Vancouver Canucks LW Chris Higgins in Utica is a Win-Win

The Vancouver Canucks sending down left winger Chris Higgins to Utica is a great move for everyone involved.

When you first heard that the Vancouver Canucks had put Chris Higgins on waivers to demote him to the AHL Utica Comets, how did you feel? How did you feel from the fan’s perspective, from Vancouver’s perspective, and from Higgins’s perspective? You know how I felt?

Bad. I felt really bad.

It is a personal hint of guilt for Higgins. I picked him as the first half’s “least exciting player” in my midseason awards. You know, he is one of the few remaining from the glorious 2011 Stanley Cup Finals run and the “Golden Era” under Alain Vigneault. I admit. I have been tough on him.

But it was necessary to waive him with the bodies coming back from the injured reserve. And it was unlikely that he was going to be claimed, as he still had about $5 million left on his contract through to the 2016-17 season.

And now, in hindsight, I applaud GM Jim Benning for overcoming the fears of losing Higgins for nothing after a few teams were legitimately interested in the veteran 32-year-old when he was put on the trade block.

So here it is, my last ode to Higgins and his 141 points for the Canucks in 306 games, on how his demotion to the AHL is a win-win for everyone involved. My best of wishes to Higgins. I hope he sticks with a new NHL team sooner rather than later.

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