Sekeres and Price: Jeff Paterson on if the Vancouver Canucks need to do a full rebuild.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“I’ve been saying it for a decade and I know I’m not alone in that regard. They’ve missed the boat so many times. At some point here, ya, maybe you do have to tear it down to the studs but the problem there is, that you’re going to be giving away players.
The cap commitments they have made, and we saw Carolina was willing to take on Max Pacioretty and his bloated contract because Vegas couldn’t afford it. I think that they’re going to be in the boat. So, they’re not getting much of a return.
This idea of a rebuild. Trade away your best players. Sure some of them have market value but in this economy with so many other teams cash strapped, cap strapped. You’re just limiting the playing field with which you can barter and make deals.
So you’re not dealing from a position of strength at all. If they decided today in the corner offices of Rogers Arena that if they wanted to tear it right down, what does Brock Boeser get you at this stage with the three-year contract and being injured?
There would be a lineup around the block to get Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes and probably Thatcher Demko too, but are those the pieces you want to retain? Where’s your dividing line and who stays and ultimately who goes? Or is everybody, are there no untouchables at this point?
It’s just mind-boggling to think, this group that performed so well in the playoff bubble and I guess gave us all a false hope because since then, it just feels like there is individual talents here but there is clearly something wrong with this mix.”