Canucks Exploring Center Trade Market But Get Bad News

The Vancouver Canucks are officially in the market for a center — but according to multiple insiders, there’s little help to be found.

Following Filip Chytil’s latest setback, a likely concussion that could sideline him long-term, general manager Patrik Allvin is searching for ways to shore up his lineup down the middle. But as Frank Seravalli reported on Frankly Hockey, the pickings are slim. Elliotte Friedman, perhaps the NHL’s most plugged-in and respected insider, says the Canucks know what’s out there and it’s not much.

“They’ve been willing to give up young assets to make the right fit happen,” Seravalli said, “but [Allvin] might have to consider some alternative measures… not players you’d be getting super excited about.”

The Center Trade Market In the NHL Is Dry

That’s the bad news. The center market is dry, and with every team knowing the Canucks are desperate, the asking prices are sky-high. As one executive told Friedman, “When you’re drowning, teams don’t throw you a life preserver — they throw you an anvil.”

Meanwhile, The Province’s Ben Kuzma points out the problem goes deeper than Chytil’s absence. Elias Pettersson’s offensive spark hasn’t returned after a disappointing 15-goal season, and his 40.9% faceoff success rate isn’t helping the cause. Behind him, Aatu Räty, Max Sasson, and Nils Åman round out a thin center group — one that hardly strikes fear into opponents.

Allvin has roughly $2 million in cap space, limiting immediate moves. By March, that could grow to nearly $19.4 million, per PuckPedia, making a future splash possible. But for now, Vancouver may have to gut it out.

“The first job is to find a way to get through the next game,” Allvin told Sportsnet. “There’s urgency, but we have to look at what makes sense long-term.”

With the market dry and options limited, the Canucks’ best short-term fix might simply be surviving until help becomes available.

Next: Berube “Getting Tired” of Maple Leafs Top-Line Experiments