NHL free agency is here, but for the Vancouver Canucks this looks less like a spending spree and more like a careful shopping trip.
That’s the lane Ryan Johnson appears to be working in: add the right people, not just the loudest names. The Canucks need high-character veterans who can steady a young group, especially on defence, while also bringing some bite to a roster rebuild that still needs more physical edge.
Even the players who fit that mould are not coming cheap.
Among the centres linked to Vancouver, Elliotte Friedman has mentioned Noel Acciari, Erik Haula, Boone Jenner, Scott Laughton, Colton Sissons and Kevin Stenlund. That’s a useful list for a team looking for size, experience and some dependable middle-of-the-lineup work.
On the blue line, Friedman also floated the San Jose Sharks as a possible landing spot for Ian Cole, although a source told me the Canucks still believe he is very close to signing in Vancouver. CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal had also suggested Monday that a deal was possible. Vancouver does need veteran stability back there, and Cole is coming off an outstanding season with Utah.
He also comes with a reputation that matters in a room like this: he’s known as the definition of a good dude, has dealt with injuries almost constantly since turning pro in 2017, and has long been described as a quality person who never complains.
One option who would have checked several boxes for the Canucks is already gone. A.J.
Greer, a possible unrestricted free agent target for size, toughness and defensive structure, signed a four-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks carrying a $4.25 million annual average value. Greer, 29, made $850,000 this season before Florida traded his rights Monday, and he was a fixture in the Panthers’ top six.
He used his size, speed and bravado to disrupt on the forecheck while still staying responsible defensively. He finished with a team-best plus-14, led Florida with 203 hits and 113 penalty minutes, and fought tough guys six times.
His rights were traded for the rights to Radko Gudas.
Another name still available is Kevin Stenlund, the 29-year-old centre from the Utah Mammoth. He led the club in faceoff percentage at 54.2 per cent, as well as shot blocks with 61 and short-handed ice time. He would bring structure, guidance and penalty-killing help, and his expiring cap hit is $2 million.
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Brendan Gallagher is part of that conversation after arriving and saying the right things, but the bigger question is whether he can still consistently swing games after a seven-goal season in Montreal. The same goes for the rest of the supporting cast, because the Canucks still look like a team that could use another veteran center and another forward who brings some physicality in free agency. Those additions would not just round out the bottom six, they would also help answer the one lingering issue this lineup preview keeps circling back to. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Are Betting On One Risky Free Agency Approach
Ryan Johnson is heading into NHL free agency with a clear template for the Canucks: add veteran players with strong character, enough bite to help the younger defensemen, and a physical edge that fits the roster better. Vancouver also has the cap room to be active, but the preference sounds more measured than splashy, with short-term commitments and an eye toward players who could still carry value later.
A.J. Greer, Colton Scissons, Boone Jenner and Kevin Stenlund are among the names being discussed as fits for that approach, and the Canucks are also weighing whether there is room for another familiar face to come back into the fold. If those additions start to stack up, the next question becomes how Vancouver creates the necessary space, especially with several established pieces already in the mix as possible trade candidates. [Read more 🡒]
Former Flame Troy Stecher Lands Another NHL Opportunity
Troy Stecher has found another NHL landing spot, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs as he continues a career that has taken him through seven teams and into his 10th season in the league. For a player who built his reputation in Vancouver as a reliable, undersized defenseman with a steady edge, the latest contract is another sign that he still has a place in a league that keeps asking him to adapt.
Stecher sounded pleased with the arrangement and also clear-eyed about where his game sits now. He said he wants to sharpen his offensive touch without giving up the defensive details that have kept him around this long, a familiar balancing act for a veteran trying to stay useful as the league changes around him. [Read more 🡒]