Do the Vancouver Canucks have a position of strength to land them a second-line center?
Donnie & Dhali: Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor talking about the opportunity of the Vancouver Canucks trading from a position of strength, their right side up front. Can it get them a second-line center?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “You realize what Conor Garland‘s name is on the market? Patrick Johnson, Donnie, The Province, he said over the weekend that Conor Garland’s name on the market. I did some digging into this, and someone told me, like, that is like Jimmy Rutherford, Don, playing Whack-a-Mole. I’ve never played Whack-a-Mole. You said you might have.”
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Taylor: “How is that possible?”
Dhaliwal: “I needed to google ‘Whack-a-Mole.’ Was it on the PNE?”
Taylor: “Ryan used to give you the chance to play it, but apparently, not anymore.”
Dhaliwal: “Okay. In any case, ignore Whack-a-Mole.”
Where are the Canucks loaded, Don? On the proper side. Boeser, Garland, Sherwood, you bought a young kid, (Jonathan) Lekkerimaki.”
Taylor: “(Linus) Karlsson too.”
Dhaliwal: “Karlsson, Lekkerimaki, their strength is on the proper side. They don’t need to trade…”
Taylor: “They’ve a strength?”
Dhaliwal: “They don’t have, well, apparently it’s on the proper side. They don’t need to trade a primary or Lekkerimaki or (Braeden) Cootes, or who’s the opposite, (Tom) Willander.
Could Garland they get you, so the Canucks are pondering, could Garland get you that second line center?”
Taylor: “Oh my gosh.”
Dhaliwal: “You never know, Don. It’s Whack-a-Mole. It’s take into consideration every part outside the box. You place Sherwood and Garland on the market and see for those who can get a middle.”
Taylor: “They only prolonged Garland.”
Dhaliwal: “His no-move doesn’t kick in till next 12 months.”
Taylor: “For those who’re talking about getting trading Garland for a high first-round, first-round draft pick. Not even high. Yeah. Okay, sure.”
Dhaliwal: “Well.”
Taylor: “Second line center?”
Dhaliwal: “Second-line center. Can Garland do it? They’re loaded on the proper side. You mostly deal from a position of strength …”
Taylor: “To get a high draft pick.”
Dhaliwal: “To get a second-line center. Now, the opposite one for you is that this, Sherwood. What do you do with him, Don?”
Taylor: “UFA at the top of the season.”
Dhaliwal: “There’s, there’s, there’s been no contract talks. There’s been no number crunching. It’s still wait and see. The Canucks aren’t going to get them for $3 million. And I’ll let you know this much immediately, his number starts with a five. Take that to the bank. I said this some time back, and everybody rip it into me, it’s going to start out with a five, Don.
But anyhow, so how do you get the second line center? You deal along with your position of strength, which the proper side. You go from there.”
Taylor: “So that they’re attempting to salvage the season, right?”
Dhaliwal: “Absolutely, are you kidding me? You think that they woke up this morning, having a giant meeting a few rebuild?”
Taylor: “Like, in the event that they trade Conor Garland for like, a second-line center, who may or may not help them. They might need a primary line center, yeah. But, like, the response on this, from his fan base, will likely be one in every of disgust. It’ll be like we’re attempting to do that again. For those who’re going to trade, for those who’re going to let go of Kiefer, Kiefer Sherwood, who’s been outstanding, so has Connor Garland.”
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Dhaliwal: “Each of them.”
Taylor: “Rebuild.”
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