Canucks not planning to trade No. 5 pick in Draft

The Vancouver Canucks have the No. 5 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, and they're happy exactly where they're at.
"We've had a lot of calls; there are a lot of teams interested in the fifth pick," general manager Jim Benning told the team's website Thursday. "As of right now, I'd say we'll keep the pick and we're going to draft a really good player. The cost of moving up is too much. We're happy at five; we've got six players we'd be thrilled to get and one will be there at five."

The draft is at First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Friday and Saturday. The first round is Friday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports); Rounds 2-7 are Saturday (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVA Sports 2).
The Canucks, who finished sixth in the Pacific Division at 31-38-13 in 2015-16, have six selections in the draft, but just two in the first four rounds (No. 64).
Benning said the Canucks "definitely have interest" in Los Angeles Kings forward Milan Lucic, who said Wednesday he is headed toward becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and will reach out to him after the draft. Lucic, who had 20 goals and 35 assists in 81 regular-season games this season, is from Vancouver.
Benning also confirmed that right wing Radim Vrbata and defensemen Yannick Weber and Matt Bartkowski will not be re-signed. Each will become an unrestricted free agent July 1.