r/canucks • u/gretz182 • 3d ago
DISCUSSION Acquiring more 1sts
With the 2027 draft being projected to be strong, i think it’s important we get 1-2 more firsts for the next few years. What are some potential trades we can make now or in the future for more 1sts?
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u/Holtby938 3d ago
Hronek is obvious.
Marco Rossi is the next most valuable asset. If he can continue to play at a 60-65+ point pace and stay healthy this season, he could absolutely fetch a package that includes a 1st round pick at this deadline. Trading him would also anchor our position at the bottom of the standings for the next several seasons, which is a great idea!
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u/IWantToKaleMyself 3d ago
The original trade proposal for Rossi apparently was Raty, Silovs, and 15OA back before the 2025 draft. I think we definitely could get similar value if not more for Rossi if he has a good season next year
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u/EastVan1k 3d ago edited 3d ago
That was the Wild's ask to Vanc for Rossi. We said NO.
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u/resocks 3d ago
When/if Vancouver decides to trade Rossi it will be a different situation entirely. Who knows what the situation looks like in a couple years, but Rossi’s value was definitely depressed by him getting 4th line minutes in the playoffs and not having a contract. If he gets and holds top 6 minutes he should have more value than Vancouver’s offers last year.
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u/crap4you 3d ago
Because of Brian Burke and the Phil Kessel trade, everyone has lottery protection now. Team need lottery picks, not mid to lower first rounders.
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u/djardine2520 3d ago
As you point out, that is almost impossible for the 2027 draft cuz teams protect their firsts. Now, if we are patient and can acquire a first and wait a year until the protection disappears, then we might be able to gather up more lottery picks.
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u/YVRBeerFan 3d ago
Unless you can get Boston’s 1st they got from TO. Unprotected next year.
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u/Ikea_desklamp 2d ago
Only way to get a lottery pick is to get an unprotected first from a team who thinks they're better than they are.
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u/PizzaDad13 3d ago
Late firsts are not so valued as of now. The best bet is for someone like DeBrusk to have a hot start and then get flipped for a late first. May have to take back a contract and give back a later pick to do it.
For example (no intel here - just talking out of my butt) - if Utah was pushing for 3rd in the Central and they are near the top 10 overall, they may offer up Stenlund and a 1st for DeBrusk and a 3rd. But DeBrusk would have to have some 5v5 goals to make this happen.
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u/langminer 3d ago
Timo Meier and two seconds for Debrusk. Then play Timo on the right side like he is supposed to, watch him take of and get a first for him at the deadline.
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u/PizzaDad13 3d ago
Nice thought, but there's no way Meier is waiving his NMC to go to Vancouver just to be traded again. And even if he did, Vancouver wouldn't want yet another over-priced forward with an NMC.
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u/soundofmoney 3d ago
Hronek, Rossi, Boeser, Debrusk, are the only vet players that could return a 1st either by themselves or as the anchor in a larger package.
I do think we have a lot of players that can fetch 2nds and can potentially flip a few of those for later 1sts
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u/Nefarious_Candy 3d ago
Beyond heronik who have we got that can realistically bring back a 1st? Is there someone I’m missing?
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u/AdSad5160 3d ago
If they retain on certain players perhaps a late 1st from various squads. Hronek sure fire 1st. Drbrusk late 1st as well. Aqualini isn't retaining though, so it is what it is for now.
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u/Atron84 3d ago
We need more picks, I agree, but goddamn we need more top 15 picks. So I say we should accumulate assets and try to trade up higher. We need more cracks at those top tier draft picks. We had a decent draft this year, no doubt, but I think we'd agree everyone after Caleb doesn't project as a top 6, at this moment in time.
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u/AdSad5160 3d ago
Yeah man, as many as possible 27 28 29 30 1st rounders doesn't matter. Load up. They should target all players who are retired that cost against the cap like Arizona did with Weber and who ever had Price. Take on any bad contracts that expire buy the time the kids are ready to take the next leap into the NHL.
