In today's round of NHL rumors, how serious are the Vancouver Canucks about moving on from Vincent Desharnais? What are they willing to sacrifice to get rid of that contract? Meanwhile, Auston Matthews is out again for the Toronto Maple Leafs, aggravating an early season injury. Finally, what did the Nashville Predators do? They seem to be completely focused on their trading strategy this season. Are they buying or selling?
Canucks rating options on Desharnais
The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly weighing the future of defenseman Vincent Desharnais as the team looks to stabilize the roster. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the situation, revealing that the Canucks were exploring trade options and admitting that things “didn't work out” with him on the roster.
Friedman explained that the Canucks may be trying to emphasize the consistency of their roster. Too many lineup changes and turnovers between players can affect team chemistry. The focus is now on creating a sustainable, consistent system that can drive better results.
Desharnais, who has struggled this season, doesn't fit what the Canucks are trying to do. “So they're trying to see what options are out there, and they're willing to look at a few things.”
Canucks On The Verge Of Another Trade?
Meanwhile, Pierre LeBrun reports that he thinks a trade involving the Canucks for a top-four defenseman could be imminent.
He writes in a post for The Athletic:
“League sources confirm that the Canucks are looking for a forward in the front four as well as a wing player. And in keeping with Rutherford's tradition, I would think GM Patrik Allvin would want to make a trade soon and not wait until the March 7 deadline. He got Elias Lindholm on Jan. 31 last season, very much in line with Rutherford's style to get there before the deadline.”
source – 'NHL rumours: Latest on Provorov, Canucks trade needs, Hurricanes goals and why Avs jump on Blackwood' – Pierre LeBrun – The Athletic – 12/17/2024
He added, “Filip Hronek's injury was tough to overcome, so that fueled the need to trade the D's Top-4. Easier said than done, but I don't think Vancouver will be waiting too long if they can get the measure. .”
Matthews Delisted Again For Maple Leafs
TSN's Chris Johnston reports, “Hearing Auston Matthews won't be available for #leafs tonight after re-injury that kept him sidelined in November. He's listed as questionable for Monday's game.” In what could be an emotional reaction to the news, there are calls from fans to keep Matthews on LTIR until he is fully recovered, even if that means he misses most of the season.
Related: 3 Takeaways From the Sabers' 6-3 Loss to the Maple Leafs
And, as much as doing something like that would open up a window for the Maple Leafs to use their salary cap to add and bring Matthews back to the playoffs, it's a big risk. First, it is not clear how serious this injury is. Second, the Leafs have played well without him, but it's asking a lot to stabilize without the league's leading scorer on the ice. Finally, the NHL may look into this.
Have Predators Made a 180-Degree Turn?
Despite the Nashville Predators sitting near the bottom of the standings, GM Barry Trotz is shifting his focus ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. A few weeks after proposing a rebuilding phase, Trotz is now planning a potential acquisition to strengthen the team.
According to Emma Lingan of Hockey News, Trotz is actively working on deals that could come to fruition in January. While the NHL's holiday roster freeze temporarily halted the move, Trotz is shifting into shopping mode.
It's a strange place for the Predators to be, considering they're so far out of the playoff conversation that they should be sellers on paper. And, with some of the moves Trotz has made, it seems that they are also ditching contracts to make any purchases they have in mind.
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