The Vancouver Canucks aren’t the only team with their sights set on Calgary Flames defenceman Chris Tanev.
Despite being a player of great interest to the Cancuks, CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported Friday, citing sources, that the Edmonton Oilers are pushing for the veteran defenceman, while other teams continue to show varying levels of interest.
Here’s what Dhaliwal said on Friday, when he was a guest on Sportsnet 650’s Halford & Brough:
The Canucks are continuing to monitor everything, big and small. They’re continuing to work the phones and their preference is not to trade any more first round draft picks, but as I like to say all the time, hockey people change your minds. You can look into all players, big names, depth players, it’s all about the cost of acquisition.
They’re still looking for a defencemen, can’t have enough for the playoffs, try to be seven, eight deep on the blueline.
The price on Chris Tanev is obviously pretty steep, but that’s when teams like the Canucks have to get creative. When you like a player as much as the Canucks like Tanev, you got to get creative. The Canucks have not given up on Chris Tanev.
Sources say the Oilers are making a push for Tanev. You certainly don’t want him going to that team if you’re the Canucks, for sure. Dallas, high interest in Tanev. Many others: Maple Leafs still in there, Winnipeg (too).
You heard Brock Boeser on a podcast this week, raving about Tanev. So many Canucks players want him back, because he’s the ultimate teammate and pro. He took that young Canucks core four, five years ago, and really helped them. The Canucks are also very aware of the chemistry issue. To this day, this group of players has the Canucks sitting first overall in the NHL standings. There’s something to be said about adding too much to a successful, tight-knit group like this. So there is that to keep in mind.
Dhaliwal’s report touched on a lot of notes, including the fact the Canucks have a preference not to trade any more first-round picks after sending this year’s first to the Flames in the Elias Lindholm deal.
Reports have suggested that the Flames are looking for a second-round pick for Tanev, but one has to wonder if a bidding war for Tanev could drive that price up even higher. How much, one has to wonder, would be too much for the Canucks to consider dealing for Tanev.
Nonetheless, it appears more and more like Vancouver could be in tough to acquire Tanev’s services, despite still showing quite a bit of interest.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
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