Four Detroit Red Wings who could Help the Vancouver Canucks

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Life after the Sedin twins was supposed to spark a wholesale rebuild. The Vancouver Canucks have been a pleasant surprise early this season winning 10 of their first 16 games. The Detroit Red Wings are in a similar situation with not nearly the same success.

The Detroit Red Wings have some beautiful pieces, but they are missing an Elias Pettersson type player. Pettersson has been absolutely phenomenal for the Vancouver Canucks. They expected him to become a superstar, but I don’t think anyone could have guessed it would be this soon. We are surprised, but he was the MVP of the Swedish Elite League last season.

Pettersson has unseated Bo Horvat on the top line for the Vancouver Canucks. Horvat still an impact young center in his own right but Pettersson has been one of the best forwards in the league. He is a sure bet to win rookie of the year if he continues anything near this scoring pace he has started the season with. Through 11 games he has recorded 10 goals and 10 assists totaling 20 points.

He has a lot of Pavel Datsyuk type traits. He is very elusive and easily changes speeds on the fly to embarrass and frustrate his opponents. He can stick handle in a phone booth; he has the imagination like Pavel, he sees things other skaters do not. He can create a play many other players won’t even dare try. He has a vision on the ice much more advanced than anyone we have seen at the age of 19. He also reminds me of a bigger Patrick Kane type player. Kane has terrific hands, likely the quickest hands in the game. His creativity though reminds me a lot of Kane.

The Canucks may not be buyers at the trade deadline, but if they continue to win hockey games, they may decide to add depth sooner than later. They are very top heavy similar to the Wings, but their skilled players are much more advanced. We have four players the Canucks may be interested in as the season trecks on or possibly in the future.

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Gustav Nyquist is a veteran Swedish born forward for the Detroit Red Wings. Elias Pettersson is the same nationality. Somewhere the Sedin twins are wishing they stayed around one year longer. I am not sure the Vancouver Canucks fans would agree but they might with all the success minus a Stanley Cup title that eluded the twins.

Nyquist is in the final year of his contract. His four year 19 million dollar deal is set to expire, but he does own one of those frequently gifted Ken Holland “no trade clauses.” Gus will decide if he wants to leave or ride out this season into free agency as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. It is unfortunate that Ken Holland has granted so many of these type of deals over the years, leaving the ball in the players’ court rather than putting the organization first.

The play of his young countryman could entice Gus Nyquist. The Canucks would be able to field a top Swedish line and spread out some of their overflow of young talented skaters onto their second line.

Nyquist and Loui Eriksson could flank young Elias Pettersson and be a force allowing Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser to skate on the second line. Mind you those two players are anything but second line players. Eriksson has been a major flop for the Canucks, but maybe Nyquist could create a bit more space for the aforementioned Eriksson.

Gus Nyquist has shown his playmaking ability often this season with the absence of Henrik Zetterberg. Nyquist was often forced to score more playing alongside Hank because Hank became a pass-first player later in his career. With Hank retired Nyquist seems to be playing a lot more comfortable being the facilitator rather than a sniper. If the Canucks could find a way to make a deal work Gus Nyquist would be a nice fit for them with a potential to resign him in the offseason at a similar cap hit.

Nyquist has 2 goals and 11 assists through his first 15 games of the season. He is also in the midst of a five-game point streak.

(Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Jimmy Howard, similar to Gus Nyquist is in the final year of his lucrative long-term deal. He also was granted a Kenny Holland Christmas present “No Movement Clause” attached to his 5-year, 5,291,666 per season contract. For once Holland got something right. This being Howard’s final year of the deal is the only year he doesn’t have any trade restrictions or no movement clauses attached. Thank-you Mr. Holland for getting one of these deals right.

Jimmy Howard has no choice or say on where he will or could end up. The Vancouver Canucks struggle in net. They have Jacob Markstrom in goal but his up and down play, leads to a lot of frustration. Howard can provide stability and will be a candidate at the end of the season to sign for much less money per season to a team looking for a goaltender.

