If there’s a mystery man on the Canucks for next season, it’s Linden Vey. The Canucks acquired Vey from the Los Angeles Kings for the 50th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and has a large question mark looming over him as the offseason goes on. With the agreement on a 1-year contract, Linden Vey will be a part of the Canucks organization this season, it’s just a matter of where he’ll play that leaves Canucks fans and media wondering.
The 23-year-old was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 draft by the LA Kings, after tearing up the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Vey took his talents to the AHL and the Manchester Monarchs, where he’s spent three seasons. Due to the Kings’ overload of talent at center, Vey only has an NHL sample size of 18 games, where he’s yet to pot a goal and has recorded five assists in his short NHL stint. Vey’s speed, vision and puck handling skills are what stand out in his game, and he can hopefully bring that to the Canucks’ line-up next season.
With such a small sample size, it’s hard to predict what Vey’s role on the club will be for next season. Considering Vey’s size, it’s hard to see him playing anything lower than the third line, as the fourth line will be saved for energy players such as Shawn Matthias, Derek Dorsett and Tom Sestito. With Nick Bonino coming into the system, Vey could be potentially battling Bonino for the second line center role, which sounds alarming when you consider the Canucks had Ryan Kesler as their second line center last season.
Vey’s role also depends on how much youth is implemented in the lineup. If Bo Horvat and Brendan Gaunce are given a shot at the NHL level to start the season, it makes for a crowded bunch contending for three spots at center, which could leave Vey on the outside looking in. Although Gaunce has a very miniscule shot at the pro club this season, Bo Horvat is expected to be given at least nine games with the Canucks to prove he’s NHL ready, which could leave Vey out of the line-up if that’s the path Desjardins and Benning want to go. If Horvat is sent back to London, the Canucks would not be able to bring him back to the NHL unless an emergency situation presents itself, or until his OHL season is over.
Vey’s role also depends on what management views Vey as. Since he’s only played 18 NHL games, he could still be considered a prospect, rather than an NHL-ready young gun. Vey has three seasons of AHL experience, does Jim Benning assign Vey for yet another season in the minors? This would be a risky move, as Vey is no longer waiver exempt this fall (per cap geek). One must also consider that with the loss of Kesler as the number two center, the Canucks are in desperate need of skill up the middle, which Vey brings to the table and could centre a third scoring line for the club.
Vey brings a lot offensively, and will contend for a spot on the Canucks roster next year for sure. However, Nick Bonino is going to be given the role as the second line center heading into next season, leaving Vey to battle with Shawn Matthias, Brad Richardson and Bo Horvat for the third line center spot on the team. If Matthias is willing to play wing, Vey has a decent shot at being the third line center for the majority of the season with a possibility that Gaunce could be the call up if someone gets injured. However, Jim Benning and company may have something else in mind for both Vey and the rest of the roster.
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