The Vancouver Canucks are in the trade market to acquire a defenceman this season, and now Frank Seravalli believes a move could happen in the next 24 hours.

A trade could potentially include former Oilers defenceman Vincent Desharnais, who the Canucks have made available for trade after he’s failed to fit with their team.

Now, Seravalli believes there’s «fire» surrounding the Canucks making a trade before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze, which will kick in on Thursday night.

»I’m told the Canucks feel like they’ve made some progress on their search for an impact defenceman, an efficient puck mover. There seems to be a heightened sense of urgency in the last 24-48 hours they might be able to get something down before the trade freeze kicks in.»

– Frank Seravalli

The Canucks defence is struggling mightily this year, especially with Filip Hronek and Derek Forbor missing time, and Vincent Desharnais playing well below expectation.

Canucks Imminent Trade for Defenceman Could Take Candidate off the Board for the Oilers

The Canucks have been a bold team, and it seems like they’re trying to swing a deal for a top four defenceman before anyone else can – and to give them longer time with the team to acclimate.

The Buffalo Sabres are a team in shambles right now, and with Brown Byram recently floated in trade rumours, many speculate the Canucks could be targeting the promising young defenceman. It could also be the veteran puck mover Henri Jokiharju, or a different team entirely.

The Edmonton Oilers have also been searching for a top four puck moving defenceman all season, and have most recently been connected to Mike Matheson of the Montreal Canadiens. Hopefully, the Canucks don’t snag the Oilers top target.

The holiday roster freeze is just a little over 24 hours away at this point, so we’ll see if the Canucks are able to complete this aggressive trade to improve their team now.