Vancouver Canucks Waiver Watch: Higgins, Hodgson, and More

The Vancouver Canucks are infiltrating the NHL headlines today.

Five former and current Vancouver Canucks shook the NHL transactions world Tuesday morning, most notable being Chris Higgins clearing waivers. Although AHL Utica Comets coach Travis Green sounded excited to get Higgins, the potential for a trade is, in fact, greater for a post-waiver Higgins than it was for the pre-waiver Higgins.

Expect Higgins to be still on the market for contenders looking for good bottom-six stability and depth.

But the waiver wire got filled up with yet another Canuck product, this time with former Canuck Cody Hodgson, who was drafted by Vancouver 10th overall in 2008. As per General Fanager, Hodgson’s one-year deal makes $1.05 million should teams pick him up. But if he clears, $950,000 would be relieved and only $1oo,000 would stay on the cap as buried.

Hodgson is on waivers after the Nashville Predators traded defenceman Seth Jones to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for top centreman and Vancouver-native Ryan Johansen. Hodgson finds himself available once again, after he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres, then finding himself with Nashville.

Speaking of the trade to the Sabres, the Canucks got Zack Kassian in return. When Kassian was traded last year to the Montreal Canadiens alongside a fifth-round pick for Brandon Prus, Kassian ended up playing zero games for the Canadiens.

Then, just recently, Kassian was traded to the Edmonton Oilers after struggling with substance abuse. But today, the Edmonton Oilers called the former Canuck back up to the NHL.

Alright, two down, two to go. Former Canucks tough guy Raffi Torres was suspended 41 games for his high hit on Anaheim Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg in October 2015, and his suspension is over as of today. However, he will not be able to play yet, as he is recovering from a knee surgery.

Last former Canuck on the news is defenceman Kevin Connauton, who was claimed off of waivers by the Arizona Coyotes. Like Hodgson, Connauton found himself as a fallout from the Jones-Johansen trade, as Jones takes his place on the Blue Jackets’ defence.

The former Vancouver Giant was drafted 83rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks, and was traded alongside a second-round pick for rental centre Derek Roy. Roy is now out of the NHL and a point-per-game player in the Swiss National League A. The second-round pick traded by Vancouver turned into goaltender Philippe Desrosiers, who is stuck at the ECHL level as a 20-year-old. A meaningless trade in the end.

Connauton, however, should be a good bottom-pairing defenceman who brings timely offence for Arizona.

Claiming Hodgson

What do you say to getting rid of Linden Vey to make room for Cody Hodgson?

Vey is not yet waiver eligible after he was sent down earlier in the season. He was recalled on December 18th and has played nine games thus far. When a player is put on waivers a second time during the same season, he has waiver exemption for 30 days or 10 games.

Vey is a $1.0 million player for just this season. Hodgson is much the same at $1.05 million. Take a look at Hodgson’s career-high 57.9 corsi-for percentage and Vey’s 50.9 corsi-for percentage, both this season. To post Hodgson’s numbers on a Sabres team in 39 games (and 8 points) is far superior to Vey’s play this season.

Next: Analysis: Markstrom is Near Elite Status

Vey will be sent down as Sutter returns. But how about claiming Hodgson? Let us know in the comments.