Although the Vancouver Canucks are in the middle of a rebuild, they did bring in a few new players so far this offseason. Among the Canucks’ newcomers are Brendan Gallagher, Paul Cotter, Jamie Oleksiak, and Luke Schenn.
Yet, could the Canucks consider adding one more player before the start of the season? It would not hurt for them to bring in another veteran player to help out their youngsters.
Due to this, the Canucks are now being recommended to sign the NHL’s best remaining free agent.
In a recent article for Pro Hockey Rumors, Brennan McClain urged the Canucks to sign forward Vladimir Tarasenko to help boost their offense and then to potentially use as a trade chip at the deadline.
“Leading up to the preseason, the two best options for Tarasenko are the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks,” McClain wrote. “Both teams could use additional offense, and a short-term deal with Tarasenko would allow them to flip him at the deadline for future assets, assuming they are out of contention at that point.”
The idea of the Canucks signing Tarasenko is a very intriguing one. He would have the potential to improve their forward group and could perform being used in a big role with the Pacific Division club.
Where Could Vladimir Tarasenko Fit in the Canucks’ Lineup if Signed?
When looking at the Canucks’ current forward group, it is fair to argue that they could use another skilled forward like Tarasenko. He would have the potential to be a very solid addition to their top six if successfully signed.
Tarasenko could fit nicely on the Canucks’ top line with Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson if signed. He would give this line a solid veteran scorer and could help Pettersson get things back on track after back-to-back rough seasons. Yet, Tarasenko could also work on their second line with Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser. In either scenario, the Canucks’ top six would look a bit stronger if they brought in Tarasenko.
Tarasenko would also offer the Canucks another good option for their power play. The 34-year-old forward is still able to produce offense at this point in his career, as shown by his 23 goals and 47 points in 75 games last season with the Minnesota Wild. He also posted five goals and 13 points on the man advantage last season.
Canucks Signing Tarasenko to a Short-Term Deal Could Be a Low-Risk, High-Reward Move
Ultimately, with the Canucks being in a rebuild, there would be no harm in them signing Tarasenko to a one-year contract before the start of the season. At a minimum, he would provide them with a little more secondary scoring and experience, which would not be a bad thing. However, if his offense went up a bit in a big role for the Canucks, he could end up being a valuable trading asset for them.
Because of this, Tarasenko is the kind of veteran forward the Canucks should be open to taking a chance on. It will be interesting to see if they end up being the team that signs him from here.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Canucks Urged to Sign Former 40-Goal Scorer in Intriguing Move appeared first on HEAVY.