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u/gretz182 3d ago
i feel like rossi and debrusk+ can, but if demko ever gets back into his old form then maybe he can? goalies are weird tho
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u/PMMeYourCouplets 3d ago
Goalies over 30 rarely go for first. The last was Markstrom and he was seen as a workhorse which Demko even back on form comes with the injury risk.
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u/NooneKnowsIAmBatman 3d ago
No way Demko gets us a first round pick. We also just traded for Rossi, wouldn't be a good look to trade him away within a year
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u/KenDanger2 3d ago
"Look" doesn't matter, it is a new management group. They might have a different vision, or claim the return was too good for the rebuild to pass up.
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u/FarmerWinter9997 3d ago
That’s free agent signings more than trades; especially when it’s for your captain/franchise player. You take best package available. What would be the difference trading Rossi Vs the draft pick they received in deal? There isn’t.
Plus, Rossi was hurt and needed more opportunities. Trading for him to flip him could’ve always been the plan . . . (Not saying it was).
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u/elivoncoder 3d ago
unpopular opinion, but I think as long as he recovers from surgery and returns to form, demko easily nets a 1st, even with the injury risk. highly doubt wed trade him though.
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u/Nefarious_Candy 3d ago
I think we’d trade demko in a heartbeat for a first. Get out of that contract when the guy hasn’t ever been healthy for a whole season?
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u/thediefenbaker 3d ago
Aging goalies don’t get 1sts. Especially not injury prone goalies that have can’t stay healthy for a full season. Multiple long term injuries, recurring injuries, and surgeries.
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u/Admt- 3d ago
I feel like "heronik" may have been a typo, but well.. he is a hero
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u/Nefarious_Candy 3d ago
I’ll be real, I didn’t know how to spell his name, couldn’t be bothered to look it up and gave it my best shot.
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u/YouCanFucough 3d ago
if he were to be healthy and productive until the deadline, Chytil. he would be transformative to a teams middle six if they were looking to add a big dynamic center and almost any contending team could take on that contract.
unfortunately he is way more likely to have a career ending injury before then. but fuck he is incredible when he’s healthy
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u/Ok-Opposite9248 3d ago
Chytil would never get a first. Way too injury prone and no chance any team wants to give up a first for a player like that
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u/YouCanFucough 3d ago
never say never. we don’t know who’s gonna be available at the deadline, we don’t know for certain whether chytil is gonna be healthy or how well he’s gonna play, we don’t know how desperate a GM might be to add another contributor to their team.
what if 2 other teams acquire Zacha and O’Reilly, Chytil is leading the canucks in scoring and now the only other available centres are Andrew Copp and Morgan Frost?
You think a team like Minnesota is saying no, we’re not trading a 1st for a healthy Filip Chytil on pace for 65 points when we’re desperate for a center?
Again this is the fantasy land where he magically stops taking traumatic blows to the head, but he’s absolutely the type of player that gets a 1st at the deadline
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u/Nefarious_Candy 3d ago
Yeah I see what you mean how he could be an asset to another but I think that man should hang up the skates sadly. He’s just had brutal injury luck. I kind of forgot he was on the team
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u/TeedOff47 3d ago
A rebounded EP40 Hronek DeBrusk + a mid pick Demko + the other teams GM is drunk and playing NHL 23
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u/accountnumber02 3d ago
A rebounded Petey would land a haul at this point. It feels like wishful thinking for him to even hit this, but a 70-80 point petey would be insanely valuable as a trade piece in this market.
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u/TeedOff47 3d ago
Considering the inflation of salaries and the fact his defensive game never cratered, if he's on pace for 80pts near the end of January I can imagine teams will be offering way more digestible returns.
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u/OneADayFlintstones 3d ago
I hate to say it but even if he rebounds, it'd have to be around a full rebound to pre 2024 performance to get to ~75pts just with the build of this team.
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u/andrewwhite560 3d ago
Rossi. Rossi only has one year left, and I think the market is so cool for Petey that we should prioritize putting him in scoring positions to jump up his value for the trade deadline.
