For all the talk about the Vancouver Canucks landing a big-time free agent today, the biggest names went elsewhere. While they didn’t come up empty, they didn’t make the waves they wanted to.
Canucks Free Agent Day Not-Very Frenzied
Plan B it is, then.
While the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals have decided Rebuilds Are Bad, Actually, Vancouver has gone slow. If the plan was to get a high-scoring winger to skate alongside Elias Pettersson, then the execution is lacking.
Two hours after the opening bell, the Canucks have filled their NHL-level slots and are around $1.3 million under the cap. They do want to be under the cap this season rather than use the LTIR again so they can make moves come trade deadline day, so that’s nice. Any moves they make from here should keep that in mind.
The rosters are hardly frozen. Teams can go 10% over the cap in the offseason, so long as rosters are legal when frozen on opening day. There is still plenty of flexibility for moves between now and then. But if the team wants to land that scorer, it will have to be through trade rather then free agency.
So what did they get, anyway?
What the Canucks Got
It’s not all doom and gloom on Canada’s West Coast. With the money not being spent on one big ticket, the team opted for improving their depth. And they have, if not by leaps and bounds. but small improvements are still improvements. And at least one player has the chance to make a big impact.
Jake DeBrusk
The Canucks most significant free agent day pickup is undoubtedly Jake DeBrusk. The former Boston Bruin is heading into his eighth NHL season – relatively young as free agents go. He has loads of skill, even if he applies it inconsistently. There is a lot of flexibility to his game, too.
DeBrusk will get his chance to play alongside Elias Pettersson and is creative enough to use it. Depending on who else is with them, he can switch from offence to defence quickly. Send him clips of J.T. Miller to show what’s expected, and he and coach Rich Tocchet should get along fine.
Along with praising his defence, DeBrusk has decent offence, too. He has an excellent shot, is a good bet for 25-ish goals, and shows up in the playoffs. Rarely the first choice in Boston, that could change with the Canucks.
It better, given his seven-year, $5.5 million per contract.
Danton Heinen
The side story of “Local Boy Comes Home” is a nice touch, but Danton Heinen is a worthy pickup, too. He knows how to play in the bottom six, adding offence and drive the fans should really appreciate. Heinen does get into a bit of trouble against larger opponents on occasion, but will get his revenge in goals.
A defensively responsible forward, he can still pick up 15 goals in minimal ice time. He can carry the puck out of trouble while short-handed, not just hit the glass and out. The ability to play on either side will open up opportunities for him, too. That’s as good a reason to sign with the Canucks as a free agent as any.
His two-year, $2.25 million per deal is as low risk as it gets.
Vincent Desharnais
Vincent Desharnais signed on with the Canucks for a bonus-laden, two-year deal. The 6’7″ right-side defender had a decent year in Edmonton, playing his first full season and adding 16 playoff games to his resume. He scored once in 78 games, totalling 11 points, and had an assist in their Stanley Cup Final run.
Don’t expect his game to grow from here, but he hasn’t been in pro hockey as long as you think. Desharnais spent four full seasons in the NCAA, then the ECHL and AHL. He finally broke through with 38 games with the Oilers in 2022-23. There is room for Tocchet to tighten up his game yet.
In The Mix
Not the main characters, but some interesting possibilities for these Canucks free agent additions.
Kiefer Sherwood
Undrafted Kiefer Sherwood worked his way to the NHL, getting 50 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2018-19. He moved between the NHL and AHL in the years after, finally playing exclusively NHL games last season. His 10 goals and 27 points in 68 games with Nashville were all career highs.
Sherwood’s a tenacious forechecker and plenty of fun to watch.
Derek Forbort
If your primary concern about free agency was losing size on defence, the 6’4″ Derek Forbort will help. He is a purely defensive defenceman, which is a bit odd given how well he skates. His primary concern is his own end of the ice, and that shows in his stats.
He’s a nine-year NHL veteran, so what you see is what you get with Forbort.
Nathan Smith
The second Nathan Smith to play for Vancouver who is also a centre. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice, right?
Smith is a bulwark against the Canucks lack of depth at the AHL level. He does have 14 games of NHL experience, but this is a depth signing.
Jiří Patera
If the objective was to give Arturs Šilovs the net in Abbotsford and have a veteran backing up in the NHL, then this ain’t it. Jiří Patera has just eight games of NHL experience, all with the Vegas Golden Knights. Patera had a bit of a rough time of it last season, going 1-3-1 in six games with an .893 save percentage.
He’s had decent showings in the AHL, and on a two-year deal why not give him that shot? If there is any single talent appraiser to trust in Vancouver, it’s probably goaltending coach Ian Clark.
Canucks Free Agent Frozen
While fans were hoping one of the big free agents would make their way to Vancouver, the prices they demanded elsewhere showed why they didn’t. Instead of overpaying for a single player, the Canucks spent less and got more – in volume if not talent.
Should DeBrusk take full advantage of his talent with this huge opportunity, though, it will be a different story. He’s going to be beside one of the smartest centres in the league – but he’s done that before. Will the results with Pettersson be better than his time with Patrice Bergeron?
That’s a tough ask. But the Canucks are betting $38.5 million he’ll have the right answer.
Main Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
