Vancouver radio host gets 100% real about Canucks missing out on Trevor Zegras trade

Vancouver radio host Bik Nizzar shared his thoughts on the Canucks' decision not to pursue former Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras.

On Monday, the Anaheim Ducks traded Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers for Ryan Poehling and two fourth-round draft picks. Zegras, coming off two injury-plagued seasons, aims to revive his career in Philadelphia.

Speaking on Sportsnet 650, Nizzar argued that Zegras didn't fit Vancouver's needs, comparing him to the Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi.

"Never really made any sense here. Let's be real. Yes, there's upside there. And yes, they need credible players...you'd have two of the lightest centers in the league. So if there's fear about playoff viability, you just apply it to Trevor Zegras without some of the defensive acumen that Rossi might bring," the host said.

He noted that both players raise concerns about playoff viability due to their smaller frames, with Rossi offering stronger defensive play. Nizzar highlighted that Canucks lacked the assets to match Anaheim's trade demands, as ther second-round pick was lower than Philadelphia's.

Nizzar suggested that Vancouver would be better off targeting a player like Rossi, whose trade value could drop if the Wild continues to underutilize him, as Anaheim did with Trevor Zegras.

"Looking at Rossi versus Zegras here, I know we talked about last week, it's like, oh, the move is off, Minnesota rejected it. These two situations feel very similar, because if you're surprised by the lack of price for Zegras, it should be a warning sign for Minnesota," Nizzar continued.

"You play this out for a couple of years, and you want to keep knocking your own guy the way Anaheim has knocked over Trevor Zegras and said, nah, this guy doesn't fit in a role, let's go get a Cutter Gauthier, replace this guy long term, let's reduce his minutes, we don't trust him defensively, we don't like him in this spot," he added.

Minnesota Wild reportedly turned Vancouver Canucks offer for Marco Rossi

Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi has been frequently mentioned in trade talks with the Vancouver Canucks after rejecting a contract extension with his current team.

According to reports, the Wild are open to trading Rossu, but they reportedly declined a proposed deal from the Canucks that included an unnamed roster player and Vancouver's first-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

It's believed that Rossi was offered a five-year contract with a $5 million cap hit, but he countered with a shorter-term deal at a higher cap hit, which the Wild turned down.