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Vancouver Canucks: Which Free Agents Should be Re-Signed?

By Jeff Godley

Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Emerson Etem (26) skate toward the net in the first period of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis (2) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Emerson Etem (26) skate toward the net in the first period of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Kyle Clifford (13) checks Vancouver Canucks defenseman Yannick Weber (6) into the boards in the second period of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Kyle Clifford (13) checks Vancouver Canucks defenseman Yannick Weber (6) into the boards in the second period of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Yannick Weber, D:

Free Agent Status: Unrestricted

Should He Be Re-signed? No.

Yannick Weber found himself in a similar situation to Brandon Prust and Chris Higgins, going from a Canucks regular to the Utica Comets midway through the season. Unlike the other two, Weber did subsequently get chances for redemption with the big club due to a rash of injuries to the defense corps. Which speaks more to the Canucks’ current lack of depth on defense than it does to Weber’s utility.

There is one thing that Yannick Weber did better than any other Canucks defenseman last season, and that is shoot the puck on the powerplay. This year, however, Weber has managed only five assists and zero goals.

This may be partly explained by deployment: Weber was kept off the first powerplay unit for most of this season, and that is where many of his goals were scored last season. But was he ineffective offensively because he was not on the powerplay, or was he not on the powerplay because he was ineffective offensively?

Ultimately, neither answer is in Weber’s favour.

Will Benning Re-sign Him? No.

Alex Biega, Andrey Pedan, and now Nikita Tryamkin are all ready and able to replace him as a bottom pairing or depth defenseman. Weber has racked up a plus-minus of -17 in only 39 games this year.

Next: Injuries Update: Sutter closer than Edler

He was brought back this year to help with scoring from the back end and with the powerplay. He has done neither, and has not done much to prevent any goals, either.

There is no argument left for keeping him.

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