Former Third Overall Pick Could be Vancouver Canucks' Solution to Problem Down the Middle
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A former third overall pick could be the Vancouver Canucks' solution to their issues down the middle, an area the team is hoping to address during the offseason.
It should be an interesting few weeks ahead for the Vancouver Canucks organization as they have some big holes to fill in their forward group and are hoping to be aggressive in their pursuit of landing help some help, whether it be on the free agent or trade market, or possibly both.
One area the Vancouver Canucks are desperate to fix is at the center ice position and are searching for a suitable option for their second line, which was essentially vacated in January when the team traded J.T. Miller and for the remainder of the season used multiple different players to fill the void.
Former third overall pick could be Patrik Allvin's solution for 2C hole
Over the coming week leading up to the NHL's Entry Draft and start of free agency, both days which we see plenty of action, Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford are going to be evaluating their options when it comes to the second line center position and a scoring winger to play in the top-six.
During an edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast back at the end of May, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman was discussing players that could be bought out this summer and one name he believes wouldn't be is Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Carolina Hurricanes, who is someone Vancouver has interest in.
"I had someone who bet me a steak dinner, he heard us talking about Kotkaniemi and a buyout, and he said to me, 'Elliotte, I will bet you a delicious steak dinner that Kotkaniemi does not get bought out.' The Hurricanes, as an organization, like him, and he said, 'You know what, other organizations do, too,' and the Canucks might be one of them." Friedman said.
This isn't the first time that the Canucks have been linked to Jesperi Kotkaniemi as the Finnish centerman was reportedly offered to Patrik Allvin back in March, along with a first round pick, in exchange for Brock Boeser, but ultimately, the trade never went through as Carolina also wanted one of Vancouver's prospects too.
Kotkaniemi, 24, has five years remaining on his contract, which comes with a cap hit of $4.82 million and he's set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2030.
If Kotkaniemi can step up his game during the 2025-26 campaign and hover around a 40-50 point pace per year for the duration of his deal, his contract won't look that bad when considering the NHL's salary cap is expected to grow exponentially over the next several seasons.
In 78 games with Carolina during the 2024-25 season, the Pori, Finland native had 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists), 50 penalty minutes and was a plus-nine.
While Jesperi Kotkaniemi might not be the most ideal target for the Canucks' second line center hole, the team could circle back on him later on in the summer if they fail to land a better option over the next few weeks.
Previously on CanucksDaily
| POLL | ||
JUIN 22 | 1485 ANSWERS Former Third Overall Pick Could be Vancouver Canucks' Solution to Problem Down the Middle Would Jesperi Kotkaniemi be a good fit for the Vancouver Canucks? | ||
| Yes, but not as their 2C | 583 | 39.3 % |
| No, should target someone else | 902 | 60.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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