How would you rebuild the Canucks' defence next offseason?

[Frankie Blueberries]

Let's play a fairly realistic hypothetical. Skip ahead to next year's offseason (after the 2020-2021 season). Tanev walked as a UFA, and Edler retires (I think he has a chance of being signed to a 1-2 year deal as a #5 with limited minutes, like how Salo played his last few seasons with us, but for the purposes of this hypothetical let's say he retires just to make it more clear). Tryamkin isn't on the Canucks for whatever reason (stayed in Russia/was traded). Stecher isn't re-sign or got traded (just based on rumours, nothing else). Canucks are left with:

Hughes - X
X - Myers
X - Rafferty

Maybe one of Woo, Rathbone, or Juolevi makes the team, but I would put more weight on them being a #5-6 than a top 4 in their first few years in the NHL, so IMO, they would just fill up the other bottom pairing spot next to Rafferty.

What players would you target, whether it be via trade or UFAs? I think Haydn Fleury is a great, cheaper option. I don't think Carolina's asking price would be that high (2nd + Lind or Juolevi?) since their defence is stacked and Bean only has 1 more year of waiver exemption until he's fighting for the same roster spot.

Click to read more...

 

[Tim Calhoun]

Re-sign Stecher and Tanev, make Myers disappear. Then get a depth guy who is an upgrade on Fantenberg.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Re-sign Stecher and Tanev, make Myers disappear. Then get a depth guy who is an upgrade on Fantenberg.

That would make a lot of sense, but I don't think that's what Benning is going to do, thus it's not the premise of the hypothetical.

 

[bossram]

1. Re-sign Stecher.

2. Sign cheap, effective UFA defenseman this offseason (like Dylan Demelo).

3. Jettison Myers before his contract becomes a complete millstone.

4. Use new cap space to sign quality, top-four UFA next offseason (like Ryan Murray).

4. Pencil in prospect on bottom-pair or depth

5. Re-sign Edler on cheap "veteran" contract if possible

Hughes- Demelo
Murray - Stecher
Edler/prospect- Rafferty
Edler/prospect

Not sure if this looks conventionally good on paper, but I think all of Demelo, Murray, and Stecher are better than given credit for.

Dougie Hamilton is a UFA next offseason, but I don't like our chances on that one.

 

[VanJack]

My fear is that if the league embraces compliance buyouts, and Jimbo can shed a couple of bloated contracts, he'll immediately blow the wad on another foray into the UFA market for a d-man.

Better to just bring back a guy like Tanev; and sign somebody like Tryamkin, Stecher or maybe another depth defender for somewhere around the league minimum.

 

[The Vasili Jerry]

I can't say I know how to fix it, but I'm just hoping like crazy that a prospect takes off somehow and we get lucky. Hoping to be lucky is not a good approach but it's all I got. Hey Jack Rathbone, sign with the Canucks and then break out and make me proud.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Myers going nowhere he's here to stay. Let Tanev go re-sign Stecher. Maybe Tryamkin comes back. I'm assuming Tryamkin plays stay at home doesn't take chances partner for Hughes.

Edler Stecher
Hughes Tryamkin
UFA Myers
Rookie / Spare veteran

 

[dombrova22]

Boeser + for Dumba +

Hughes-Dumba
Edler-Rafferty
Woo/Juolevi/?-Myers

Or Boeser + for Werenski

Hughes-Werenski
Edler-Rafferty
Woo/Juolevi/?-Myers

 

[Hit the post]

make Myers disappear.

I'm not sure David Copperfield or David Blaine can even do that.

 

[tradervik]

I'd look to trade Virtanen for a young expansion draft eligible player on a team with a stacked defence. Maybe Canucks pro-scouting can identify the next Marcus Pettersson.

Hughes - Myers
New Guy - Stecher
Tryamkin - Rafferty / cheap FA
Rathbone/Woo?

I already don't like this group but I'll post it because I'm bored.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Vancouver might be able to take a run at Pietro if we're ok with dropping Toffoli and Tanev, get a compliance buyout, and Markstrom signs a reasonable deal, but I suspect he re-signs with STL.

I have a feeling some of the top UFA dmen will re-sign with their teams though (Krug, Pietro, Brodie/Hamonic seem likely).

