Ranking Jim Rutherford's top 5 most crippling untradeable rebuild stifling boat anchors

[Meds]

It's not even close.....that is far an away the biggest boat anchor.

It might be the worst goaltending contract in the NHL salary cap era.

[UWSaint]

I don't understand the framing of this topic.

The Canucks aren't near the cap. Their owner said when the Sedins or RJ was announced that he'd spare no expense, only for it later to be quite obvious he will spare expenses. In other words its pretty unlikely that they will weaponize cap space. No contract is weighing down what they want to do today.

The Canucks don't have a single player in the AHL who would be better off with playing time in Vancouver. So there's nobody who isn't developing in the NHL because of a boat anchor contract.

The Canucks carry 23, so 3 guys are not playing each night, arguably moved out of the lineup by a current "what's the point" contract. Most nights its been Raty, Mancini, and Breezeby. Breezeby isn't a prospect, won't be part of any future.

Mancini is getting painfully close to that status given his age and flattened progression -- its a make or break year and he's not getting a chance. Probably because he is not to be trusted -- and his one game showed every reason why he shouldn't be playing NHL games. But its a fair question as to whether a vet right defenseman stifling his opportunity. That's Schenn or Hronek (so Schenn). Truth is, there's stuff Mancini doesn't get at all, and I am not sure that he couldn't be sent to Abby with a list of things to figure out by Christmas if he wants a call up.

But more importantly, Schenn's been good for EP25, IMO -- and EP25 has a much more realistic shot at being an NHL regular, and a better chance to reach his 4-5 ceiling while playing this season with some competence than Mancini has to becoming a serviceable third pairing guy with NHL ice. I will also add that there seems to be some progression in Sushi's game -- and this is probably only happening because he's playing with a skilled guy (EP40) and net driver with speed when he chooses to use it (DeBrusk). Sushi is, to me, no sure thing but if he's going to develop, this is the way to do it and it shows why vets on a team can help young players get better.

Raty's scratches to me are a head scratcher. There's no way he's the 13th forward on the team. Is he special? No. He probably caps out as a middling 3C, more likely a middling 4C. But he's wide, has good defensive instincts (needs to improve technique and quickness to be a quality defensive center), and he's a good faceoff guy on a team without any faceoff guys and a team that keeps allowing the opposing PPs possession from the first puck drop to the inevitable PP goal. (I guess EP40's been decent this year, but we have a long track record of poor-to-average that its unlikely he'll get above average). That's a skill on any team that is rounding out a fourth line with a $1.5M salary.

But there's no player keeping him out of the lineup. It would be different if Chytil was drawing in as a center and that's why Raty isn't playing. But Malhotra has put O'Connor and Cotter there while scratching Raty, and neither are their best selves at that position. Raty isn't Malhotra's ideal center, and I fear given Malhotra's comments about centers that what we are seeing here is yet another coach who will let the ideal by the enemy of the real.

Lankinen -- well, that's an anchor. It matters because when you have a goalie that can't keep his posts and burps out fat rebounds, there's limited "experience" feedback getting to the players in front of him. Played that one bad -- 50% chance its in the back of the net; played that one well -- 40% chance its in the back of the net. That one also matters because it was combined with the decision to move on from Silovs -- which was a separate decision (could have carried 3 goalies), but they were nonetheless related. Still, the actual prospects in system are years away from sniffing the NHL and Tolopilo being in the NHL is probably not developing a goalie for the future (but you never know, see Bussi; Dobes). I'd prefer that set up, honestly. Given what the Canucks have, play the new guy more and see if he's got a future and maybe get results that more closely mirror what's happening on the ice in front of the goalie.

Boeser is another that I am not sure it could be moved at the moment for a bag of pucks without salary retention -- but I could actually see him making his money in a different set up. But at his $$, even setting that no trade provision aside, its not going to be an in season move.

Everyone else will be moveable for some value (perhaps very modest value) if they waive trade protection if the Canucks had the prospect to put in their position. (EDIT -- not Chytil. No one will touch him. But we will judge whether his presence is a negative by how he plays on the ice and who he's keeping out of the lineup. I don't think he'll play more than 10 games this season, so what does it matter really?).

[Ronning's Ghost]

Raty isn't Malhotra's ideal center, and I fear given Malhotra's comments about centers that what we are seeing here is yet another coach who will let the ideal by the enemy of the real.

If that's true, and Malhotra doesn't acquire the wisdom to move on from it, it's terrible news, whether we are assessing him as the development coach or his potential to still be the coach when games matter.

I agree with the rest of your points about bad contracts not doing much, if anything, to hold back the rebuild.

[Cornuck]

I agree with the rest of your points about bad contracts not doing much, if anything, to hold back the rebuild.

I don't have a problem with any of the contracts except Lankinen Diesel's - he's unmovable. It would be a problem if he could play at an NHL level, but he seems incapable of that these days.

Even EP40 - don't care - we're not going to don anything else with that money, and I'm not writing the cheques - and he's actually trending upwards this season.

