Vancouver Canucks Target Defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin in Trade

Vancouver Canucks are poised to make a move for defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin, who is being shopped by the Dallas Stars. The Stars are facing a salary cap crunch, with key restricted free agents like Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque needing new deals. Frank Seravalli reported that the Stars are trying hard to move Lyubushkin, who has one year left on his $3.25 million contract. The Canucks should be all over trying to pry Lyubushkin and an asset out of GM Jim Nill and the Stars. And with Dallas depleted of draft capital, the Canucks could target Dallas' 2028 third-round pick for taking on Lyubushkin. But the Canucks could also use Lyubushkin on the roster next season, as he is a classic stay-at-home blueliner who isn't afraid of physical contact. So the 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenceman would be a welcome addition to a Canucks team that was pushed around too much last season. Vancouver could also use another right-shot defenceman to push Victor Mancini for minutes next season. The Russian defender has played for five NHL teams throughout his career, and appears set to join a sixth soon. With the Stars needing to shed cap commitments to retain Robertson, the Canucks have an opportunity to make a smart trade. The Canucks recently got a sweetener in the deal for retaining $1.5 million of Tyler Myers' contract, and they could do the same again in a Lyubushkin trade. Lyubushkin's physical presence would be a significant addition to the Canucks' roster, and his experience playing for multiple NHL teams would bring a level of depth and stability to the team's defence.