NHL Rumours: 2 Players Canucks Are Taking Calls On

It seems nearly every player on the Vancouver Canucks is on the trade block. One player has emerged as the most likely trade candidate for the team right now while there have been reports that they are now taking calls on another.

Tanner Pearson Canucks’ Top Trade Candidate

Rob Simpson of Vancouver Hockey Insider reported that Tanner Pearson is the most likely Canuck to be traded right now. He is currently out for five weeks, so I don’t see anything happening until then. In his absence the Canucks’ top-nine has been fine with young players like Nils Hoglander, Vasily Podkolzin, and Nils Aman getting more playing time. With Pearson in the lineup, one to two of those players are typically forced to play on the fourth line which isn’t great for their development.

Pearson has one goal and five points this season while playing around 13-14 minutes per game. The 30-year-old has been on Vancouver now for just about four years. His role has significantly decreased this season as he’s playing three-plus fewer minutes than he had. To go along with the reduced ice time, Pearson’s points-per-game and special teams time has dropped as well. He still has one more year remaining on his deal at $3.25 million AAV. He would be a beneficial player to a contender and his time as a Canuck is running short with lack of space and production.

Brock Boeser Could Be On the Move

A name that hasn’t come up as often as players like Bo Horvat, Conor Garland, and Pearson is Brock Boeser. Once regarded as part of the future of Vancouver with his ability to score goals, has now sunk into the background with all the time he consistently misses with injuries.

David Pagnotta reported that the Canucks have been entertaining trade calls on Boeser lately. He is playing on the third line and the sniper has no goals and nine assists this season. The confidence appears to be lower and will need a goal soon to change that. His career shooting percentage is 12.8 percent. He averages 0.36 goals-per-game in his career and is a four-time 20-goal scorer, but has been held back with the number of games he misses each season. The most games Boeser has played in a season is 71 and has missed 62 games over six seasons.

For a team like the Canucks who are looking for consistent success, a player who can’t stay healthy doesn’t fit that mold. If they are intending to retool, freeing up Boeser’s $6.65 million AAV for the next two seasons will help, especially with the good return they can get for the 25-year-old.

Moving both of these forwards is a start to turning around the franchise. They have the pieces to be a good team and the trade bait to build sustaining success for years.