What’s next for wheeling and dealing Vancouver Canucks?
Anthony Scultore
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The Vancouver Canucks finally registered their first win of the season last night against the Seattle Kraken. It was also head coach Bruce Boudreau’s 600th career win.
“I just wanted to get the win for the guys and let them feel better,” Boudreau said. “And hopefully, this sort of little streak doesn’t happen again on the negative side.”
For now, the win should ease the heat that Boudreau was feeling behind the bench. That isn’t stopping GM Patrik Allvin from doing what he can to improve the roster.
Canucks making moves
Starting last night, the Vancouver Canucks have begun making trades.
It started with a trade for forward Jack Studnicka from the Boston Bruins. In exchange, the Canucks sent goalie Michael DiPietro and the rights to defenseman Jonathan Myrenberg the other way.
Studnicka, 23, was a second round in 2017, playing sporadically with Boston for the last four seasons. He’s only appeared in one game to start this campaign but is still considered a promising prospect.
“Really, it was an opportunity for Jack to have a reset and go to a team that is looking for a younger center that could probably grow with their group,” Bruins GM Don Sweeney said. “And they have significant injuries so I think he goes in and gets an opportunity right away which he probably wouldn’t have gotten here.”
For his career, Studnicka has 7 points in 38 games.
Vancouver didn’t stop there as they bolstered their defense with talented youngster Ethan Bear on Friday.
“We’re pleased to have added an established defenceman to our blueline,” said Allvin. “It gives the coaching staff another option with his right shot, his ability to move pucks, and his ability to get the puck out of our own end quick. His transition game has been something that I’ve watched over the years that I like.”t I like.”
Vancouver Canucks
Along with Bear, the Canucks picked up minor-league forward Lane Pederson from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2023. The deal also comes with a caveat as the Canes will retain 18% of Bear’s $2.2M AAV cap hit ($400K).
Bear, 25, has registered 47 points in 190 career games with the Oilers and Hurricanes since being selected by Edmonton in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He has not appeared in a game this season for Carolina.
So what’s next for the Canucks? A long winning streak is what they’d like but they may not be done looking to improve.
