A surprisingly big name is now available on the NHL trade market

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Jeff Drouin
May 13, 2022 (10:08)

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Despite some changes in the organization and a steady progression, the Vancouver Canucks have missed the playoffs for a sixth time in their last seven seasons.

In fact, the BC team's only playoff appearance came in the 2019-2020 season, the year the NHL adopted a special playoff format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the players on the roster that disappointed this year for the Canucks was defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Acquired in a mega trade last summer from the Arizona Coyotes, the Swedish back has not lived up to expectations with a rather disappointing 29-point campaign in 79 games and as my colleague Keven Mawn of Marqueur.com reports, he may very well have played his only season with the Canucks.

According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, new Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin is reportedly trying to ship Ekman-Larsson this offseason.

A big surprise for many. Ekman-Larsson has just arrived in Vancouver.

However, the defenseman has a no-movement clause and has full control of his destiny. But the biggest hurdle for the Canucks would probably be his hefty contract, which has five seasons left with an annual salary of $8.25 million.

Under those conditions, he'll be pretty hard to move, unless a team acquires his contract to reach the salary floor.

But the defenseman, who will be 31 years old next July, could very well bounce back next season and become the Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the golden years with the Coyotes.

A potential target for Kent Hughes, if he wants to trade Jeff Petry? Nothing is impossible but Vancouver is not very close to the United States and Michigan.