On Monday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added another team to the rumor mill in the Vancouver Canucks. The insider explained on the newest episode of his podcast 32 Thoughts that he believes once we get closer to the deadline, that rumors will start to swirl in Vancouver as they currently sit with a 9-12-2 record and are tied with the St. Louis Blues for third-worst in the Western Conference. 

The Canucks have been dealing with a slew of injuries including key players like Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger, Nils Hoglander and starting goaltender Thatcher Demko are all out. Their injuries have gotten to the point that they've added former Toronto Maple Leafs forward David Kampf to fill in on their second line at center when for Toronto Kampf was a healthy scratch most nights. 

It's been a tough stretch since their near-loss to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games during the 2024 playoffs after being viewed as a team that nearly took down the eventual back-to-back conference champions to a potential lottery team. This may create some panic within the organization as many believe superstar Quinn Hughes would like to go to New Jersey and play with his two brothers, Jack and Luke. 

Red Wings Roll Into Jersey Riding Hot Stretch For Clash With DevilsRed Wings travel to Jersey hoping to build on hot streak when facing off against Devils without star forward Jack Hughes.

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This could create the urge within the Canucks organization to make some moves and Detroit could be a team to facilitate a deal. Defense has been a weak point for the Red Wings this season with Vancouver possessing two standout defenders besides Hughes in Marcus Pettersson and former second round pick by the Red Wings in 2016, Filip Hronek. 

Either of the players would add a much needed boost and give give Detroit GM Steve Yzerman the opportunity to award his players and team for their first-place start to the season. He could add a much needed improvement at left shot defense with Pettersson and help move Albert Johansson to the seventh defenseman spot. 

The Canucks traded a first-round pick to get Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins this past February and signed him to a six-year contract extension with a $5.5M AAV. This deal is superb for a defenseman of Pettersson's quality as a shutdown defender which may lead Detroit to spending a bit more to acquire him but it could be worth it in the long run plus he could create a Swedish connection with fellow defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. 

The odds of the Canucks trading away a player they just signed on long-term is slim but to make a advantageous move like bringing in some of Detroit's young talent to try and entice Quinn Hughes to stay could be a motive that Steve Yzerman can look to exploit.

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