[Madcombinepilot]

It's not even close.....that is far an away the biggest boat anchor.

It might be the worst goaltending contract in the NHL salary cap era.

Watch last game? Diesel living up to his contract! He had a good game, stopping 3 out of 4 shots, opposed to his usual 2 outta 3!!

[Meds]

On Lankinen Diesel…..

Buying him out after next season is a very doable thing.

With the cap going up, we will have room for that without much trouble.

He would cost us $2.75M/$3.25/$750K/$750K.

The 2028-29 season would sting a bit more, but I don’t see us being a team that will need to spend to the cap to make a deep playoff run at that point.

[Madcombinepilot]

On Lankinen Diesel…..

Buying him out after next season is a very doable thing.

He would cost us $2.75M/$3.25/$750K/$750K.

At 750, that’s probably still lower than both his goals against and Save %

[Cornuck]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

Costing about 5 mil in real cash. Still 'doable' but maybe we trade him next year (need a sweetener for that deal!!) - or put him on waivers and send him to the A?

Then we still have OEL's buyout on the books.

Sadly, I don't see this ending well for either Diesel or the team. If he doesn't get his shit together soon, there won't be a sweetener sweet enough to move that anchor - and as much I want him gone, the buyout might be necessary.

[Picker of Cherries]

They have the cap space now with no one worth signing. Don’t drag the debt into future years with a buy out when the team may be good then and they may have players worth signing and need the cap space. They have to carry Lankinen this year as a third goalie if Demko returns. But next season his NMC ends and he can be waived to Abbotsford if he can’t be traded with a sweetener and/or retention. When the cap is tight again they can think of buying him out, but there is no need right now, and the longer they keep paying him, the less time the buyout lasts and the cheaper it gets. Just say no to buyouts!

[Hockey Widow]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

Costing about 5 mil in real cash. Still 'doable' but maybe we trade him next year (need a sweetener for that deal!!) - or put him on waivers and send him to the A?

Then we still have OEL's buyout on the books.

Sadly, I don't see this ending well for either Diesel or the team. If he doesn't get his shit together soon, there won't be a sweetener sweet enough to move that anchor - and as much I want him gone, the buyout might be necessary.

He will have a MNM which I believe means he cannot be sent to minors. If it was a MNT then he could be waived. I think.

So with Demko having full NMC and Lankinen being Lankinen I think the only viable option for us to keep the younger Finn is to buy Lankinen out or get him to waive to be traded. But I think we might have to retain more than his buyout would be.

[Megaterio Llamas]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

Costing about 5 mil in real cash. Still 'doable' but maybe we trade him next year (need a sweetener for that deal!!) - or put him on waivers and send him to the A?

Then we still have OEL's buyout on the books.

Sadly, I don't see this ending well for either Diesel or the team. If he doesn't get his shit together soon, there won't be a sweetener sweet enough to move that anchor - and as much I want him gone, the buyout might be necessary.

He will have a MNM which I believe means he cannot be sent to minors. If it was a MNT then he could be waived. I think.

So with Demko having full NMC and Lankinen being Lankinen I think the only viable option for us to keep the younger Finn is to buy Lankinen out or get him to waive to be traded. But I think we might have to retain more than his buyout would be.

I was surprised to find he had a full anchor this year; it becomes a 15 team no trade in years two, three, and four. Good times.

https://puckpedia.com/team/vancouver-canucks

[Meds]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

That’s if we buy him out next season Corn.

Buyouts cut the rate to 66% of the remaining base salary (not cap hit) and distribute the cost over twice the number of years bought out. I’m only suggesting we buy him out for the last two seasons.

[Hockey Widow]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

That’s if we buy him out next season Corn.

Buyouts cut the rate to 66% of the remaining base salary (not cap hit) and distribute the cost over twice the number of years bought out. I’m only suggesting we buy him out for the last two seasons.

Assuming Demko gets back, we may have to deal with the situation much sooner unless we carry 3 goalies.

[Megaterio Llamas]

SWhen Demko goes down again we'll need two goalies, whoever they are. Might as well stand pat.

[Meds]

I see a buyout costing a bit more....

$2,333,333......$2,833,333......$3,333,333......$833,333......$833,333......$833,333

That’s if we buy him out next season Corn.

Buyouts cut the rate to 66% of the remaining base salary (not cap hit) and distribute the cost over twice the number of years bought out. I’m only suggesting we buy him out for the last two seasons.

Assuming Demko gets back, we may have to deal with the situation much sooner unless we carry 3 goalies.

With the increasing cap next season we can handle carrying all 3 if needed. Maybe a healthy Demko pushes Lankinen into the press box if Merilainen warrants playing time. That might make Lankinen request a trade.

The unfortunate thing is that Merilainen is waiver eligible.....

Saving grace is that we currently have $18.3M in cap space, so we will still have $9.8M when Demko comes off of LTIR. Mancini is waiver exempt, so he could be the guy who goes to Abby to fit us under the 23 contract limit.