SCHMIDT TO VANCOUVER
The Vancouver Canucks acquired defenseman Nate Schmidt from the Vegas Golden Knights for a third-round draft pick in 2022.
What does it give the Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks lost both Christopher Tanev and Troy Stecher this off-season (Tanev was an unrestricted free agent who signed with Calgary; Stecher was not given a qualifying offer and became a UFA, and then signed with Detroit). So adding Schmidt was a necessity. Although he is a left-handed shooter, Schmidt plays right defense well. So, expect him to line up next to Alexander Edler or Quinn Hughes.
What does it give the Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights had no choice but to trade a defenseman, since they decided to sign unrestricted free agent Alex Pietrangelo. So, the rest of the NHL knew that Vegas was going to deal a veteran blueliner. GM Kelly McCrimmon was still able to land a third-round pick in return for Schmidt, so the Knights did well under the circumstances. Pietrangelo is a significant upgrade over Schmidt.
Fantasy impact
Schmidt's numbers should remain steady moving from Vegas to Vancouver, since he figures to see the same amount of ice time as a top-four rearguard. Schmidt is a late-round consideration in most fantasy leagues.
