Last night, I dreamt that the Canucks traded up to No. 1 so that they could draft "The Next Bobby Hull."
My subconscious did not bother to let me know who this player was, or the cost. Clearly, Dale Tallon's words on Friday that Florida would consider dealing the pick sunk in. Click here for that story.
Will he make a deal? Though Florida has generally hung on to its high picks over the years, the team now has a pretty good crop of young players. With new owner Vincent Viola looking for ways to generate interest and sell tickets, it could make sense for the Panthers to bring in one or more high-profile players that could help the team win games immediately.
According to CapGeek.com, the Panthers currently have just eight forwards and four defensemen signed for next season, though their five restricted free agents will almost certainly be brought back. Still, plenty of room on the roster, and plenty of cap space—somewhere in the neighbourhood of $30 million.
It'd be ironic if the Canucks' next big deal was with the Panthers, even after Mike Gillis has been shown the door.
So, who's this mythical "next Bobby Hull?"
First and foremost, Bobby was a sniper—a five-time 50-goal scorer with great speed and a wicked slap shot. We don't see goals like Bobby's scored off the rush much anymore.
Here's a brief highlight video that catches some of Bobby's vibe:
I haven't seen enough of Bennett to get excited about what he brings to the table. My gut feeling is that, with the Canucks already picking at six, he's not so much better than the other options at his position.
The player in this draft who does look like he could be a difference-maker is defenseman Aaron Ekblad. I could see the logic in trading up for someone like him, who could be a blue-line anchor for the next generation and is already stunningly mature for his age.
Candidates Off the List?
Though the draft continues to offer intriguing possibilities, two of our targeted job candidates may not be coming available.
Despite their crushing first-round collapse, early word out of the San Jose Sharks camp is that GM Doug Wilson wants to retain coach Todd McLellan and his staff. Too bad!
Click here for the story, which sounds a lot like what we've heard here in Vancouver in the past. The GM is promising big changes, but most of the key players on the roster are locked up long-term and many have no-trade clauses.
Meanwhile, over in Philly, there could be a power struggle brewing.
With assistant general manager Ron Hextall likely being courted by the Canucks and Capitals, owner Ed Snider said on Friday that current general manager Paul Holmgren would move into a hockey operations role, while hinting that Hextall could become the new GM.
For his part, Holmgren sounds less-than-impressed by the idea:
"I'm the one who brought [Hextall] back. He's an excellent resource in our organization," Holmgren said. "He's a tremendous hockey man, and I have no question that he's ready to be a general manager at any point. We'll see where that goes, but I'm certainly not in any position today where I want to change chairs."
I find it somewhat hilarious that the NHL.com article also mentions Hextall as a possible candidate to become GM in Toronto—while Dave Nonis still has his job. Sheriff Shanny hasn't been nearly as proactive as the Canucks have been about making heads role since he took over in Toronto.
Though Snider goes on to say that Holmgren is "not on the hot seat" after bouncing back from a rough start to their season, these are three big egos in play. Can Holmgren and Hextall continue to co-exist, or will one of them need to move on?