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Sekeres and Price: Jeff Peterson last week on the Vancouver Canucks not being able to move salary out.
“Everything that happens around the league these days, I sort of view through a Canucks lens, and for these people that wonder, ‘why haven’t the Canucks been able to get off Tanner Pearson or Jason Dickinson?’
Bjorkstrand’s a way better player. Yes, he’s at a higher price point. He’s also younger than Pearson, and Seattle was able to get him for a song.
And so why would teams around the league be parting with assets for far lesser players when they realize that there are teams that are in a squeeze? It’s not just Columbus. There are a handful of other teams, and the Canucks are in that boat, that are going to have to get cap compliant before the start of the regular season and so I think we’re going to see more of these.
We already saw one with Vegas giving Max Pacioretty to Carolina. And that’s why cap space is king, and having that flexibility to pounce when the opportunity presents itself, and the Canucks just don’t have the cap space right now.
Even if opportunity presented itself. John Klingberg‘s there on the open market (Klingberg has since signed with the Ducks). They need right-shot defensemen. They don’t have any room. Absolutely, they would have looked at Oliver Bjorkstrand. I think most teams would have looked at Oliver Bjorkstrand. But again, five and change, not every team can squeeze that in under the cap situation right now.
So, I think it’s been difficult to this point and it’s going to continue to be. And I stand this notion that they would have to attach sweeteners to move off either Tanner Pearson or Jason Dickinson. I just don’t see any other way. If there was one year left on their contracts, maybe, but the fact that there are two left on both of their deals. And Tyler Myers. That complicates things that much further.
I just don’t see a way you get out from under them without adding sweeteners or unless you’re able to make them a bigger part of the J.T. Miller package.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
