On TSN (video autoplay warning) Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger talked about the climate around the league and what names could be in the mix.
The first name they talked about was Vancouver’s Jake Virtanen. Virtanen has been in the trade rumor mill heavily, played less than 7 minutes in the Canucks’ last game and has 1 goal and 0 assists in 14 games this year. Virtanen also has a $2.55 million salary cap hit this season and next, and if he was drafted sixth overall there wouldn’t be much remarkable about him.
Dreger mentioned the Canucks seeking a young NHL caliber forward in return, and given the Penguins and Vancouver’s similarly sketchy salary cap situations, a fit doesn’t look in place either on the ice for what Virtanen could actually contribute or for either team’s objectives.