Canucks Linked To 2 Free Agent Defensemen

The Vancouver Canucks are once again going through changes this offseason in an attempt to re-tool, not rebuild. Things kicked off at the trade deadline this year when they acquired Filip Hronek, but really ramped up when the team bought out the massive contract of Oliver Ekman-Larsson. This opened up a fair bit of room this year and the following few seasons to alter their defense with some pickups.

With a lot of cap space cleared up for the next two seasons before the buyout penalty starts to get a bit higher, the Canucks will likely dip into the somewhat weak free agent market for defensemen this year. They have been linked to two individuals in particular recently, Matt Dumba and Carson Soucy.

Dumba is very likely done with the Minnesota Wild and while he still has the capability of being a strong defensemen, injuries have hurt him in recent seasons, causing him to fall off offensively most of all. His last four seasons have been weaker than what he was known for, but he can still play a physical game and log a lot of minutes. If Tyler Myers is the next buyout by the Canucks, expect Dumba to be the replacement for the top-four on the right side as Luke Fox reported that the team has kicked tires on him.

The other player the Canucks are expected to target, Soucy, would be a great addition to this current Canucks team. He could not only shore up the left side, but has the potential to play second or third line minutes. Typically used as a third pairing defenseman, he's effective at both ends of the ice for the limited minutes he gets. The Canucks should be set for blueliners who can contribute to the offense, so Soucy would be a cheaper acquisition to help keep more pucks out of the net. One thing is for certain, the Canucks are going to be adding a defensemen in the next week.

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