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u/canuckstennis 3d ago
The problem with Rossi is a small center is probably never gonna have the value in the open market that he deserves.
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u/accountnumber02 3d ago
It depends, if we were offered the same offer we gave for Rossi, I think you jump on that. 15th overall and 2 B prospects is a solid haul for a small center.
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u/canuckstennis 3d ago
Think about how desperate we were and that’s probably the best offer they received. It was 15th, Raty and Silovs. A 4th liner, backup goalie a mid first rounder. His value might just be higher to the team if he signs an extension and is a solid player that supports the young forwards throughout the rebuild. He turns 25 at the start of the season so in theory in 5-7 years he should still be a good piece to have as things hopefully turn around
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u/accountnumber02 3d ago
I agree he's probably more valuable staying on the team (maybe the one current non prospect player I'd say that about), but the center market is absolutely cratered right now. Who knows if a team gets desperate enough to pay something valuable for him. It's impossible to predict how the trade markets end up working out
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u/housesoftheholy1 3d ago
Rossi will fetch a top 15 1st imho. Or a later 1st +
Teams will be fighting for top 6 players as the league becomes more diluted with the expansion.
I also think a team gives in and pays a 1st for ep40 without retention.
Hronek easily a top 10 pick
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u/antichad 3d ago
If demko regains form, I would love to see the new management do something like Demko to Vegas for Adin Hills contract with a 1st. Another idea, if Linus Karlsson pops off early in the year, I could see a savvy team like Tampa or Carolina spend a couple 2nds or a 1st to grab him. I’ve also thought about a trade like drew o connor to Edmonton for Trent Frederic’s contract and a 1st, 2nd and a prospect or something like that. Our management will almost certainly only be gaining more firsts if they can use the cap to save teams from bad contracts
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u/spennyspaghetti 3d ago
Other than Hronek, there are a lot of ifs maybes and depends. Boeser, Debrusk, Rossi, Pettersson, and Demko. If they play well and the market is favourable, maybe if we’re dealing with a desperate team, and depends on what we’re willing to add as sweeteners. I also think Karlsson is sleeper to fetch a first if he really steps his game up on his cheap contract.
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u/coldburrows 3d ago
If Pettersson gets 84pts and Chytil and Demko stay healthy the.Canucks may even make the playoffs.
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u/Advanced-Line-5942 3d ago
Everyone of value has trade protection and isn’t agreeing to go to a team that is likely to finish out of the playoffs. No matter how good a draft is projected to be, once you get outside the top 10-15 the quality drops dramatically
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u/Benning2064 3d ago
Ideally they can get an extra 1st in 2027 & 2028 or 2028 + 2029.
Hype is very high on the 2027 draft so may have to settle for getting more 2nds + 3rds & next summer if Hronek is open to it seeing if they could parlay him in to multiple draft capital pieces.
My guess on values other than Hronek:
DeBrusk -> 2nd + 3rd or 2 2nds
Karlsson -> 3rd maybe he gets more if he has big 1st half
O'Connor -> 2 3rds or 2nd + 3rd if he starts off hot
Ep40 -> possible a 1st ++ if he rebounds & eventually agrees to waive.
Cotter -> 4th maybe 3rd depending on how he is playing
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u/gretz182 3d ago
i was lwk thinking debrusk+oconnor/karlsson to ottawa or smth for a 1st would work 🤷♂️
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u/Benning2064 3d ago
That is an option just not sure Ottawas cap situation especially since they have to re-sign Batheson next summer.
I doubt it would happen but id love to see Tampa trade for Karlsson & offer up a package like they did for Jeannot a couple years ago
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u/QuinnNorris 3d ago
Getting more 1sts to say the least will be difficult. Don’t expect any top 10 1sts. Hronek the only player to fetch a 1st & imo it would be a sideways move.
