14-Year NHL Veteran Named as Potential PTO Target For Patrik Allvin & the Vancouver Canucks

In two weeks, the Vancouver Canucks will begin their 55th training camp in franchise history and expectations are sky high after a very disappointing 2024-25 season.

While the Vancouver Canucks' roster might not be looking to make any more additions between now and opening night, unless a legit second line centerman becomes available, they could turn to the PTO market for some depth, if Patrik Allvin wanted.

As everyone knows by now, the free agent market is quite thin, but the Canucks have been linked to a few players for professional tryouts (PTO) including former first rounder Klim Kostin, but there is one name that could be intriguing to Patrik Allvin from not only a depth point of view, but also a leadership aspect as well.

In an article on Tuesday for Canucks Army, Tyson Cole looked at what unrestricted free agents Patrik Allvin and the team's management group could potentially target on the PTO front.

One name that Cole brings up is 35-year-old centerman Craig Smith, who has appeared in 987 games in the league with six different club, most recently the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings last year.

While Smith might not move the needle in terms of offensive production, he could end up being a decent veteran piece that the dressing room needs ahead of what is expected to be pressure-filled year for the organization that wants to avoid missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

Could Craig Smith be a good pick up for Patrik Allvin from a depth & leadership perspective? Sure, but given the logjam that the club already has in their bottom-six, with younger players like Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson and others trying to earn their spot on the opening night roster, it's hard to imagine the Canucks going out and bringing him to camp on a PTO.

Source: Canucks Army/Tyson Cole
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