The Vancouver Canucks are struggling with a thin prospect pool and might be facing a long, long rebuild. If they want to speed it up at least a little bit, they will have to find talented players in unusual places.
Unusual places means players that are not as highly pursued by NHL clubs as others. Low-profile Europeans, college players — and restricted free agents.
The 2016 class of restricted free agents is headlined by forwards Marcus Johansson (WSH), Nazem Kadri (TOR) and Chris Kreider (NYR), and defencemen Tyson Barrie (COL), Danny DeKeyser (DET) and Torey Krug (BOS).