It’s been a little less than a month since the NHL season started and already, there are clubs that have specific needs.
It’s rare that we see that at this time of year usually because it’s more difficult for teams to move, but it’s visibly different this season.
The Canadiens and the Islanders are among the teams looking to acquire a defenseman, and we can also add the name of the Canucks to that list.
Elliotte Friedman’s information was shared by Rick Dhaliwal, who covers Canucks activities for The Athletic.
That said, Jim Rutherford, the president of hockey operations in Vancouver, is working hard right now to see what is available on the market.
The Canucks are one of the best defensive teams in the NHL, but management still wants to improve at this level because they feel that it is the time to make a big push.
The club window is open and the leaders want to take advantage of it:
The Canucks, the Canadiens, the Islanders…
There are teams lining up right now to get their hands on a defender and that makes me believe that Kent Hughes will take his turn.
Why do I say that?
Because knowing that there are not many defenders available at this point in the season, the team that is ready to lose one of its defenders will want to create a bidding war.
And if there is a bidding war, I believe that Kent Hughes will withdraw from the race because we know that he is not ready to pay top dollar and sacrifice elements to help his club now.
It’s simply not part of his plan.
Things are different for the Canucks and the Islanders because there are specific expectations for both clubs: both in New York and Vancouver, we want to participate in the playoffs.
That means that these clubs will be more aggressive on the market… And that means that they will be ready to pay the price to improve immediately, unlike the Canadian.
In burst
– He reshaped his game.
– He’s back!
– Good news.
– He’s right.
