Jannik Hansen delivers a harsh take on Elias Lindholm and the Canucks

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Cooper Godin
June 12, 2024 (12:57)

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The Vancouver Canucks have a big decision to make with pending free agent Elias Lindholm, but one former player doesn't believe the team should bring him back next season.

While on 'The People's Show' on Sportsnet 650 radio, former Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen said that the Canucks shouldn't re-sign Elias Lindholm this summer and should target a winger once the free agent window opens on July 1st.

"I say speak for yourself about them signing Lindholm, I don't want that signing. It's one of those things, I think that money is allocated to the wrong player and the wrong position...If you sign Lindholm, then you don't have the money to sign a winger. I think you need a winger. Again, I hope they don't re-sign him. Not because he didn't play well in the playoffs or because he's a good center, or even if he found a good spot here towards the end, no, it's because it's an embarrassment of riches here. You have two centers already, he would be your third and you need wingers." Hansen said.

He added, "You need wingers that can play with these two centers. When you look at the roster there is only one legitimate top-six winger that can command that ice time and the things that go with that and that's Boeser right now. You have some players that can fit in, but not when you're looking at your roster and this guy is penciled in as your number one left winger. These are your number two, three and four wingers. There's only one of them, then a bunch of middle six wingers. So again, the center is not an area of need, so no, I don't need Lindholm back."

Hansen does have a very good point - the Canucks need to go out in the free agent market and target another top line winger. Some of those options could be Jake Guentzel, who Vancouver has been linked to for a while now or Teuvo Teravainen. Both of those players could slot in perfectly on the top line alongside Elias Pettersson, who could benefit significantly from playing with someone like Guentzel or Teravainen.

Do you think the Canucks should re-sign Elias Lindholm or let him walk to free agency? Let us know what you think in the poll below.

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Do you think the Canucks should re-sign Elias Lindholm or let him walk to free agency?
Re-sign him	478	21.3 %
Let him walk to free agency	1769	78.7 %
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