Brock Boeser plays his first home game of the season tonight against the Oilers, and the Canucks trade chatter has already beaten him to the rink.
Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos didn't sugarcoat it last week. He said Boeser needs to "find ways to get the puck in the back of the net" and rebuild his trade stock before March.
Read that again. A 29-year-old winger with a $7.25 million cap hit is being graded like a tryout invite, with other front offices holding the clipboard.
And can anyone really rebuild his value on a team that's rebuilding itself?
The early returns are mixed. He picked up a power-play assist in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime win in Edmonton, but he also finished minus-1.
Around the Canucks, the belief is that Boeser's production rides on Elias Pettersson getting his game back. Pettersson scored on the power play Tuesday and carries an $11.6 million cap hit.
A finisher without his set-up man is a closer summoned to protect leads that never show up. Paul Cotter didn't wait for anybody Tuesday, scoring twice, once shorthanded.
Bruins and Canadiens both get a long look before March
Boston and Montreal keep surfacing as logical landing spots. Both clubs are reportedly hunting for another top-six winger.
Don Sweeney's Bruins opened with a 3-0 shutout of the Rangers. They host Vancouver on November 29, which doubles as a live scouting night for any interested front office.
Kent Hughes and the Canadiens get two cracks at it. Montreal visits Vancouver on February 1, then hosts the Canucks on March 6.
Here's my issue with the Montreal fit. Spending real assets on a winger whose value is being openly questioned is a bad bet unless Vancouver retains salary.
Before any of that, Boeser gets a three-game homestand against Edmonton, Calgary and Vegas to start filling the net.
Then comes a six-game road trip from October 8 to 17, opening in Carolina and closing in Tampa Bay. Long trips expose who's driving play and who's along for the ride.
Goaltending won't bail anybody out either. Kevin Lankinen posted an .865 save percentage in the opener.
Manny Malhotra, hired in June, also has young pieces like Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren in his lineup. Buium went plus-2 in the opener.
Every minute that goes to a kid is a minute somebody else doesn't get. A veteran trying to boost his value can't afford to watch the clock from the bench.
Tonight's rematch with the Oilers is one game. But every quiet night from here gets logged somewhere, and not only in Vancouver.
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Should the Canucks move Brock Boeser before the March deadline even if they have to retain salary?
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