Vancouver Canucks Eye Experienced UFA Centerman as Possible Last Minute Addition
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A veteran free agent centerman with close to 1,000 games of NHL experience has been suggested as a potential PTO option for Patrik Allvin and the Vancouver Canucks.
The National Hockey League's professional tryout (PTO) market has been heating up throughout the month of September as teams look to round out their rosters before training camp opens next week.
It's still a bit unclear whether or not the Vancouver Canucks will go down the PTO route, especially with the depth they already have in their bottom-six and the internal competition expected in training camp, but if Patrik Allvin does decide to dabble in the market, there is one name to keep an eye on.
Veteran UFA centerman suggested as potential PTO option for Vancouver Canucks
While the Canucks have already been linked with him recently, Dave Benson of Heavy.com believes that 36-year-old centerman Craig Smith could be a good fit on a PTO for Vancouver.
Benson thinks that Smith would be a smart addition from a leadership standpoint for the Vancouver Canucks' dressing room, which is coming off a drama-filled 2024-25 campaign headlined by a feud between now-former teammates J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.
"What they need is a veteran presence who can help stabilize a bottom six packed with younger, less tested players. Smith has routinely played up and down the lineup - always with a workmanlike edge - and he'd bring an instant layer of accountability and composure to Vancouver's depth forwards." Benson said.
Smith, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, has appeared in 987 games with Nashville, Boston, Washington, Dallas, Chicago and Detroit where he's amassed 452 points (220 goals, 232 assists) and 395 penalty minutes.
Smith certainly isn't going to rack up the points in Vancouver or take over the second line center role, if the team decides him to a professional tryout contract, he could end up being a decent piece for the bottom-six and even play a key role on one of the Canucks' penalty killing units after losing Pius Suter this summer.
With less than a week to go until Vancouver opens up their training camp in Penticton, British Columbia, it's only a matter of time before we find out if Patrik Allvin does decide to bring Craig Smith, or any UFA, to camp on a professional tryout.
Source: Heavy.com/Dave Benson
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| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 12 | 861 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Eye Experienced UFA Centerman as Possible Last Minute Addition Should the Vancouver Canucks sign Craig Smith to a PTO? | ||
| Yes | 352 | 40.9 % |
| No | 509 | 59.1 % |
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