Pavol Demitra, who was actually outscored by Naslund last season and would do nothing to address the Canucks' need for toughness and grit in the top two lines, is the top prize left. The list is short.

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Mats Sundin won't be coming the Vancouver any time soon.

Photograph by : Graig Abel, Getty Images, Files

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Jason Williams, Ladislav Nagy, Sergei Fedorov, Owen Nolan. Most are aged or have more issues than Zimbabwe.

No, if Gillis is still to make an impact in free agency, it may have to be through the route less travelled -- the one he embarked upon Tuesday when he made an unsuccessful bid for St. Louis Blues' restricted free agent David Backes.

It was overshadowed by Gillis' blockbuster offer to Sundin, but still represents a watershed moment for the Canucks' franchise. Making hostile takeover bids on Group 2 free agents, when other teams have the right to match and bear grudges, is like getting a tattoo or pregnant. You are all in. It's like guys watching Sex and the City -- if you do it once, you can't ever take it back and claim you didn't.

Well, Gillis did it with his offer to Backes. And having crossed that threshold, the most logical thing is for Gillis to try it again as Edmonton general manager Kevin Lowe did last summer when he raided Dustin Penner from Anaheim after being rebuked by Buffalo on the Oilers' bid for Thomas Vanek.

The key in making a predatory offer is being sure enough in the player to grossly overpay initially, being willing to sacrifice valuable draft picks as compensation and -- importantly -- targeting a team whose salary-cap issues make it difficult for them to match offers.

The Detroit Red Wings are within $2.5 million of the $56.7-million ceiling, which might make them flinch if the Canucks offered $3.5 million to 24-year-old restricted free agent Valtteri Filppula. Or how about 23-year-old Nigel Dawes, whose New York Rangers' payroll is nudging $50 million with holes still to fill up front?

There are many other restricted free agents worthy of big-money offers -- Steve Bernier of Buffalo, Patrick O'Sullivan of Los Angeles, San Jose's Ryane Clowe and Phoenix's Daniel Carcillo -- but the problem is most teams still have plenty to spend due to the annual boost in the salary cap.

And, obviously, Gillis has to be careful as the draft-pick compensation escalates significantly into first-round territory above salaries of $2.7 million.

Another route for the Canucks could be to trade for players whose salaries, either present or imminent, could be a concern for the other team. Bill Guerin, for instance, has one year and $4.5-million remaining with the New York Islanders. Philadelphia Flyer prospect Scottie Upshall, whose team is a million over the cap, makes $1.23 million next season and is due a major raise after it.

Gillis, however, has gotten nowhere in trade talks so far and at least two opposing executives, the Blues' John Davidson and the Kings' Dean Lombardi, have sneered at his offers.

A former player agent, Gillis was an unconventional hire as manager. He'll have to improve the Canucks through unconventional means. Unless the goal really is the NHL draft lottery.

Sundin was Plan A. Time to move on. There must be another plan near the top the alphabet.

imacintyre@png.canwest.com

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