Free agency update: The next Dakota Joshua identified?

However, his strong play over the past two seasons, including 18 goals this season, may mean he gets offers in free agency that the Canucks simply can't afford to match.

The question for the Canucks will now be how can they replace the physical presence and depth scoring of the biggest surprise standout on their roster?

On Tuesday, hosts of the Canucks Conversation discussed potential replacements for Joshua if the Canucks can't reach a deal with him - a scenario that looks like it could be more likely than not.

The podcast hosts, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal identified two names who could be intriguing buy low options that punch above their weight: Riley Tufte and Brandon Duhaime.

Both players are in the back half of their 20s and provide a big body with some offensive upside.

Duhaime has over 200 games played and may be a target of several teams across the league. Still, Tufte has yet to establish himself as an NHLer despite his monster 6'6 frame and intriguing offensive upside - he was second on the Colorado Eagles in scoring with 45 points.

While replacing Joshua's production at a fraction of the price would be a win, Harman Dayal cautioned that the odds are extremely low that they'll be able to strike gold again.