Report: Canucks seeking top-4 defenseman, winger

The Vancouver Canucks are on the lookout for a top-four defenseman and a winger, sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

Ivan Provorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Marcus Pettersson are among the top defensemen who could be available ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. The Canucks reportedly showed interest in Pettersson in November.

Chris Kreider, Kaapo Kakko, and Brandon Saad headline the list of wingers already on the trade block.

Vancouver does have some trade bait of its own: It was reported in November that Nils Hoglander was generating interest from Pittsburgh, Washington, and Columbus. The Canucks are also reportedly looking to move on from defenseman Vincent Desharnais, who the club signed as a free agent in the offseason.

The NHL implements a roster freeze over the holidays beginning 11:59 p.m. local time Thursday through 12:01 a.m. Dec. 28.