Jeremy Hronek

Interesting. I had actually created a “Lindholm to Vancouver” proposal a few months back but with a different package. The idea being that Lindholm would center a new 2nd line with the expectation that we’d reunite the Lotto line.

That’s a really good question. Unfortunately, the type of defenseman that I’d want would likely cost us one of Myers + Lekker/Willander and so I’m not sure if that would be worth it. An upgrade from someone like Myers+ to Tanev could be interesting and certainly something I’d be interested in as long as the “plus” didn’t involve Lekker, Willander, Podkolzin, or Raty. To @HKSR’s point, while an injury to Hughes would be devastating, I’d atleast be more comfortable with a Tanev-Hronek top pairing than I would with a [Cole/Myers/Zadorov/Soucy]-Hronek top pairing. Overall though, I’m not sure. ”To what extent could Hronek carry the Canucks’ defense as the new designated PMD if Hughes were to get injured?”

I still don’t understand how anyone can be fully content with Cole and Myers as your 2nd pairing. If one of Hughes or Hronek gets hurt, you’re gonna have even more of our dmen playing above their weight class. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face but this team needs a #2A/#3 guy. Too big a drop off in talent between Hronek and whoever is our 3rd best defenseman.

If we’re thinking Seattle, I’d rather target Adam Larsson.

This is a really good post and thank you for creating this. Perhaps I’m being overly critical of our current Canucks but I still think our team is overly reliant on Quinn Hughes, and that we’ll need one more Hronek calibre dman. Time will tell however.

If Chris Tanev could be had for Tyler Myers + a prospect NOT named Willander, Podkolzin, or Lekkerimaki, then I’d probably do it.

I suggested Chychrun for the following reasons: 1. It would give our 2nd pairing another PMD (right now, our two PMD’s play on the same pairing). 2. Chyrchrun could step up to the top pair if one of Hughes or Hronek went down with injury. 3. Chych has a sweetheart cap hit for this season and next. 4. Chych has played under Rick Tocchet before.

Off the top of my head, this trade just seems like an unnecessary way of pissing away a decent prospect in Raty. Hard pass.

I think Aman has done enough to secure a spot on the 4th line with Hoglander and Lafferty and so I’d like to keep him in the line-up. Neither Cole nor Zadorov should be the teams’ 3rd best defenseman and so I highly suggest an upgrade here (Myers+) I don’t see a need for another depth defenseman seeing as how we already have both Juulsen and Friedman (Juulsen has looked good whenever he’s been in the line-up). While Suter and Mikheyev aren’t significant offensive threats, I think their presence on the top 6 gives each line a very strong defensive presence (which could allow their more offensive linemates to cheat a bit more). Hence - I don’t mind one of Suter or Mikheyev playing with Pettersson/Lindholm or Miller/Boeser. With respect @HKSR - I think you and I have very different beliefs on what this team’s “final piece” (or pieces) are.

1. 2024 Trade Deadline: Make a strong pitch involving Myers + Top prospect to bring in another Filip Hronek calibre defenseman. 2. Conclusion of 2023-2024 season: Sign Elias Lindholm to a long term deal. 3. NHL 2024 draft: Trade Elias Pettersson to Columbus for Kent Johnson, David Jiriceck, 2024 1st round pick, etc.

What does our team and defense look like if Hughes gets injured long term? Hence, why I still believe that this Canucks team needs another defenseman that is at or close to Hronek’s level. If Hughes goes down with injury, we will still need to have the ability to form an elite defensive pairing that can log big minutes. Myers + Lekker for Chychrun = 4 inch boner

Can you please further elaborate if possible.

I understand where you’re coming from but it’s not like I’m the only one doing it. Many hockey pundits within the city have started to make comparisons given our current point total, rank in the overall league standings, and our roster top to bottom (with the addition of Lindholm). My personal opinion is that the 2011 team is/was still superior since a long term injury to any one person wouldn’t sink us, while a long term injury to Quinn Hughes would immediately make us middle of the road. I still think we need another 2A/3 calibre defenseman.

Not necessarily. Just do Myers+ for the upgrade to Tanev. Hughes-Tanev Soucy-Hronek Cole-Zadorov Juulsen Unless I’m missing something?

We already have guys like Zadorov and Cole for that type of “starch.” For 4-7 options, we already have Zadorov, Myers, Cole, Soucy, and Juulsen (and then Friedman). My biggest concern with our current team is that there’s too big a gap between Hronek and whoever currently qualifies as our 3rd best defenseman. We don’t have a true #3 calibre dman. If Hughes were to get injured, we would have a non elite top pairing (ie one of the aforementioned guys would have to step above his weight class and play with Hronek on the top pairing). Hence, I’d rather bring in a Chris Tanev type guy instead of bottom pairing depth.

Why would we need another 5-6 guy? We already stacked with 4’s through 7’s. We clearly need another 2A/3 guy even if it’s not Andersson (who I had assumed was that guy).

Is it messed up that a part of me is expecting Alvin to make a trade with Calgary for a new team dog? In all seriousness, my thoughts and prayers to Ryp and anyone else that was saddened by this event.

I looked at NHL line combos and it looks like Andersson is currently playing on the 3rd pairing there and so you’re likely right. Might be better to go after Tanev or someone else.

doggone it.

You can’t fully replace him but you could mitigate damage atleast to some degree. For example, Vegas has Theodore and Tampa has Sergachev. While the Canucks do have Hronek, they currently would not be able to throw out a legit top pairing if Hughes were to go down with injury. Hronek wouldn’t be able to carry Soucy, Zadorov, Cole, or Myers to play at that level. So - while trading for a guy like Andersson (and giving up Lekkerimaki or Willander in the process) likely would be overkill, I think a deal in which the Canucks acquire someone like Tanev might make sense.

Kesler was also playing with a torn labrum from the San Jose series onwards.

From my vantage point, Juulsen has proven worthy of being a depth guy. We already have a lot of 4-7 calibre dmen. What we are missing in my opinion is a 2A/3 guy (ie too big a drop off between Hronek and whoever would qualify as being our 3rd best dman). We have a legit #1 and #2 in Hughes and Hronek respectively but are missing the next guy in line.

Agree to a large extent although I do believe that Hronek is a true #2. There is too big of a drop off in talent between Hronek and whoever is our #3 dman. By comparison, although the 2011 team didn’t have a true #1, we had about 5-6 #2 calibre dmen (basically 5-6 Hronek calibre dmen imo). Edler, Tanev, Bieksa, Hamhuis, Salo, and Erhoff. With our 2024 team, if Hughes goes out long term, we become a 10-13 calibre team overnight (ie 1st round upset loss or 2nd round fodder). We need to bring in a guy that could realistically form a semi-elite top pairing with Hronek incase Hughes gets injured.

It wasn’t just Hamhuis that was significantly hampered/injured against the Bruins in that series.

If we could somehow upgrade Myers to Tanev without having to give up any of Podkolzin, Willander, or Lekkerimaki, then I think it could be worth it.