Former top prospect emerges as top trade target for Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin
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A former top prospect has emerged as an ideal trade target for Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin after the team put their rebuilding plans in motion.
It’s something that the Vancouver Canucks faithful have been calling for for years now – a rebuild, and with the club on the verge of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for second straight year and fifth time in the last six seasons, the team’s front office has decided that now is the time to do what the fans have been wanting.
“(Aquilini) understands where we’re at, and of the circumstances. The conversations I’ve had, he understands.”
“When we look at where our league is compared to 10 years ago, when it comes to free agency, the players just aren’t there. Last summer, one could argue, taught a lesson in that reality. Trades still happen, but the reality that to build out your roster, you need to juice your efforts in the draft.” Jim Rutherford after getting permission for a rebuild from Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini.
There are a ton of variables at play here that’ll determine whether or not this rebuild will become successful, but the first piece of business the Vancouver Canucks need to deal with is the trade deadline, selling off their UFAs and some veteran players and hopefully, landing a solid prospect(s) and draft picks in return.
Former top prospect named as potential trade target for the Vancouver Canucks
In a recent article for The Athletic, Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance took a look at several prospects that could be of that could be of interest to the Vancouver Canucks in the 11 days between the Olympic roster freeze concluding and the league’s trade deadline for the 2025-26 campaign.2022 first round pick Jiri Kulich, who had 15 goals in 62 games during his rookie season in 2024-25 with the Buffalo Sabres, was among the names suggested by Dayal and Drance this week.
Kulich, a native of Kadan, Czechia, earned a spot on Buffalo’s opening night roster, but nearly a month into the season he found himself on the sidelines with a blood clot issue and resumed skating on his own last month.
“Kulich isn’t the kind of dynamic forward who will drive a line on his own, and he’s somewhat limited as a playmaker, but his high-end shot, intelligence, complementing skilled players, and battle-winning ability are all valuable traits.” Dayal and Drance said.
The 21-year-old has proven that he can put the puck in the back of the net, registering 24 and 27 goals in his first two seasons, respectively, with the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans.
If there’s anything that the Vancouver Canucks’ prospect pipeline needs is someone that can score and with Kulich already having 75 games of NHL experience under his belt, he could come into Adam Foote’s lineup, when he’s back at full health, and make an instant impact, but it won’t come cheap for General Manager Patrik Allvin.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
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Former top prospect emerges as top trade target for Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin
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