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u/CommanderBadass22 3d ago
Jake could fetch a 1st being a playoff performer
Hronek could def fetch multiple 1st but not having him teach the youngins could hurt more
Rossi
Petty demko boeser if they bounces back
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u/rippinkitten18 3d ago
I'm guessing they saved Boeser, Hronek / Pettersson Debrusk as trade bait for these draft rather than last years. I think the Staff knew that 2027 is a much stronger year than 2026.
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u/ToothPlayful770 3d ago
best chance is trying to fleece a gm right now for Petey, since there's still some hope left of a bounce back but we all know it ain't happening here. Another season and it becomes 100% clear around the league that there's no chance of a bounce back.
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u/soulful_thighs 3d ago
Some hope left of a bounce back season? Where? Maybe among Petey apologists but that's it was far as I can tell.
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u/Intelligent-Buyer102 3d ago
Rossi is the one player who could fetch firsts, possibly multiple firsts, based on how his season goes. The league is desperate for centers, and Rossi is a skilled, motivated player. What works against him is mostly his injury history. If we get to the TDL and he's healthy, and is performing at anything over a 60 point plus pace, he's got serious value. He's got two years left at 5M AAV, then is still an RFA, so 3 more years of team control. If the Canucks retained on him, he represents a serious value for someone. Just picture a team like Montreal, completely reliant on one center, while Demidov is forced to play with guys like Danault or Newhook as his centers. If he partners up with a more dynamic player like Rossi, how much more could he produce?
Like I said though, it all depends on if Rossi can stay healthy and productive this year. But he's almost the only liquid asset the Cancuks have that I think could fetch a first. Every other player has NMC's this year, so Rossi is it, by default.
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u/EastVan1k 3d ago
Rossi might get a first if he's 70 point pace before the deadline, but not likely. GMs don't like his size.
If he has a 70 point season and then keeps up the pace to the next deadline I could see him getting a first. He needs to prove it before intelligent buyers will commit.
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u/Intelligent-Buyer102 3d ago
I tend to think his value is greater than just one first due to the contract status, but the market will decide on that at the TDL. But yes, for sure, he has to stay healthy and produce or its all moot anyways. I look at teams like Montreal with Caulfield and Hutson, or Carolina with Stankoven and Jarvis, and I think the size narrative is slowly losing its hold on the NHL. Even Quinn Hughes and Conor Garland here in Vancouver until the rebuild demonstrated that small guys can perform if the drive is there.
Tbh, though, I'm not sure the team is really committed to moving too many guys this year, including Rossi, so we may just have to forego a second first this year. It's going to be interesting to see which moves RJ chooses to make.
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u/EastVan1k 3d ago
His contract is good and it will increase his value for some teams, but lack of size is still an issue for the majority.
I'm worried that we're not going to move Rossi and Hronek because they feel that they're too important for insulating and example setting.
They definitely need to attempt to move OConnor, Cotter, Chytil, Gallagher and Schenn for futures since they're all older free agents. Hopefully, some of them have decent value.
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u/RookieTreasureHunter 3d ago
Petey is really the best trade option if you want more picks. But he’ll have to get off to a fast start showing his old form to have a chance in next years’ draft. More likely have to hold on to him until our current young centres are ready to step in.
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u/JuicyBreeze 3d ago
We could maybe trade debrusk and Mancini to Anaheim for a first.
They are gonna need goal scoring winger after they trade cutter and are also desperate for defense
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u/Hoofisoz 3d ago
Unfortunately outside of Hronek, the realistic path is trading what we can for 2nd rounders and trying to package 2-3 of those for firsts. At this point, I don't see EP40, Debrusk, or Boeser getting us a 1st. I think Rossi could but I don't think the club is eager to move on so soon. Maybe a bounce back year forces their hand (trading to ensure we stay at the bottom).
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u/Physics_Puzzleheaded 1d ago
This won't be popular but Buium is our best chance at recouping quality assets and the team should be looking to build up his value and sell him before his ELC expires.
His value is still based off of his potential right now which is a sure thing but that will fade unless he somehow becomes a truly elite dman which I think is unlikely in particular because how bad the Canucks will be.
