Photo credit: NHL/Vancouver Canucks
Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman has revealed which Eastern Conference team to keep an eye on in trade talks with the Vancouver Canucks in the weeks to come.
Trade talks involving the Vancouver Canucks are expected to heat up throughout the month of December after General Manager Patrik Allvin decided to make his pending unrestricted free agents, and some veteran players, available on the trade market in order to get younger amid the team’s poor start to the 2025-26 campaign.”According to several sources, the Vancouver Canucks have let it be known that – in an effort to get younger – they are willing to listen to offers on ‘veteran players.'” Elliotte Friedman said last week.
When discussing Quinn Hughes, Friedman added, “They’ve made it clear (trading him) is not their priority right now.” (Filip Hronek is another player teams feel is unlikely to go anywhere.)
Forwards Kiefer Sherwood, who is set to become a free agent next summer, and Conor Garland, who will have his contract extension kick in ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, will garner the most interest leading up to the trade deadline and according to Elliotte Friedman, there’s on Eastern Conference club fans should keep a close eye on in talks with the Vancouver Canucks.
NHL insider reveals which Eastern Conference team to watch in trade talks with Vancouver Canucks
During Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman mentions that everyone should keep an eye on the Philadelphia Flyers as a potential landing spot for Vancouver’s available players, which would set up a reunion with former Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet.
“Vancouver has players that Rick Tocchet likes. I don’t know if it’s [Kiefer] Sherwood; it would fit. But, nobody knows the Vancouver players better than Tocchet does, right? A couple people have said to me, ‘You better keep an eye on Philly when it comes to Vancouver’s players.’ And we’re not even talking about [Quinn] Hughes – everyone likes Hughes, and I don’t think anything’s going on there right now. But as the Canucks talk about some of their veterans, the questions you should be asking is: what veterans there, does Tocchet like?” Friedman said.
Beyond Kiefer Sherwood, who would bring an element to Philadelphia that the Flyers need more of, there’s no question that Conor Garland could be an interest fit there and would provide Rick Tocchet with some secondary scoring and leadership.
If Garland is truly available, it’s going to cost quite a bit to get him, potentially even an ‘A’ or ‘B’ level prospect, something that the Philadelphia Flyers have plenty of, and two names to watch that could be good fits for the Vancouver Canucks organization are Jack Nesbitt (Windsor Spitfires – OHL) and Jett Luchenko (Brantford Bulldogs – OHL).
Nesbitt and Luchenko are both centermen, which is what the Vancouver Canucks absolutely need more of in their prospect pool because beyond 2025 first rounder Braeden Cootes, they’re very thin down the middle.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily