Marek: “What are your thoughts on Elias Lindholm?”

Friedman: “Let’s not forget that several weeks ago, probably during the playoffs, we discussed the intense recruitment efforts by the Canucks players to keep him. The message was clear: ‘You have to stay; we need to find a way to make it happen.’ I truly believe that this ongoing effort is still very much alive.

My prediction is that the Canucks are aiming to negotiate in the range of 7 years at $7 million. However, I’m uncertain whether that figure will be sufficient to secure him.”

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Marek: “That’s quite a substantial commitment.”

Friedman: “Absolutely. I had a conversation about this topic with someone recently. They questioned why the Canucks would pursue Lindholm at $7 million given that they already have Pettersson at $11.6 million and Miller at $8 million. They asked if it’s necessary to have a third-line center commanding such a high salary.

Here’s what I told them, Jeff—it’s what I refer to as ‘loser thinking.’”

Marek: “Oh goodness, you’re back to this ‘loser thinking’ again. Is it that you disagree with anything? Remember the times we talked about behaviors that don’t align with winning the Stanley Cup? You’ve got to tighten that up, Elliotte.”

Every time I disagree, it’s labeled as ‘loser thinking’ …”

Friedman: “Because you’ve set the bar for loser thinking at the start of this podcast.”

Marek: “I was merely protecting our assets.”

Friedman: “First and foremost, you invest in great players. Secondly, you often pay for specific positions. Lindholm is a center, and that’s valuable.

Moreover, I view those three—Pettersson, Miller, and Lindholm—as versatile players. They can be shuffled around in the lineup. You can utilize all three down the middle, or shift them to the wing as needed. Just look at how strong Vancouver performed with those three on the ice together. If it requires stretching my budget a bit to keep them all, I’d absolutely consider that, and then figure out how to manage the rest of the team accordingly.

However, this is just my speculation—I genuinely believe Vancouver wants to enter that financial range for Lindholm, but I’m not convinced that it will seal the deal. I don’t want to push Lindholm away, but the feedback I’ve heard suggests he genuinely enjoyed his time in Vancouver.”

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Marek: “He had an impressive performance and it seemed like he appreciated his time there. The team seemed to enjoy his presence as well. I agree with you on the flexibility aspect. The players’ roles haven’t been rigidly defined with the Vancouver Canucks, allowing for adaptability within the lineup.”