Sekeres and Price just passed along a message from Ryan Johnson: the Canucks need more than draft picks to build around.
It lands while Vancouver is in the middle of a game tonight, with the Ducks in town and the second intermission just past. The Canucks are 3-12-1, 32nd in the NHL.
Sekeres and Price noted that Johnson said draft picks are great, but the Canucks also have to find other players to build around.
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Johnson is the general manager, so this comes from the man who controls the roster. He also played 701 NHL games over 13 seasons, 122 points in all, and he's now the one deciding who fills out a lineup around the prospects.
The record explains the urgency. Vancouver is 1-8-1 over its last 10 and carries a goal differential of -25.
Home ice hasn't helped, either. The Canucks are 1-6-0 at home, and Saturday's 2-4 loss to Toronto made it two straight defeats.
Picks help in a few years. This team has given up 72 goals through 16 games, and no draft lottery fixes that on the current roster. Johnson's message is the right one, but it's also the easy part of the job.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Carolina Hurricanes | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 26 | +27 |
| 2. Edmonton Oilers | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 24 | +20 |
| 3. Boston Bruins | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | +20 |
| 4. Minnesota Wild | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 23 | +16 |
| 5. Montreal Canadiens | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | +6 |
| 6. Vegas Golden Knights | 16 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 20 | +8 |
| 7. Colorado Avalanche | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 19 | +18 |
| 8. Ottawa Senators | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 19 | +1 |
| 9. Tampa Bay Lightning | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 18 | +5 |
| 10. New Jersey Devils | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 18 | +8 |
| 32. Vancouver Canucks | 16 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 7 | -25 |
Trade chatter keeps following Vancouver
The "other players" Johnson mentions could come from the trade market, and the noise there hasn't stopped. Jake DeBrusk's trade request, reported by David Pagnotta was still a storyline last week.
Nobody should read Johnson's comment as a confirmation of any deal. The sheet has no word from him on specific names, only the general direction.
Other names have surfaced as well. The Elias Pettersson and Quinton Byfield swap idea was floated by Pagnotta, and Luke Schenn is reportedly open to a move to a contender.
None of that tells us what Johnson will actually do. Vancouver's next chance to show something comes Thursday, November 5, at Winnipeg.
Should the Canucks sell off veterans before building around draft picks?
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