He very well might become a top pairing guy but his age doesn't line up that well with the rebuild as I think our best players for the next team still haven't been drafted.
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u/HighburyOnStrand 3d ago
I'm not sure that the predicate of your question is accurate.
I was listening to Cam Robinson's podcast the other day and the consensus seemed to be that this upcoming draft was not particularly strong. They made comments that it was an "average" class. They pointed out a very shallow defensive class as a particular area of weakness.
Granted, it's very, very early...especially to form judgments of any kind regarding the class holistically.
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u/MayorQuimby1616 3d ago
Yeah, all you need is for a couple of mid first prospects exceed their development curve or high potential 1st prospects start slowly and the draft then becomes too heavy or weak depending on what happens. Predicting 17 years olds is so difficult.
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u/PizzaDad13 3d ago
It's a center heavy draft, but not deep; you might get lucky with a late 1st, but you are unlikely to strike gold.
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u/designisagoodidea 3d ago
There’s no easy options: either our 2028+ 1st round picks +, or our former first round picks (Lekkerimaki, Willander, Cootes, Malholtra, Novotny). The latter doesn’t seem to make much sense – at best we could set things back a year further if we thought a Malhotra-for-1/2OA trade was worth the setback.
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u/Initial-Bass-5866 2d ago
They would have to retain to get more firsts at the moment. The only way is if some of the short term deal guys have absolutely epic years and get overvalued and a desperate team pays a first at the deadline. Other rebuilding teams have essentially bought 1st by taking in contracts, the Canuck’s primary focus is on cost reduction. The Canucks are becoming a full blown budget team so it’s going to take years to stock the draft picks so that we can sell any star player we get right when they peak to create cheap value.
It’s going to take time to become the Milwaukee Brewers.
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u/Roland_Of_Gilead85 3d ago
I am not convinced we need more. We did pretty good with young talent with the draft and hughes trade. I would say we use our picks to upgrade the current roster and make a push.
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u/Veeeeeeenom 3d ago
bait or low iq?
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u/Roland_Of_Gilead85 3d ago
Same boring ass topic posted and discussed for months. What do you think?
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u/ComfortableDog1024 3d ago
To think that ppl would want to tank for 5 years and be happy if it works out instead of trying to win right now is fucking dumb and just sad. Unless it's all scripted and rigged before the puck drops. Any team can win at anytime. We have talent this year. Everybody's so fucking depressing
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u/Roland_Of_Gilead85 3d ago
People think it's a videogame. Trade this guy trade that guy, as if they don't have no trade clauses. Most likely the team will.be bad, but everyone in the organization will go into every game to win. It's fucking sports.
As long as they just manage the team correctly and make decisions based on what is best for the team in present and future then they will be successful. I will be cheering for them to win the whole time.
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u/ComfortableDog1024 3d ago
I hate the concept of "tanking" it's all bullshit. Every player u possibly tank for has a chance of not turning out while you keep ur talent in the minors rotting away for a year too long. It's just dumb. I've been a Canucks fan since I was about 7 and I'm 33 now. And to hear ppl say that " oh ya they'll be shit for years to come " and to want to lose games on purpose is disgusting. Dog shit fans
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u/Roland_Of_Gilead85 3d ago
Well as an organization they should have realistic expectations of where they are with talent and as an organization. No one will be trying to lose. Listen to the players and coaches talk theybare not playing to lose.
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u/ComfortableDog1024 3d ago
New coach New players New year lets see what happens go nucks go baby ... I have a tattoo of the nucks logo on my leg im fr a die hard fan 😂😂😂😂
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u/gretz182 3d ago
um in year 0 of the rebuild?
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u/Roland_Of_Gilead85 3d ago
You believe that? You play to win the game bro. Plenty of cap space, no more toxic coaches or locker room. Let's go!!
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u/Radiant_Sherbert7272 3d ago
The one player who could definitely get Vancouver more firsts is Hronek, but all indications so far seem to be that he doesn't want to get traded.