The Vancouver Canucks are in a bizarre spot after lacking the Stanley Cup Playoffs this previous season. Vancouver has a roster with some expertise on it. They aren’t one of many worst groups within the league by any means.
And but, the Canucks can not seem to make the playoffs regardless of that expertise. On high of that, Vancouver just isn’t in the most effective place wage cap-wise, even after shopping for out Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
This summer time guarantees to convey some modifications to the Canucks roster. The on-ice product will look totally different by the start of subsequent season. Among the many gamers probably heading out of city is ahead Brock Boeser.
Boeser, 26, is a former first-round choose of the Canucks. He signed a three-year contract extension final summer time. Nonetheless, he had a little bit of a down season in 2022-23 and was topic to commerce rumors across the deadline. With Vancouver’s cap points, a commerce this summer time seems doubtless.
With that in thoughts, listed here are three groups that characterize the most effective potential touchdown spots within the occasion of a Brock Boeser commerce.
The Islanders are actually no strangers to pulling off huge trades with the Canucks. Vancouver traded Bo Horvat to the Islanders again in January for a bundle of two gamers and a 2023 first-round choose.
The Islanders had hassle scoring this previous season, and it confirmed. New York’s 2.95 goals-per-game common got here in because the twenty second general mark within the league. Issues did not get higher within the playoffs, as they held the fourth-lowest goals-per-game common amongst playoff groups.
The Islanders may play Boeser with Mathew Barzal on the primary line. They may additionally skate him with Horvat on the second line in a little bit of a Canucks reunion. Both means, they’ve choices in the event that they resolve to pursue Boeser.
The Penguins have a brand new face within the entrance workplace with Kyle Dubas on the helm. Dubas made daring strikes for the Toronto Maple Leafs, particularly this previous commerce deadline season. Count on that to proceed with the Penguins.
The Penguins have a projected $20.2 million in cap house as of this writing. Pittsburgh may tackle your entire $6.650 million cap hit in the event that they needed, nevertheless it’s unlikely they achieve this.
Boeser doubtless slots in as a second-line winger on Sidney Crosby’s line. And on the age of 26, he isn’t just a short-term play for Dubas and Pittsburgh. There may be respectable long-term potential right here if Boeser rebounds.
The Canucks doubtless retain a few of Brock Boeser’s wage in a commerce. Although the Penguins may commerce Mikael Granlund or Jeff Petry to additional clear cap house. Both means, regulate the Penguins as a possible touchdown spot.
The Wild had an curiosity in Boeser on the commerce deadline, however a deal failed to return collectively. Now, there’s a likelihood Wild normal supervisor Invoice Guerin brings Boeser again dwelling.
Boeser is a local of the state of Minnesota, making the hyperlinks between participant and workforce apparent. Nonetheless, the Wild have lower than $10 million in cap house to work with as this offseason rolls on.
The Wild may create some cap house with a number of trades. Defenseman Alex Goligoski ($2 million) and ahead Marcus Foligno ($3.1 million) are apparent cap-dump candidates for Minnesota.
If a cap dump transfer does not work, Vancouver and Minnesota may entice a 3rd workforce to assist facilitate this transfer. Minnesota may half with, say, a 2024 fifth-round choose in trade for a 3rd workforce retaining wage on Boeser.
In any occasion, a commerce to the Minnesota Wild would convey Brock Boeser again dwelling. That is one thing neither the Penguins nor the Islanders can supply to the 26-year-old former first-round choose.