In this edition of Vancouver Canucks News & Rumours, the offseason speculation continues as Filip Hronek has come up as a trade candidate before his no-move clause (NMC) kicks in. Meanwhile, with a spot in the Western Conference Final on the line, the Abbotsford Canucks could not get things done in Game 4 on Friday, falling to the Colorado Eagles 3-1. Finally, in other news, two former head coaches in Bob Boughner and Luke Richardson have emerged as potential assistants under the newly promoted Adam Foote, and a new player has been added to the prospect pool in the form of Anri Ravinskis.
Could Filip Hronek Get Traded?
Adding a legitimate second-line center will be one of general manager Patrik Allvin’s priorities in the offseason. However, with the top targets in free agency being the getting-more-expensive-by-the-day Sam Bennett and aging options like John Tavares and Matt Duchene, that pivot will likely be found in the trade market. Unfortunately, in that scenario, you have to give up something more than money, and that’s valuable assets like a first-round pick, top prospect (think Jonathan Lekkerimaki or Tom Willander) or a high-end roster player.
Related: Rick Tocchet’s Final Season with the Canucks: Honesty, Fractures, and What’s Next?
The most recent speculation on who the Canucks might give up to get that coveted second-line center is top-pairing defenceman Filip Hronek. It’s interesting to see him in the rumour mill after signing a lucrative $7.25 million average annual value (AAV) contract extension just last June, but to get something valuable like a top-six center, Allvin will have to be willing to trade something substantial, especially if he doesn’t want to part with Lekkerimaki or Willander.
With the Canucks’ surplus being on defence, Hronek could be the most tradable piece before his NMC kicks in. There’s some inherent risk involved with trading him, though, as he’s formed undeniable chemistry with Quinn Hughes and eats up a lot of minutes on the backend. This season, he averaged 23:54 of ice time and was one of the Canucks’ big playdrivers finishing with a 53.4 Corsi for percentage (CF%). While they have enviable depth with Elias Pettersson’s emergence and other promising prospects in Willander and Victor Mancini, losing him would still be a massive blow, because they certainly wouldn’t be getting a…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…