Can the Vancouver Canucks Keep Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov?

Where Do the Vancouver Canucks Stand with Their Big Free Agents?

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger was on SportsCenter with Jay Onrait, and when asked about the Vancouver Canucks and their big free agents, Dreger stated they would like to keep Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov but can they afford to.

** NHLRumors.com transcriptions

Jay Onrait: “We thought maybe because the Canucks were on the second round and they have so many restricted free agents and some real key ones that maybe we were hearing reports last week, they might be getting close to deals with Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm.

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And then Zadorov’s agent, Dan Milstein, called it fake news, which was hilarious. Just a hilarious tweet. Even Tyler Myers, someone we thought would maybe take a hometown discount is not signed yet. So where did the Canucks stand with their big, restricted free agent?”

Darren Dreger: “It’s hard to imagine how they’re going to be able to keep all three of those guys, especially the two hulking defensemen in Myers and Zadorov. Look Zadorov likes Vancouver. He thinks he’s a real good fit with the Vancouver Canucks. I’m sure that Patrick Allvin and Rick Tocchet and everybody in hockey operations in Vancouver likes the size of Zadorov.

The fact that you can play him higher in your pairings, or if everyone’s healthy, you can move him down as well. But you have to go through a negotiation as much as Zadorov would like to stay. They really haven’t started negotiating yet, but they will. And I’d say the same thing of Lindholm right?

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There’s been preliminary discussions, everything is amicable, but the market for centers isn’t that deep when you look at the potential unrestricted free agents. So is Elias Lindholm looking for the most money possible, or the best fit and that’s what he and his family are gonna have to come to terms with.

I think Vancouver again likes the idea of keeping him around, but can they afford them and on the open market as a centerman you know, he’s gonna demand a fair amount.”