The rest of this season is a chance for the Vancouver Canucks to determine what cost-cutting action they might have to take in the off-season.
The rest of this season is a chance for the Vancouver Canucks to determine what cost-cutting action they might have to take in the off-season.
With the 2023 NHL trade deadline now history, Vancouver Canucks management could face some big decisions during the off-season. Among them could be shipping out J.T. Miller or Brock Boeser in cost-cutting moves.
CapFriendly indicates the Canucks have $82.55 million invested in 15 roster players for 2023-24. Assuming the cap rises again by just $1 million, they'll have $945,000 in cap space to fill out the remainder of their roster.
The Province's Patrick Johnston looked at some cost-cutting options. Trading Miller before his seven-year, $56-million contract extension kicks in on July 1 could be something to consider.
Johnston noted the Canucks engaged in talks with other clubs about Miller before the trade deadline. GM Patrik Allvin said a team called about the 29-year-old center's availability but didn't make an offer. Whether related or not, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette's Matt Vensel reported the Pittsburgh Penguins and Canucks reached an impasse on Miller earlier last week.
According to Johnston, the Canucks were interested in bringing in a young center to replace Miller. He believes it would've been a complicated deal involving more than one trade and more than one team.
Moving Boeser and his $6.65-million annual cap hit through 2024-25 is another possibility. The Canucks aren't interested in retaining salary, but Johnston believes the 26-year-old winger would be a more appealing trade candidate if they reduced his cap hit to around $5 million.