The Vancouver Canucks need another center. You know this, I know this, and Mike Gillis knows this.

The club can’t/won’t enter the postseason with Andrew Ebbett or Jordan Schroeder as a top nine center. Assuming Ryan Kesler returns from his broken foot a few weeks before the playoffs start (and that appears to be the likely outcome), who do the Canucks target to center the third line?

Max Lapierre could move up to play there, but he is probably best suited for the fourth line (or at least sharing the ultra-tough line assignments that Alain Vigneault typically gives to his top checking line center).

With all of that being said, who are some centers around the league that the Canucks could realistically target at the trade deadline?

Thanks to Gary Bettman’s loser point (also referred to as “parity”), there aren’t many teams out of the postseason chase right now. Heck, the Canucks are only six points up on Western Conference basement dwellers Edmonton and Colorado. Florida sits last in the NHL with 20 points, but even they are only eight points back of the New York Rangers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

There aren’t many sellers right now, but that will probably chance in the coming weeks. Here is a look at some centers that could be made available. This list ranges from younger players with years left to impending free agents. There is a discrepancy in ability, too.

David Steckel – Toronto

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Contract: $1.1 million through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 30 13 38 46.9 3 -1.7 7:04 1:04 61.2

Steckel hasn’t had much of any role with the Leafs this season (as you can see from his 12 games played). He has proven in the past to be a faceoff specialist capable of killing penalties. He covers a lot of ice with his reach and positioning, but he isn’t the fleetest of foot. Acquiring a center like him would probably bump Lapierre up to line three.

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Steckel’s role with the Leafs has been taken over by Jay McClement – he is definitely available.

Nate Thompson – Tampa Bay

Contract: $900,000 through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 28 26 162 50.5 -4.1 -0.05 14:25 2:32 30.9

I like Thompson’s game a lot. Trouble is so do the Lightning. He’s gritty, solid at faceoffs, and used to playing a definitely-oriented role (look at his zone start rate). Thompson would bring size to Vancouver’s bottom six – something they will definitely need in the postseason.

If the Lightning are in playoff contention, don’t expect Thompson to be made available.

Kyle Chipchura – Phoenix

Contract: $675,000 through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 27 26 87 45.8 2.6 -0.314 10:15 0:03 56.5

Chipchura is a gritty energy center who isn’t as good at hockey as most of the other names on this list. He is a willing combatant and brings size, but he probably isn’t a center you can trust in any situation. And again, acquiring someone like him would bump up Lapierre to line three. Chipchura wouldn’t be the worst acquisition in the world, but he isn’t a significant upgrade on Ebbett (although he is a completely different player).

Matthew Lombardi – Phoenix

Contract: $3.5 million through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 30 12 46 44.2 -10.2 0.987 14:48 0:35 62.5

Lombardi is currently injured (day-to-day with an upper body injury). He has battled concussion issues for the past few years, as well. He’s a solid center with a ton of speed, and he can play the PK, too. Imagine him on the same line with Mason Raymond? Can you say "chip and chase?"

Marty Reasoner – Long Island

Contract: $1.35 million through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 36 21 116 52.7 1.2 -0.956 11:15 2:05 41.7

Marcel Goc – Florida

Contract: $1.7 million through 2014 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 29 21 182 51.7 -5.2 1.574 17:49 1:58 48.9

Perhaps the most intriguing realistic acquisition, Goc is having a great season for the Panthers (just as he did in 2011-12). He can play tough minutes, drive possession forward, win faceoffs, and play in both special team situations. He is a borderline second line center and would give the Canucks another line capable of scoring some goals. Do the Canucks make another trade with the Panthers?

Josh Lile from DefendingBigD looked at what Goc brings to the table:

Goc brings some offensive pop as well. Not much, mind you, but some. He currently is picking up 1.34 points/60 in 14 even strength minutes per night. He’s 7th among Panthers forwards in points/60 ahead of Stephen Weiss, Kris Versteeg, and Tomas Flesichmann. All of a sudden I feel like I’m writing a post on why the Panthers stink. Weird.

Jerred Smithson – Florida

Contract: $800,000 through 2013 (UFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 34 25 140 53.6 -20 -0.61 10:13 2:01 50.3

Smithson is a faceoff specialist who would play fourth line minutes. It wouldn’t cost much to acquire him, but he doesn’t represent a significant upgrade, either.

Shawn Matthias – Florida

Contract: $850,000 through 2013 (RFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 25 27 69 46 -1.1 0.283 14:19 1:07 47.6

It is unlikely that the Panthers move Matthias, but he would be a very attractive piece to the Canucks. He’s young and controllable, and he brings a lot of elements they would be looking for from a bottom six center. And Florida has a lot of young centers ready to play. Drew Shore has had a great rookie season, and Nick Bjugstad is on the way. Stephen Weiss likely won’t be back, so Florida may try and keep Matthias around to ensure they don’t lose a lot of their depth.

Trading for Matthias would be more of a “hockey trade” than a pure deadline rental.

Derick Brassard – Columbus

Contract: $3.2 million through 2014 (RFA)

Age GP FO Won FO Winning % Corsi Rel Corsi Qual Comp TOI/Game PK TOI/Game Ozone Start Rate 25 25 89 44.5 8.6 0.021 16:35 0:06 46.7

Speaking of hockey trades, Brassard is another interesting option. He is owed a decent chunk of change on his contract, but he would bring a lot to the Canucks – namely skill and offensive ability. He wouldn’t be acquired to play shutdown minutes for the Canucks. Vancouver desperately needs skill and playmaking in their top nine – in fact, I’d argue that a lack of skill is a more pressing need than finding a checking center.

Acquiring Brassard would mean that Kesler would have to play tougher minutes. Another option would be to move Kesler to right wing (I think this is the best solution), but that would only happen if the Canucks were able to bring in another center as well. I can’t see the team trading for two centers at the deadline – perhaps one now, and another in the summer?

Brassard has been on the trading block for a while now, as a lack of development (injuries, bad team, there are many reasons for that) in Columbus has kept him from really emerging as a consistent offensive threat. Or perhaps the Canucks acquire him to play on the wing?

At this point in time, it would seem that you know what kind of player Brass is going to be. He’s a second/third line tweener center, who isn’t great defensively or on faceoffs. He scores at about a half point per game, which is a positive, but he doesn’t provide much else. In my opinion he’d be better suited on the wing as a playmaker. Columbus has used him in this capacity early this season, but with the injuries up the middle he has seen a return to the pivot spot. When Brandon Dubinsky returns, Brass will likely move back to the wing, and at that point, if he doesn’t see an uptick in production, he almost never will. The reduced responsibilities on the wing should increase his point totals.

Who would you like the Canucks to bring in to shore up the center position?

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