Trade may be brewing between Canucks and metro team per top NHL insider
Drew O'Connor is suddenly in the Vancouver Canucks rumor mill, and the Philadelphia Flyers angle has people bracing for another shuffle.
The online spark came from chatter tied to Rick Dhaliwal, with the claim that teams are calling on O'Connor and Philly could be one of them.
That's not the same as a deal being done, but it's enough to get the gears turning when Vancouver is sitting at 17-28-5.
O'Connor is the type of winger contenders ask about, big frame, straight lines, and he doesn't need power-play minutes to matter.
He's 27, and he arrived in the NHL the hard way, signed as an undrafted free agent back on March 10, 2020.
Vancouver already knows his market because they traded for him and Marcus Pettersson in February 2025, then locked O'Connor in with a two-year, $5 million extension.
That cap hit sits at $2.5 million, which is the sweet spot for a Metro team that wants help without detonating its books.
On the ice, O'Connor has hit 10 goals, and he's been a trusted penalty killer with two shorthanded goals this season.
Philadelphia Flyers sniffing around Drew O'Connor
The vibe around Vancouver right now is exhausted, fans want a plan, not another month of 'almost' hockey.
For the Flyers, the pitch is clean, add a forechecking winger who can play either side and survive tough minutes.
Philadelphia is 23-17-9, good enough to justify a targeted add instead of a full teardown.
If this becomes real, Vancouver's ask should start with futures, because O'Connor is cost-controlled through 2026-27 and doesn't look out of place up the lineup.
The risk is obvious too, the Canucks are thin on reliable two-way wingers, and shipping one out can make the middle six even softer.
Still, when teams call, the front office has to listen, especially with the standings already biting and the deadline creep getting louder.
If this is brewing, Friday's next game is another reminder of where Vancouver is at, and how quickly priorities can change.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 22|184 ANSWERS Trade may be brewing between Canucks and metro team per top NHL insider Should the Vancouver Canucks trade Drew O'Connor to the Philadelphia Flyers? | ||
| Yes | 99 | 53.8 % |
| No | 85 | 46.2 % |
| List of polls | ||