Hearing that Brock Boeser might be in the rumor mill when it comes to a possible trade of Vancouver is not new. With the type of moves the Canucks are looking to make in the offseason and with a limited budget in which to do so, Boeser’s name often comes up when insiders talk about how the team will free up salary.
A $5.875 million forward for the next two seasons, Boeser is not cheap. Moving him would give the franchise a good portion of the flexibility they’d need to sign players like Jacob Markstrom, Tyler Toffoli and Chris Tanev. But, that’s apparently not in the cards.
According to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, the Canucks are not looking to move Boeser this Fall. While he could go if a trade comes along that’s hard to ignore, the team is certainly not shopping the winger.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning said recently that he isn’t trying to trade Boeser and has no desire to move a forward who has scored 71 goals in the past three seasons. He explained:
“Lots of GMs call us about our players. I listen and sometimes we have a conversation. That’s my job as a GM. If I’m not listening to other GMs, then I’m not doing my job. But we’re not trying to trade Brock Boeser. I have not had a conversation with Minnesota about him.”
The reason Minnesota was brought up in that statement was because the latest rumor has Boeser going to the Wild in exchange for defenseman Matt Dumba.
Boeser’s home town is Minnesota. The Canucks need to improve their blue line. The salaries are similar, as are the terms left on each contract. Finally, Dumba could possibly be exposed in the expansion draft. This is a trade that makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons.
It doesn’t mean it’s a given.
This NHL Trade Could Still Happen
Benning denying this makes sense. First, you don’t want to give your own player a sense that you’re looking to move him. Second, if it becomes common knowledge that you have your eyes on a trade, that trade becomes infinitely harder to make.
But, this could be a deal that works for both sides. Would you do it?
Next: Real Story Behind the Surprising Staal Trade to the Sabres