Jimmy Howard has been up and down throughout his career but has shown in the past to be a reliable goaltender with an above average team in front of him. Howard would be a straight rental piece for anyone who would be interested in trading for him.

The Detroit Red Wings would have to take a bad contract back with whatever draft choice they would get for Howard to make the money work. Howard has often been the Detroit Red Wings best player. Besides Dylan Larkin, Howard has been relatively consistent as he is usually getting peppered with shots. The Wings give up nearly 35 shots per game. That ranks as 28th in the NHL. The problem is the Wings only record 28 shots a night which ranks them at 27th.

The pressure is on Howard often as the club struggles to score goals. The Wings are ranked 27th in goals scored with 2.6 per game. The Canucks score just over 3 goals a game and give up 3.3. Howard would be able to improve they goals allowed a touch. Howard has considerably outplayed Jonathan Bernier to remain the Detroit Red Wings clear number one goaltender.

Jimmy Howard’s stat line going into last evenings game was 3-5-2 record with a 3.02 GAA, .912% Save Percentage. It doesn’t look great but compared to Markstrom who is posting a .899% Save Percentage and a 3.27 GAA. The Canucks have the second most goals allowed to this point in the NHL.

(Photo by Scott Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Thomas Vanek played a stint with the Vancouver Canucks last season. He was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets near the trade deadline last season for Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen. The return to the Canucks in exchange for Vanek was quite underwhelming.

That is a concern moving forward. What do other teams value Thomas Vanek? He has struggled this season while he was in the Detroit Red Wings lineup. He started on the third line and was bounced to the fourth line before he was injured.

Vanek is a 20 goal candidate, but time may be catching up to the one-time perennial goal scorer. He was only able to record 2 goals and 3 assists through his first 12 games of the season. He is also a minus 8. The Detroit Red Wings continued to roll him out on the first power-play unit, but his chances were spotty at best.

Vanek netted 17 goals and 24 helpers during his 61 game stint with the Canucks last season. He would be able to provide a bottom six scoring threat and already has some chemistry with a few of the Canucks players. Vanek seems like he was well liked with the Vancouver players. After he was traded from the club last year, players mentioned he would be missed in the room.

Thomas Vanek has a full no-trade clause, and he has been well traveled in recent years. Who knows if he is willing to move once again, he holds the cards to his immediate future this season. The only way Vancouver has any interest in Vanek is if they find themselves continuing to be an above average team.

A lot of things would need to go right with some moving parts for Mike Green to end up in Vancouver but they are in need of defensemen. Mike Green is under contract for this year and next just above 5 million per.

Green would be an immediate upgrade to the defense corps in VanCity. Vancouver has a bunch of bottom three defenders similar to the Detroit Red Wings. Mike Green would enter the fold as a top two defender likely being paired with Ben Hutton.

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Erik Gudbranson is a former a top-five pick that has never even come close to living up to his full potential. Michael Del Zotto and Chris Tanev are both decent defenders, but decent doesn’t really do much for anyone.

The pair that has the potential to be something in the future is the second pairing. Derrick Pouliot and Troy Stecher are both 24-years-old. It may benefit a young player like Quinn Hughes to play with a solid veteran defender like Mike Green.

Green has always had his challenges in his own zone. I am in no way trying to say Mike Green is a franchise defender or anything at this point in his career but when you are comparing him to the likes of Del Zotto, I will take Greener all day long.

Hughes will likely be in a Canucks uniform next season and would really benefit from a pro’s pro to help him along. Mike Green, of course, has a no-trade clause. He will likely not be moved at all this season. Next year his full no-trade is downgraded to a modified trade clause where he has a little bit of say as to where he goes. Next season will become a greater chance for us to see a Mike Green deal.

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If the Canucks were at all interested in a depth defender who shoots right-handed, we could offer Nick Jensen reasonably cheap. Well, I tried. You can’t blame me for trying. Mike Green has 3 assists in his first five games of the season going into the game last night.

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