Team: 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks

Initial Creation Date: Dec. 1, 2023

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

This is coming from a Blues fan. My thought is if Vancouver really wants to go all in their biggest target should be Buch. He is cost controlled for the next 2 years (especially if retained) and he is one of the most underrated players in the league.

Now do the Blues want to trade him? I think Buch is amazing but when looking at where he fits in our timeline of contention I just think he'll be well out of his prime by the time we are true contenders. Therefore we might as well sell high on him and get some great futures.

Below I have put together multiple trade proposals that just have different perspectives of getting Buch. I think the Blues would want either Lekkerimaki or Willander as the key part of the trade but is Vancouver really willing to give up on either, likely not (and almost certainly not Willander).
Either way I have put together trades including both of them just to see what it would look like.

I have to believe in any deal the Blues will be looking for about the equivalent of 2 first round picks and a 2nd round pick.

In the deals below I assumed:
* Lekkerimaki = 1st + 2nd
* Willander = 2 1sts
* For the deal with Podkolzin I feel like he needs a change of scenery before next year and could be added to take on Myers cap hit.

I know Vancouver fans would love to get Buch cheap but the Blues don't really have an incentive to sell low on him as they could just keep him and sign him long term (even though I don't think that's the best move they might). I think of the 3 deals below Vancouver likely does the first one. Hoglander has been really good this year so they might not want to include him so maybe Podkolzin instead but there needs to be some actual players of value instead of just picks.

Thoughts?

1.

2.

3.