NHL Rumors: Top insider claims Canucks prioritizing $13,200,000 defenseman over Nikita Zadorov

By Zachary Roberts

Modified Jun 12, 2024 08:21 GMT

NHL insider Frank Seravalli was asked about the Vancouver Canucks' offseason and whether they'd focus on Nikita Zadorov or signing other players back such as Elias Lindholm. Seravalli suggested Zadorov might not be the priority in Vancouver.

"Neither... Not in a price range they can afford... I think their priority has been Hronek," he said on Daily Faceoff. "If they can get that done, then maybe they circle back to Zadorov before free agency."

The insider claimed that Filip Hronek, whose last contract was worth $13.2 million, could be the top priority. That might take all the focus leading into free agency, giving them no chance to try and re-sign Nikita Zadorov or Elias Lindholm.

That's not to say that the players won't be back, because they're not assured of an exit once free agency begins. That just gives other teams the chance to sign them, and if the Canucks have spent money on Hronek, they'll be much easier to outbid.

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Nikita Zadorov turned down initial contract offer

Frank Seravalli may be right about what the Vancouver Canucks are trying to do this offseason. They initially tried to sign Nikita Zadorov at a discounted price, but he turned it down. That doesn't bode well for their chances of signing him later.

Nikita Zadorov might not be back with the Canucks

Per Heavy, the team offered him a contract in the realm of four years, $18 million ($4.5 AAV). That was rejected, leaving the Canucks and Zadorov's camp to reconsider everything.

Chek News' Rick Dhaliwal said:

“He’s going to ask for, and he will get, term. He’s 28 (29 in April 2024) years old. He’s one of the youngest defencemen that’s going to hit the free agent market on July 1. Term is going to be big for his agent, Dan Milstein.”

Money talks, but the reports suggest that the tenure of the contract is going to be more important for Zadorov's camp.