LATEST | Canucks have been linked to two top right-handed defensemen coming out of the NCAA

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Felip Gosselin
March 21, 2023 (3:26 PM)

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The hunt for the top NCAA Free Agents has already begun and the Canucks have been quiet so far. Adding an NCAA-matured player could go a long way toward this retool and the Canucks need to be proactive.

Chris Faber, who's very well aware of ongoing talks in NCAA and is actively following both Canucks teams. Revealed who the Canucks had been in talks with. It's no secret that the team is in the market for another right-handed shot after acquiring Filip Hronek and per Faber's information, the Canucks have been in talks with more than one.

1. Sam Malinski

Right-handed defenseman known to be an excellent puck-mover, many NHL teams have already shown their interest. However, he is increasingly linked to the Canucks as they've made lots of trips down to Cornell University in order to watch him play.

Malinski captains his team and has displayed his great two-way throughout his collegiate career, during which he managed 65 points in 89 games along with a +42 differential. The 24 year-old is an 5'11' and 190 pounds agile skater, he surely fits the NHL's high-paced game.

2. Jake Livingstone

Livingstone, a BC native, a big right-handed defenseman who's developed into an impactful player. While his season is not yet over, everyone is well aware that he'd been talking with a lot of NHL teams, the question at this point, is whether or not the Canucks will manage to convince him.

Livingstone is considered to be a rare bread of defender, the 6'3'' and 205 pounds managed 80 points in 110 games matched with a +54 rating. He's tall, big, physically matured as he's set to turn 24 and well-rounded, and could possibly be fit to any pairings on the Canucks' lineup.

The Canucks need to add depth to their defensive core and if they were to add either one of them it could be going a long way. These players will be signing Entry-Level-Contracts and could wind up being great cost-efficient contracts and the Canucks will definitely need those if they plan on buying-out certain players.