It’s no secret the Vancouver Canucks need another top-four defenceman.
The team has reportedly already started making calls as they scour the market for options. The team’s management group is known as the league’s most aggressive, and they’re not going to sit around and wait.
There are some defencemen who already have their names in the rumour mill and could be an interesting fit for the Canucks. Here are seven options they could target in a trade.
1. Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks
- Age: 32
- Hand: Left
- 2024-25 stats: 11 G, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS
- Contract: $6.5 million through 2025-26
Cam Fowler has been in the NHL for 15 years, all of them with the Anaheim Ducks. Now the team looks ready to move on, and the veteran might join a new franchise for the first time.
Fowler has averaged 43 points across the past three seasons and can still run a power play.
His $6.5 million cap hit will be a non-starter for many teams, so the Ducks will likely retain. If the Canucks want someone with experience who can be a leader in the room, Fowler is an intriguing option.
2. Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames
- Age: 28
- Hand: Right
- 2024-25 stats: 12 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 PTS
- Contract: $4.55 million through 2025-26
Calgary Flames blueliner Rasmus Andersson is widely considered to be the best defenceman who could be moved. He’s jumped out to a fast start this year and is scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace.
The Flames got off to a hot start, which cooled some of the rumours surrounding Andersson. However, they’ve started to fall down the standings, meaning that GM Craig Conroy could be more receptive to selling assets.
Andersson will not be cheap. He’s in the prime of his career, right-handed, and playing great. However, his immense talent means he could be worth the high price tag.
3. Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres
- Age: 23
- Hand: Left
- 2024-25 stats: 12 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS
- Contract: $3.85 million AAV through this year
British Columbia native Bowen Byram is still just 23 years old but could be made available via trade. There have been some rumblings that the Buffalo Sabres may make Byram available, and if they do so, there will surely be many teams interested, including potentially the Canucks.
Byram is a smooth-skater and puck-mover. He’s scored at nearly a 0.5 points-per-game pace despite never getting much power play time and struggling to stay healthy.
This is a player that the Canucks have been reportedly interested in before and could be again. Byram is younger and more skilled than the other names on this list, but he also carries more risk.
4. Ivan Provorov, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Age: 27
- Hand: Left
- 2024-25 stats: 11 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS
- Contract: $6.75 million through this year
Ivan Provorov is another player who has been in the rumour mill a lot. He has a big cap hit but it expires at the end of this year and thus the Columbus Blue Jackets may be motivated to trade him instead of seeing him walk in the summer.
Provorov has stuck around the 30-point mark for his career despite not being a high-end power play player. He’s a legitimate top-four blueliner who could help the Canucks a lot and has the puck-moving ability the team is looking for.
5. Marcus Pettersson, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Age: 28
- Hand: Left
- 2024-25 stats:
- Contract: 13 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 PTS
The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a rough start this season and could be looking to sell. If they do so, Marcus Pettersson is a blueliner that many teams will likely call about.
At 6-foot-5, Pettersson has great size but he still moves solidly well. He also has shown an ability to chip in offensively and pick up points.
The Canucks current management regime was with the Penguins before and is familiar with the player. They’ve brought in a lot of players from Pittsburgh, and Pettersson could be the next.
6. David Savard, Montreal Canadiens
- Age: 34
- Hand: Right
- 2024-25 stats: 12 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 PTS
- Contract: $3.5 million AAV through this year
It feels like Montreal Canadiens blueliner David Savard has been a rumoured trade target for years now. He was one of the most discussed players at last year’s deadline but didn’t end up being moved. That could change this season.
While he doesn’t have the puck-moving ability the perfect candidate would have, Savard is right-handed and has good size at 6-foot-1. He plays a rugged game that could mesh well with Adam Foote’s coaching style.
Savard also won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving him plenty of playoff experience.
7. Jake Walman, San Jose Sharks
- Age: 28
- Hand: Left
- 2024-25 stats: 13 GP, 1 G, 8 A, 9 PTS
- Contract: $3.4 million AAV through 2025-26
Jake Walman is off to a strong start on a bad San Jose Sharks team. He’s clicking at just under 0.7 points-per-game and is playing more than 22 minutes per night.
However, the San Jose coaching staff has made him a healthy scratch, per The Hockey News’ Max Miller, so there’s clearly some tension there. This could mean they’d be open to trading him. The Sharks are also rebuilding and would likely jump at the chance to grab future assets.
Walman’s advanced stats are very strong this year as he leads the Sharks in Corsi %. The Sharks are outscoring opponents 8-7 with Walman on the ice at five-on-five and are being outscored 25-9 in non-Walman minutes.