Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin is obviously laser-focused on keeping the team's regular season momentum going in the postseason. But, it's never to early to plan for the future, and a pending unrestricted free agent is certainly on Allvin's radar, according to a report.
Canucks Insider Rick Dhaliwal said recently that Vancouver has had interest in the past in Brendan Dillon of the Winnipeg Jets, and that interest is likely to still be there when Dillon becomes a UFA at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Dillon is on the final year of a four year deal he signed with the Winnipeg Jets in 2020. The 33-year-old defenceman was traded to Winnipeg in 2021 for draft picks. He's played 55 games for the Jets this season, scoring 7 goals and 16 points. Dillon's six-foot-four, 235 lbs. frame could certainly add grit and grind to any team in the NHL.
Dillon has said in the past that he would like to remain with the Winnipeg Jets. Most players will say that when they are getting close to their current deals being over. For now, he'll be in impact blueliner for the Jets as they get ready to go into the post season after a surprisingly good 2023-24, much like the Canucks. However, when July 1 comes, Dillon will likely have plenty of offers from teams throughout the NHL, and you can expect the Canucks to be one of them. Where he lands will have more to do with the size and length of his new deal than anything else.