Report: Canucks Looking To Make A Trade Ahead Of The 2024 Holiday Roster Freeze

With the NHL holiday roster freeze less than 48 hours away, reports indicated that the Vancouver Canucks are doing everything they can to add to their roster. This year's roster freeze starts on December 20, with teams unable to make trades until the 27. Whether it is a top-four defenceman or another winger, all signs point to Vancouver's management group wanting to improve their roster sooner rather than later.

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As reported by Rick Dhaliwal of "Donnie and Dhali," two players the Canucks have interest in are Buffalo Sabres Bowen Byram and Columbus Blue Jackets Ivan Provorov. Both are left-shot defensemen who were top-ten picks after playing junior in the WHL. While Byram spent his time with the Vancouver Giants, Provorov spent multiple seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings and was named CHL Defenceman of the Year in 2016.

This is not the first time that Vancouver has been linked to Byram. At the 2023 trade deadline, the Canucks reportedly tried to acquire Byram as well as Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche for J.T. Miller. In the end, the Avalanche rejected the deal, and Miller signed a seven-year extensiton in Vancouver.

While Byram has had a long history of injuries, he is still an impactful top-four defenceman. In 32 games this season, he has 18 points and is averaging over 23 minutes per game. Byram carries an AAV of $3.85 million and is a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

As for Provorov, he has spent the last two season with the Blue Jackets. In 32 games this season, the Russian defender has 11 points and is also averaging over 23 minutes per game. Provorov, who will be an unrestircted free agent at the end of the season currently carries a cap hit of $6.75 million.

The other interesting piece mentioned by Dhaliwal is that the Canucks are in the market to add another winger. While Vancouver has built a strong group of wingers, Dhaliwal speculates that this could have to do with Brock Boeser's future with the organization. While there is no indication that Boeser isn't going to re-sign with the Canucks, he is an unrestircted free agent at the end of the season. According to Dhaliwal, the two sides are currently working on a deal that would keep Boeser in Vancouver past this season.