Jake DeBrusk is suddenly one of the Canucks' most interesting trade chips heading into tonight's game in Anaheim.
Chris Johnston said Tuesday that Vancouver is “clearly positioned to be sellers.”
He added that DeBrusk's deal “is looking more attractive with salaries on the rise around the league.”
That's the key detail. At $5,500,000, the 30-year-old carries a cap hit that buyers can actually work with.
The production has been modest, with eight points through 11 games.
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But context matters on a team that's sinking. Vancouver sits 2-10-1, last in the league standings.
Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser raise bigger sell-off questions for Ryan Johnson
Their goal differential has cratered to -23.
Elliotte Friedman already warned about apathy settling in around this team.
Selling is the right call. Hanging onto veterans during a skid like this is how a bad October turns into a lost year.
Holding DeBrusk now would be like refusing to sell your house while prices in the neighborhood are at their peak.
Johnston's point about rising salaries matters too. Every team hunting for value will notice that number looks better by the week.
The rest of the roster raises bigger questions. Elias Pettersson carries an $11,600,000 cap hit with 13 points.
Brock Boeser has gone minus-9 on a $7,250,000 deal.
Young pieces like 22-year-old Jonathan Lekkerimaki, with four goals, are the ones Vancouver should be building around.
So how far does Johnson go? A DeBrusk deal is the easy part, while the harder calls sit higher up the payroll.
Manny Malhotra has to keep the room together while the front office decides who stays.
After Anaheim, the Canucks visit San Jose Thursday before Toronto comes to town Saturday. Every loss on that stretch adds another name to the sell list.
Should the Canucks trade Jake DeBrusk right now?
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