Canucks looking to get bigger
Ben Kuzma: Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning: “We’d like to get bigger and more physical and stronger. That’s an element that I thought we were missing at times last year and we’ll see if we can try to address that somehow.”
Canucks won’t go three years with Edler … Marner’s and Tkachuk’s next contract would affect Boeser’s
Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet: Contract talks between the Vancouver Canucks and Alex Edler continue. GM Benning wouldn’t say much about the apparently stalled negotiations.
When asked if the Canucks would go longer than two years for the 33-year old Edler with an expansion draft coming again.
“I think it’s fair to say we don’t have the appetite to do that. We had to do that last time (during the Las Vegas expansion draft in 2017) with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. But we’re going to have some good young players that we need to protect or we’ll lose them.”
Edler has been with the Canucks for 12 years and wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause at the deadline.
Benning doesn’t believe Jeff Skinner‘s $9 million per deal matters as much for Brock Boeser‘s next deal as Skinner was a UFA. Contracts for Mitch Marner and Matthew Tkachuk come into play.
“Those guys signing could affect Brock’s contract, but we’re more concerned about our own business and trying to figure something out for Brock that makes sense for him and the team,” Benning said.
He may not be a the top of Benning’s priority list, but Zaitsev is on it
TSN: Darren Dreger said the Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking at the option of trading defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, and some teams have done some tire-kicking.
“There’s been some interest from the Vancouver Canucks, but general manager Jim Benning has a priority list. He has a lot of work to do and he wants to get it done between now and the draft. Nikita Zaitsev is on his interests list, but he might be option three or four.”