Vancouver Canucks trade rumors: Ryan Kesler suddenly the big prize

In the span of two weeks, the Vancouver Canucks went from playoff contenders to potential also-rans in the Western Conference playoff race. They’ve already traded Roberto Luongo, and it’s safe to say their trade deadline outlook has completely changed.

And maybe that’s a good thing. A mere two points from leapfrogging Dallas for the final wild card spot, by no means are the Canucks out of the playoff race. But Vancouver’s roster is filled with aging veterans with high salaries and no-trade clauses. These are potentially valuable trade assets that can be moved if general manager Mike Gillis thinks it’s time to reload.

The question facing Gillis is where to reload, and for which players?

If Vancouver makes any deals, the return will likely focus on young forwards who can contribute to the pro roster right away. The offense has been a source of frustration all season long for the Canucks, as goals have become hard to come by while Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows have looked like shadows of their former selves on the top line.

Gillis may decide to make a run at the playoffs this season. If he does, look for him to try and add some scoring punch up front. Vancouver has some interesting upcoming free agents like Mike Santorelli and Jordan Schroeder that could entice a team to part with a talented forward.

We’ll be honest: no one really knows where Kesler and the Canucks stand. Yes, it was reported that Kesler requested a trade “some time ago.“ But since then, his agent has denied it and GM Mike Gillis has refused to talk about it. But once the rumor mill starts turning, it’s impossible to stop.

The latest reports from TSN’s Bob McKenzie are that the Canucks are not actively shopping him, but they’re “actively listening” to any team that inquires about Kesler. That apparently includes the Pittsburgh Penguins, who reportedly are very interested in acquiring the 29-year-old center.

What would a team like Pittsburgh have to give up? As we mentioned before, the Canucks are not interested in a total rebuild. If they give up their second-line center, they are going to expect another young center in return. They’ll need pieces that help them win in the immediate future, if not now. That probably limits the market for Kesler quite a bit.

At the end of the day, Kesler’s high salary and no-trade clause make a deadline deal difficult.

If Vancouver keeps sliding back out of the playoff race, they have some pieces they can ship out to clear up cap space and restock their system on the fly. Plenty of teams would love to acquire a top-four defenseman, and Vancouver has four of them they could trade in Alex Edler, Kevin Bieksa, Dan Hamhuis and Jason Garrison. Teams are reportedly already calling about Edler’s availability.

The problem is that all four blueliners have no-trade clauses, which would complicate any potential deal. But the fact remains that Vancouver has some prized assets if Gillis determines the playoffs are out of the question this season.

Even if Ryan Kesler is traded, the outlook for Vancouver shouldn’t change too much this week. Vancouver has regressed after a decade of elite hockey, but the playoffs are well within reach. If they shake things up, expect a reload instead of a rebuild.