There is a wealth of solid depth dmen available though. I'd be alright with Braun , Edmundson, Dillon, TVR, Hamhuis, Bogosian (take a chance on his skill if he signs for cheap, his attitude seems like a problem though), Hamonic (if Flames let him go and he signs for cheap based on a down season), maybe even Vatanen or Schultz if they are reasonable short-term deals. Doubt Shattenkirk would want to sign here. Most of them would be cheaper Tanev replacements if re-signing Toffoli + Markstrom means we can't afford Tanev.

Here’s the list of UFA dmen:
2020 NHL Free Agents Tracker

 

[rypper]

I'd probably look at firing the entire pro scouting department and/or whoever has been responsible for almost all the trade/FA defensemen signings the last 5-6 years.

 

[Didalee Hed]

I'd probably look at firing the entire pro scouting department and/or whoever has been responsible for almost all the trade/FA defensemen signings the last 5-6 years.

So Benning the idiot

 

[Jack Burton]

Here’s the list of UFA dmen:
2020 NHL Free Agents Tracker

That's a sad list.

 

[ratbid]

I don't know about a rebuild but I want the Canucks to try to pry Zadorov out of Colorado, literally for no other reason than to pair him with Tryamkin and watch a fair bit or carnage ensue... both for us and for our opponents.

 

[I am toxic]

Imagine any of those D line-ups without Vezina-level goaltending in front of it.

Then, after the tears begin to subside, have a cookie.

You'll feel right as rain.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Back for sure

Meyers Hughes Edler

unclear
Tanev Stecher Benn Fantenberg

New addition

Tryamkin

prospects/AHL
Woo Juolevi Sautner Brisboise Rafferty Chatfield

and in particular Rathbone

2021 lineup
Hughes Tryamkin
Edler Myers
2 of Benn Stecher Tanev

1 of Woo Juolevi Rathbone as 7th dman

The last thing I want to see is JB sign another UFA Dman .... we are already in cap hell. The only possible window will be if the league agrees to compliance buyouts because of the cap, and we can unload LE. And one of our $3M contracts, or maybe Sutter. WE are going to need that money to sign Petterson and Hughes the following year, so just do what competent teams do and develop prospects in the system.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

It’s damn bleak!
Ignoring the fringe type bottom D’s that are easy to replace we need at least two top 4 impact guys.
Last go round:
1. We got Ehrhoff out of San Jose because they had cap issues. But now the situation is reversed and we’re in cap trouble.
2. Hamhuis wanted to come home and was signed in free agency for a good deal. That rarely happens.
3. Edler was a later pick who blossomed into a top pairing D but none of our picks even being optimistic have that kind of upside.
4. Tanev decided to grow 12 inches one year and we managed to sign an undrafted player who became a key piece. Maybe we need to hire a growth specialist to discover the next runt who grows a foot. Good luck on that!

Bottom line is we need to build through the draft like most teams and that’s a longer process. In the meantime we probably need to hang onto as much as we currently can, bring Tryamkin over to create some competition and hope we get lucky to find someone through free agency or a prospect exceeding expectations. At some point a forward will probably need to be traded for a young D. I guess the most likely candidate is Boeser.

 

[VanJack]

That's a sad list.

Just think how this narrative would have changed in Juolevi had come even close to playing like a fifth overall draft pick is supposed to play? Oh well.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

That's a sad list.

Seems like a pretty average (or arguably even strong) UFA class to me when comparing it to previous years.

Elite/Top-tier:

Pietro
Krug
Brodie

Good/Great:

Hamonic
Tanev
Vatanen
Braun
Edmundson
Shattenkirk
Barrie

Average/Depth/Possibly cheap:

Dillon
Gustafsson
DeMelo
Greene
Green
Kulikov
Gudas
Schultz
Pysyk
TVR
Stone
Borowiecki
Fantenberg
Engelland
Irwin
Weber
Holl
Beaulieu
Polak

Projects/Old bums but likely cheap:

Bogosian
Ceci
Hutton
Forbort
Heed
Connauton
Daley
Hainsey
Sekera
Hamhuis

 

[jonnygf40]

DeMelo.
Bring in someone who actually knows how to defend.

