparable on Krebs suggests the club may not be inclined to budge much from its current line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Still Feel The Sting Of One 2007 Draft Decision
The Canadiens 2007 draft class still stands as one of the franchises most consequential, and not just because of the names they kept. Montreal came out of that year with Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban, but the decision that continues to linger is the one that sent Ryan McDonagh away before he ever played a game for the team. It was the kind of move that looked like a roster shuffle at the time and has only grown heavier with hindsight.
McDonagh went on to become a fixture in the NHL, later wearing the captains letter with the Rangers and helping Tampa Bay win two Stanley Cups, while the Canadiens return in the deal never delivered the same kind of stability. Scott Gomez arrived with plenty of pedigree, but his time in Montreal never matched the expectations attached to the trade, and the organization eventually moved on. For a franchise that got so much right in that draft year, this one still reads like the missed branch in the road. [Read more 🡒]