Over the weekend, it was reported that the Detroit Red Wings were showing interest in Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers. That fell through, as earlier today, the Canucks announced they were trading Myers to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a couple of draft picks. Here are the full details:
Stars receive:
Canucks receive:
- 2027 second-round pick
- 2029 fourth-round pick
The Stars have needed an upgrade for the right side of their blue line for quite some time, but is Myers the type of defenseman they need? As for the Canucks, they were smart to get assets as they begin their rebuild and look toward the 2026 NHL Draft.
Myers Acquisition Familiar Territory for the Stars
It’s not a shock that the Stars targeted someone like Myers for the right side of their blue line. Their recent history suggests he’s the type of defenseman general manager Jim Nill likes. At last season’s trade deadline, the Stars acquired Cody Ceci. It didn’t work out, and neither did other additions such as Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin, but they certainly have a type. Â
Fortunately, Myers has more upside than the Stars’ previous additions for the right side of their defense. His even-strength defensive value has improved over the last few seasons, and it’s come against mostly middle-of-the-lineup players, so he’s not feasting on teams’ fourth lines.
Related: Stars Acquire Tyler Myers From Canucks For Pair of Draft Picks
One of Myers’ strengths is on defensive zone retrievals. He does well to defend dump and chase, which isn’t a surprise given his 6-foot-8, 229-pound frame. That’s good to have on your blue line come playoff time, but there are still plenty of flaws in his game that would have me concerned from the Stars’ perspective.
Myers struggles to defend the rush, which could be a problem if they have to face the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs. He’s also not a particularly efficient puck-mover from the back end. He struggles to move the puck up the ice on breakouts and does not exactly exit the defensive zone with possession.
I understand the Stars’ thought process needing to add a right-handed shot, but they need more puck-moving ability on the right side, specifically someone to complement Thomas Harley. As JFresh pointed out on Twitter, Harley—who’s not having the best season— has generally fared better when he has a puck-moving defender as his partner. Myers is not that.
That’s why other right-handed shots, such as Justin Faulk or Dougie Hamilton, could have made more sense than Myers from an on-ice perspective. The difference is that their contracts are harder to fit in than Myers’, whose cap hit will be just $1.5 million for the next season and a half after the Canucks retained 50 percent.
Nill had to be conscious about adding anyone with term because of Jason Robertson’s looming restricted free agency, so getting Myers at $1.5 million per year is likely another reason he pulled the trigger on this deal. I don’t love this trade for the Stars, but at least Myers is a better addition than Ceci was last season.
Stars Grade: C+
Canucks Add More Draft Capital
The Canucks are rebuilding. There’s no question about that. Myers is in his mid-30s, and there’s little chance they’d be competitive for the remainder of his contract. It made sense to move him now while he still had some term on his deal, since that likely increased his value a bit. I wouldn’t worry about the retention slot for the next season and a half, either. Retention is likely why they got an additional draft pick.
Based on what the Chicago Blackhawks received for Connor Murphy, the Canucks got fair value for Myers and maybe a bit more than fair. They’re beginning to load up on draft capital, as they now have multiple second-round picks in each of the next two drafts. That’s what a rebuilding team such as the Canucks should be doing, and there’ll likely be more moves to come in the next 48 hours.
Canucks Grade: B+
Advanced stats from Hockey Stats
