Maybe Jannik Hansen will be the next general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.
At least, that’s what some Canucks fans were calling for after Hansen’s latest appearance on Vancouver sports radio.
The retired Canucks winger appeared on Sportsnet’s 650’s Canucks Central on Friday, where he was asked about Vancouver’s decision to try and trade Tyler Myers.
Even though a Myers trade seems close, Hansen wasn’t enthralled with the idea.
Instead, he had other suggestions.
“I think [Myers] is a very serviceable defenseman,” Hansen said. “He’s a defenseman you’d want around the young guys.”
“And at the same time, I don’t think his value is at a point where you’re jumping all over this with a bona fide prospect or a first-round draft pick.”
He’s not wrong about that, with reports suggesting the Canucks were offered a second-round pick for Myers by the Detroit Red Wings.
While second-round picks are nice, Hansen had his eyes on the bigger picture.
“Maybe you look at [trading] Hronek instead, because that’s a player you could potentially get a first-round [pick] plus more based on how he’s playing.”
“[Trading] Hronek is easy for me because you have a Tyler Myers and he’s that veteran present on the blue line.”
Trading Hronek would certainly net the Canucks a haul. When they acquired him four years ago, the cost was a first and second round pick, although the Canucks did get a fourth-rounder back in return for Hronek.
If the Canucks were serious about collecting assets to kickstart a rebuild, trading Hronek would be the boldest move they could make. He’s easily their most valuable veteran asset.
Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s actually available.
On the 100% Hockey with Millard and Shannon podcast, Canucks president Jim Rutherford was asked if Hronek was among the short list of players who wouldn’t be traded by Vancouver.
“Yeah, 100 per cent,” he said.
Not only has Hronek been called untouchable, but Rutherford also said he’s a candidate to be the team’s next captain.
“He would be on that very short list for sure,” Rutherford said when asked if Hronek could be the next captain of the Canucks.
“He has all the qualities to be a very good captain,” he said. “What you see on the ice is what you see off the ice. He’s a leader.”
The idea that he could captain the Canucks perplexed Hansen.
“I would be shocked if they pick him,” he said.
“You can’t have him be the face of the franchise, not wanting to talk to the media. It just can’t happen.”
What do you think? Should the Canucks have Hronek as an untouchable? Or, do you side with Hansen and believe the Canucks should shop Hronek?