NHL Rumors: Would the Vancouver Canucks trade their first-round pick?
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Sekeres and Price: Patrick Johnston on the idea of the Vancouver Canucks trading their first-round pick.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Matt Sekeres: “What do you think the chances are that they trade this pick?

Johnston: “Well, I asked Patrik Allvin if they’d trade back, cause I certainly think there would be interest in that cause you, sit at 11 and 11s the kind of spot where you can probably find a dance partner who is willing move somthing up.

But when you do that, you’re still not going that to add a player, right? You’re doing that to pick up a second or third-round pick or something.

So, sure. Someone, multiple people immediately, cynically or otherwise, texted me as soon as they were, ah, they’re going to trade. Watch them do it. And I’m like, please, no.

Blake Price: “I mean it’s at least possible, right?

Johnston: “Of course.

Price: “You have to admit, it’s possible.”

Johnston: “No he didn’t say, ‘we are using this pick, we’re not doing anything. Gretzky was traded he said. Like, anything could happen.

Sekeres: “Oh my gosh.”

Price: “If it’s for a third-line center, or a defenseman that is under the age of 25, should Canucks fans care? If that’s what they would use it for.”

Johnston: “Here’s my counter to that. In 2021 the Blue Jackets drafted Cole Sillinger and he was immediately in the lineup. Now, should he have immediately been in the lineup? I don’t know. But I’m just saying, conceivably you can find guys that are ready to go.

The 11th overall pick last year, I don’t have it in front of me, he has not played, I can tell you that much. But it is still a very good spot to be at. You’re not getting a high end, you’re certainly not getting Conor Bedard and you’re not getting the second tier guys, right? This is conceivably a third line center down the road.”

Sekeres: “Which did you know hear him saying that, ‘we had a chance to draft someone who we thought could turn in to a third line center but we decided to take the bird in the hand.”

Johnston: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know I mean that’s, that is not a new rational and it’s certainly, people keep saying, ‘well, what about Gustav Forsling? Gustav Forsling was traded because that thought for some reason that Adam Clendening would be Forsling but like now, in the moment, and he wasn’t. But like that kind of thinking is always around.

And yeah, Absolutely, that’s why I think everyone says, ‘It’s entirely possible.’ Cause yeah, it is entirely possible.

They shouldn’t. They need prospects but we’ve seen how this organization goes even no matter who’s in charge.”

** NHLRumors.com transcription