Canucks reportedly pushing Brock Boeser on trade block

You know how unsure the Vancouver Canucks have been about trading star forward J.T. Miller. It was reported that the team has reeled him back and hopes to keep him in Vancouver with new general manager Patrik Allvin recently telling Rick Dhaliwal: “I am not going to trade a player just for the media. JT has been our most consistent and best player.”

Damn right he has. And that’s why insider Frank Seravelli now believes that the focus has shifted to Brock Boeser. Seravelli explains how cap flexibility is key in Vancouver, which is why Boeser could be on the move.

“Keep in mind: (Canucks President of Hockey Operations) Jim Rutherford has repeatedly stressed that creating salary cap flexibility is key. Other roster players can achieve space and freedom, but there is a sense the Canucks are not sold Boeser’s play will be commensurate with the large qualifying offer due to him this summer, which makes him a prime candidate to move. It’s entirely possible that J.T. Miller, who is much more of a driver than Boeser, remains in Vancouver and Boeser is on his way to a new team.”

Seravalli also reported that the New Jersey Devils might be a fit for Boeser.

I am not saying that Boeser, who is coming off his bridge deal and has a qualifying offer worth $$7.5 million, will get as much on his next contract but that is just used to retain negotiating rights for Boeser so he doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent. The Canucks can sign Boeser under 7.5 million if they can re-sign Boeser before it gets to a qualifying offer. He is also eligible for arbitration.

With the importance of creating cap space in Vancouver, the Canucks might be worried about Boeser’s qualifying offer and could be looking to trade him for a great return. And it doesn’t sound unreasonable to imagine him fetching some young assets and a pick or two.

Let’s see what happens: the trade market is quite unstable in Vancouver at the moment it seems with all the rumours emerging!