Canucks Could Lose 25-Goal Scorer in Free Agency After Shocking Salary Demands Revealed

Just because the Canucks aren't comfortable, doesn't mean they won't overpay out of desperation

But he stated on the 'Donnie & Dhali' program that Vancouver might overpay in order to hold onto the 28-year-old center due to their urgent need at the position.

'It's a challenging thing for a team, because you're sitting there and you're looking around and you're saying, 'We need something (a center),' and all of a sudden you're looking and you're saying, 'There's not much out there that could fill this hole.'

I think the Canucks are kind of in that place right now where they're sitting there and saying, 'We know this player, we like this player, we don't like the number, but we don't see a better alternative.''

- Elliotte Friedman

Rick Dhaliwal stated that talks between the Canucks and Suter's camp are still ongoing.

'I believe the Canucks have reconnected with Pius Suter's camp in the last 24 hours. I believe contract talks are back on. Canucks are clearly having a tough time getting a top-six centre done. There is one in-house, and that is Suter. Let's see if this goes anywhere.'

- Rick Dhaliwal

The landscape changed when Matt Duchene signed a four-year, $4.5 million deal with the Dallas Stars.

That contract could have comforted Suter's camp in their number, but it also led Vancouver to re-examine their internal solution after shipping out J.T. Miller and being forced to count on Elias Pettersson.

Suter finished the last season with a career high of 25 goals and 46 points, averaging a career high of 17:21 in ice time. He heated up late, producing 10 goals and 19 points in the final 23 games, a compelling case that he can thrive as a top-six player.

Despite his earlier inconsistency, the Canucks are faced with a desperate market. The free agent pool of centers is not deep, and there are limited appropriate trade candidates.