The Vancouver Canucks are weighing a bold shift at center, eyeing Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt from Boston as potential upgrades on the second line. Zacha’s size and penalty-killing reliability pair with a well-rounded two-way game, while Mittelstadt offers a higher-octane offensive ceiling. Boston’s transitional phase means both players could be available, but the price to acquire either would be steep. Vancouver’s front office is considering how a rapide upgrade could shift chemistry behind Elias Pettersson, and how much draft capital or young assets they’re willing to part with.

From a fantasy lens, the debate centers on immediate impact vs. long-term upside. Zacha could boost Vancouver’s penalty-kill time and provide steady secondary scoring, potentially raising the floor for the Canucks’ depth lines. Mittelstadt might push for a higher ceiling in scoring categories, but at a cost that could limit future flexibility. Either move would influence how fantasy managers value Vancouver’s centers this season and beyond.