Pending RFA Ethan Bear and the right-side of the Vancouver Canucks blue line
Donnie & Dhali: Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor on the Vancouver Canucks right-handed defensemen, including pending RFA Ethan Bear.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “Ethan Bear, his agent was in town Tuesday for the Vegas game. No talks Donnie. They continue to be far apart. I don’t think they’ve talked since the All-Star break.
So what is this leaning towards? Maybe a one-year deal. I don’t know. But we’re going to monitor this.
Taylor: “What’s interesting about that, if I may? Ethan Bear is right-handed.”
Dhaliwal: “Yes”
Taylor: “Tyler Myers, some questions about him as well with the year left on his contract.”
Dhaliwal: “Yes”
Taylor: “Right-handed defenseman. They just got a right-handed defenseman. Filip Hronek, who you would think if everything works out, is going to eat up a lot of ice time. So, interesting times for right-handed defensemen.”
Dhaliwal: “And Ethan Bear’s okay with a one-year deal with Vancouver and then he walks into UFA status, which is very important. If you’re going to buy UFA years it’s expensive. That’s that.
Three free agents the Vancouver Canucks could be interested in
Donnie & Dhali: Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor on the Vancouver Canucks on some potential free agents the Vancouver Canucks will be interested in.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “I do want to get this in. The Canucks are making it very clear, very clear Donnie, that a third-line center is a target on July 1st.
I’m going to bring this name up and I’ll say it right this time, Ivan Barbashev, is a guy I want you to keep an eye on.
Taylor: “Is that right? The pronunciation.”
Dhaliwal: “Barbashev, and Vladislav Gavrikov are two guys I want you to keep an eye on.
Taylor: “Gavrikov’s a defenseman.”
Dhaliwal: “Gavrikov’s a defenseman.
Taylor: “Now with LA from Columbus. Barbashev from St. Louis to Vegas. We just saw him the other day.”
Dhaliwal: “Now, I want to preface this before all the people go, ‘what an idiot.’ You have to clear, ‘how they going to get these guys. We have no cap space.’
Well, you get the cap space leading up to the NHL draft with buyouts and trades. So clearly if the Canucks are targeting guys like Barbashev and Gavrikov, they are going to have to clear cap space.
Producer: “Who’s their agent?”
Dhaliwal: “A guy named Dan Stillstein.”
Producer: “He’s got no clients with the Canucks does he?”
Dhaliwal: “He’s got half their roster.”
Taylor: “Why don’t they make Milstein assistant GM or something?”
Dhaliwal: “I just texted Milstein, he’s a good guy, and he’s got an NCAA center at Eastern.”
Taylor: “I’m sure he’s going to Vancouver.”
Dhaliwal: “Eastern… Northern Michigan. Keep an eye on him … Max Sasson.
….
Max Sasson, Western Michigan. Keep an eye on him, the Canucks like him. Milstein client.
“The #Canucks are making it very clear that a third line centre is a target on July 1st..”@DhaliwalSports on talks between the #Canucks and Ethan Bear and possible targets on July 1st.https://t.co/h4e2SKLzpb pic.twitter.com/ui8PIdRL49
— Donnie & Dhali (@DonnieandDhali) March 23, 2023