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Canucks News: Trade Deadline Mistakes Mustn’t Be Repeated

By Janik Beichler

Nov 9, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks goalie Eddie Lack (center) celebrates with right wing Jannik Hansen (36) and left wing Alex Burrows (14) after the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout with a final score of 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks goalie Eddie Lack (center) celebrates with right wing Jannik Hansen (36) and left wing Alex Burrows (14) after the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout with a final score of 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Vancouver Canucks made some mistakes at the 2016 trade deadline, and they need to ensure it won’t happen again.

Going into the 2016 NHL trade deadline, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis and Calgary Flames blue-liner Kris Russell were two of the league’s top trade targets. It seemed as though the Dallas Stars were genuinely interested in Hamhuis, but they ended up trading for Russell instead. Hamhuis, on the other hand, stayed in Vancouver.

The second “must-trade” player was winger Radim Vrbata. He, too, stayed in Vancouver past the 2016 deadline.

As a result, there was a lot of negative energy among fans who weren’t satisfied with the job general manager Jim Benning did. But, there were also enough people who agreed it was right to hold on to Hamhuis and Vrbata if there isn’t a good deal.

“Giving players away for free will have a negative impact on all future trades”, they said.

Really?

Just make sure you get at least something for veterans like Ryan Miller and Alex Burrows this time around.

About Time

Mark Spector (Sportsnet) — West Coast Bias: Canucks Can’t Make a Mistake at the Trade Deadline

"If the Vancouver Canucks don’t declare themselves as sellers and make every sensible move to accrue picks and prospects, I (for one) will have some serious concerns about how that organization is being run."

I am not an NHL GM, so I tend to defend decisions management makes. But, I am certainly sceptical as well, and put some thought into every decision that is made.

When it comes to the Canucks’ current situation and the trade deadline, though, I don’t need to think much — they must make a move.

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Or two or three.

A rebuilding team — yes, that’s what the Canucks are — needs young talent to get back to the top. There simply is no other way.

So, five draft picks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft probably won’t take the Canucks very far. Considering the low percentage of drafted players that make the NHL, it is essential for a rebuilding team to accumulate as many picks and prospects as possible, hoping some of them work out.

I am equally convinced that Vancouver has no more need for Ryan Miller, Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen. All three are great players and great people, but from a rebuilding perspective, they hold close to no value for the Canucks.

If Benning can get a semi-decent return for at least two of them, I would ship them out immediately.

Next: Best Trade Fits for Miller, Burrows, Hansen

Nobody enjoys losing, so it makes sense for a club to try to win as long as there’s still a chance. But in the end, this is about losing while developing a future versus losing with no future.

Don’t repeat last year’s mistakes.

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