Canucks and Tyler Myers: A Wait-and-See Trade Thanks to Sharks

Recent reports have sparked speculation about the future of defenseman Tyler Myers with the Vancouver Canucks. Frank Seravalli from Daily Faceoff initially indicated that the Canucks had an offer on the table to send Myers to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Kevin Labanc. It’s not clear if that trade was ever close as multiple parties involved have denied the report, but there is still belief the Sharks are seriously looking at this, depending on what happens with Erik Karlsson in the next few weeks.

According to Harman Dayal of The Athletic, while Patrik Allvin, the Canucks’ Assistant General Manager, denied the reports of a pending Myers trade to the media, and Myers’ agent, J.P. Barry, also refuted the claims, there is still something there. Dayal writes that the situation surrounding Myers remains uncertain for several reasons, but one of the more significant factors is the status of Erik Karlsson’s future with the Sharks. If Karlsson is traded, the Sharks’ right-side defensive depth would be significantly impacted, potentially making Myers an attractive veteran option as a stopgap solution. If he isn’t moved, the Sharks have no real need for Myers.

At the very least, all of this could be pushed back closer to the NHL Trade deadline.

Part of the delay in Myers to the Sharks is because the Sharks are playing hardball with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins want Karlsson, but the Sharks aren’t willing to retain more in Karlsson’s salary and the Penguins can’t make a deal without that salary retention. if the Sharks retain too much, once again, their interest in Myers might drop. After all, Myers isn’t exactly cheap ($6 million remaining on the final season of his contract).

Might This Benefit the Canucks?

One thing that Dayal argues is that this might not be the worst news for Vancouver. He notes that from the Canucks’ perspective, holding onto Myers until training camp allows them to evaluate the readiness of their other right-shot defensemen. Specifically, the absence of Myers would raise concerns about potential top-four minutes if an injury occurs.

From there, if the Canucks do move Myers, they’ll need to find a replacement. Trading him at the deadline (if the Canucks are out of it) means not having to bring someone else in to take his minutes.

The value for Myers later might also be higher. With several variables at play, interested teams may prefer to wait until Myers’ $5 million signing bonus is paid out in mid-September before pursuing any potential trade.

For now, Dayal calls this a “wait-and-see” scenario for Myers and the Canucks.

Next: 5 Potential Trade Options to Replace Patrice Bergeron in Boston