Swedish rookie deserves to be centre of attention

Canucks would be smart to put Swedish rookie in the middle of lineup right away

Consider the possibility there is a parallel universe where, after travelling through a portal, you could see the Vancouver Canucks’ free agency strategy flipped upside down.

Instead of targeting bottomof-the-roster support players, in this alternate reality the Canucks approached July 1 like they were bellying up to a craps table with backpacks full of casino chips.

Gone would be the four-year deals for Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel, and in their place the Canucks would have outbid the world for big-money free agents like James Neal and Paul Stastny.

What would the reaction have been here then?

Hint: It would not have been placid and calm.

It would have been viewed as another quick-fix attempt by a management team that has been caught looking for shortcuts before. The Canucks also would have been accused of creating roadblocks for their best young offensive prospects.

The reality isn’t that much prettier. The Canucks signing Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussel isn’t exactly setting the world on fire because this is one of the lowestscoring teams in hockey.

But the Canucks can still turn the perception of their off-season around with a couple of moves. The first would be signing Quinn Hughes, who would then be given every chance to make the team. If he’s not ready, the top prospect could start his development in the AHL. Great, everyone wins.

Even the possibility the Canucks defence could add someone like Hughes this season is mouth-watering for a massive portion of the market. He’s already the best allaround skater among defencemen in the organization. And he may be the best power-play quarterback, too, even if he lacks the booming shot.

The other revolves around Elias Pettersson. If the Canucks were to give Pettersson every chance to be a centre to start this season, it would again change the conversation.

Pettersson potentially on a line with offensive-minded wingers like Sven Baertschi is so much sexier than most of the mock lineups that have him slotted to play with Brandon Sutter.

Now, playing with Sutter may happen, but the Canucks, and head coach Travis Green, are well aware it’s not ideal.

The Canucks can still turn the perception of their off-season around with a couple of moves.

Pettersson played just seven games at centre last year, but he wants to be a centre. The Canucks want him to be a centre. So why wait? If there are going to be growing pains, the earlier he can get through them the better. Why put it off ?

The Canucks are more eager to get him playing centre than people seem to think, and their free agent moves support that. They didn’t acquire anyone who could even compete with Pettersson for the hole created by Henrik Sedin’s retirement.

Henrik averaged just 12:38 in even-strength ice time over the course of the season. That would seem like an ideal pocket for Pettersson to fit into.

Give Pettersson similar minutes in the middle of two wingers who have scoring potential and let him roam the Canucks’ first powerplay unit.

Who wouldn’t want to see that?