 

[infinitemile]

are you ever just sure that Benning will acquire a specific defenseman? For me it's Rasmus Ristolainen. Overpaid, tall, ineffective d-man with no off-puck skills to speak of. Perfect for the Benning regime. Pair him with Myers and you have pairing with 20% corsi every night. But at least they're tall!

But to answer your question,

let Tanev walk, re-sign Stecher. Make a run at a guy like Dylan DeMelo who's actually pretty good and won't be commanding a lot of $ for your top 6. Compliance buy-out Myers if you can and fill the spot with a replacement level player, save your cap space to get actual good players. I'd be telling my pro scout department to scour the NHL for defensemen just like Tanev who haven't been paid yet, try and grab one in FA maybe.

Hughes - tanev replacement
DeMelo - Stecher
Edler - Rafferty/someone else

not very good but when the only NHL quality defenseman you've acquired in 6 years is Quinn Hughes then you're gonna have to eat some shit.

 

[jonnygf40]

are you ever just sure that Benning will acquire a specific defenseman? For me it's Rasmus Ristolainen. Overpaid, tall, ineffective d-man with no off-puck skills to speak of. Perfect for the Benning regime. Pair him with Myers and you have pairing with 20% corsi every night. But at least they're tall!

But to answer your question,

let Tanev walk, re-sign Stecher. Make a run at a guy like Dylan DeMelo who's actually pretty good and won't be commanding a lot of $ for your top 6. Compliance buy-out Myers if you can and fill the spot with a replacement level player, save your cap space to get actual good players. I'd be telling my pro scout department to scour the NHL for defensemen just like Tanev who haven't been paid yet, try and grab one in FA maybe.

Hughes - tanev replacement
DeMelo - Stecher
Edler - Rafferty/someone else

not very good but when the only NHL quality defenseman you've acquired in 6 years is Quinn Hughes then you're gonna have to eat some shit.

I agree with bringing in DeMelo, but he's a RHD. Without dumping Myers, your dcorp would go ...

Edler Myers
Hughes DeMelo
Tryamkin Stecher/Rafferty

... Stecher would have to take a pay cut to come back tho.

 

[bossram]

DeMelo.
Bring in someone who actually knows how to defend.

Yes yes yes.

He is exactly the name I suggested a few posts up.

Cheap. Effective. RHD. He was very good next to Chabot and I could see him being equally effective next to Hughes.

let Tanev walk, re-sign Stecher. Make a run at a guy like Dylan DeMelo who's actually pretty good and won't be commanding a lot of $ for your top 6. Compliance buy-out Myers if you can and fill the spot with a replacement level player, save your cap space to get actual good players. I'd be telling my pro scout department to scour the NHL for defensemen just like Tanev who haven't been paid yet, try and grab one in FA maybe.

Hughes - tanev replacement
DeMelo - Stecher
Edler - Rafferty/someone else

not very good but when the only NHL quality defenseman you've acquired in 6 years is Quinn Hughes then you're gonna have to eat some shit.

Echoing prioritizing Demelo as a target as well.

Also, I agree that we should be looking at getting rid of Myers. I 100% believe moving Myers before it's too late is critical to long-term cap management for this team. His contract is going to be a millstone. We need to move him now, before he becomes unmoveable.

There's no way Benning will compliance him, but moving him is something a smart GM would do.

I agree with bringing in DeMelo, but he's a RHD. Without dumping Myers, your dcorp would go ...

Edler Myers
Hughes DeMelo
Tryamkin Stecher/Rafferty

... Stecher would have to take a pay cut to come back tho.

We need to dump Myers. It's a necessity.

I'm not a Tryamkin believer. I don't think he can be much more than a bottom-pair/depth player. For a physical, defensive element, I would look at signing Brenden Dillon this offseason. He's been quietly effective in recent seasons in SJ. And his point totals + lack of pedigree should keep his contract fairly affordable. Maybe being from New West would help too.

I think a competent GM could actually cobble together a reasonably solid blueline this offseason. And if even one of Rafferty/Juolevi/Rathbone can turn into a second-pair defenseman, we'll be in okay shape.

Hughes - Demelo
Dillon - Stecher
Edler - Rafferty
Tryamkin/Benn

Of course, Benning is not competent. So all is moot.

 

[David71]

DeMelo.
Bring in someone who actually knows how to defend.

that would have been my trade deadline pickup earlier too. shore up the Right side.