The Vancouver Canucks improved their roster in free company. The group added pace up entrance by way of the likes of Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen and Kiefer Sherwood. In addition they added measurement to the blue line with the departure of Nikita Zadorov in Vincent Desharnais and Derek Forbort.
The Canucks blue line has measurement, with Tyler Myers, Carson Soucy, Desharnais and Forbort standing above 6-foot-4. Nevertheless, the blue line lacks one other puck-moving defenceman within the backside two pairings. With Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek taking part in their greatest collectively, the membership ought to have an extra puck-moving defender down the lineup. Moreover, the membership has $1.015 million in cap house and may spend it on one of many remaining free brokers. Listed below are three puck-moving defencemen the membership can nonetheless sign up free company.
Kevin Shattenkirk
The Canucks have a veteran blue line, and Tocchet favours vets, which is why Kevin Shattenkirk is an effective match for the membership. With 14 years within the NHL and Stanley Cup-winning expertise paired along with his offensive skillset, the 35-year-old has a lot to supply. Moreover, he’s a right-shot defenceman.
Shattenkirk will come at an inexpensive worth level as properly, coming off a one-year, $1 million take care of the Boston Bruins. The Canucks have already added three former Bruins this offseason, so if the membership indicators one other, it received’t be a shock. He’s coming off a six-goal and 24-point season, taking part in 61 video games. He has 103 targets and 484 factors in 952 video games.
Justin Schultz
A 12 months youthful than Shattenkirk however with Cup-winning expertise, Justin Schultz is one other right-shot blueliner the Canucks might goal. The 34-year-old is a Kelowna, B.C. native and gives a stable puck-moving skillset.
Schultz began his profession with the Edmonton Oilers, taking part in 248 video games over 4 seasons and scoring 28 targets whereas posting 101 factors. As a free agent popping out of the NCAA, he was deciding between the Canucks and the Oilers. Due to this fact, returning to B.C. and taking part in in Vancouver isn’t out of the query.
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Within the 2015-16 season, the Oilers traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the place he received two Stanley Cups. He performed 5 seasons with the membership. He scored 22 targets and posted 113 factors in 234 video games. Schultz made his first NHL playoff appearances with the membership, profitable the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017. He posted 4 factors in 15 video games within the 2016 Stanely Cup Playoffs earlier than posting a career-high 4 targets and 13 factors in 21 video games in the course of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He signed with the Washington Capitals and performed two seasons earlier than signing with the Seattle Kraken of their first two seasons. He mixed for 14 targets and 60 factors by way of 143 video games with the membership, together with three targets and 10 factors in 14 playoff video games.
If Schultz joins the Canucks, he might play alongside Soucy, his former d-partner in Seattle. It will enable the membership to play Myers on the third pairing when wanted.
Calen Addison
Getting into the wrong way of a veteran defenceman, Calen Addison is a younger unrestricted free agent the Canucks can check out. As soon as a promising defensive prospect who impressed in his first full NHL season, he finds himself and not using a crew every week into free company.
The Penguins drafted the smooth-skating offensive defenceman with the 53rd decide within the 2018 second spherical however traded him to the Minnesota Wild in 2020. Addison performed 62 video games within the 2022-23 season, scoring three targets and posting 29 factors. Nevertheless, he struggled within the defensive finish, and the Wild traded him to the San Jose Sharks after 12 video games within the 2023-24 season.
Addison is a participant price taking a swing at, particularly with the Canucks teaching employees and participant improvement division. Assistant coach Adam Foote has carried out an important job enhancing the membership’s blue line and serving to gamers carry out at their greatest on their very own finish. Due to this fact, he’s the proper individual to assist information Addison and construct him into an all-around nice defenceman.
Two Veterans and Younger Blueliner Obtainable
The Canucks want so as to add a puck-moving defenceman and have some choices. Shattenkirk and Schultz convey Cup-winning expertise, in addition to an offensive skillset. In the meantime, Addison is a younger participant with spectacular offensive talents however struggles within the defensive finish. Though he may be the largest danger, he might become a steal of a signing whereas working with the Canucks teaching employees.
