Vancouver Canucks: Extending RFA Linden Vey

Vancouver Canucks restricted free agent Linden Vey is hoping to get his contract extended. But should it be?

No matter whom you ask, Vancouver Canucks fans did not understand why Linden Vey was in the lineup for 41 games last season. Worse than that, Vey got regular power-play ice time and simply did not seem like the offensive player he can be in the American Hockey League. Now that his contract expires, GM Jim Benning will have to make a decision: do what everyone thinks would be best, or do what head coach Willie Desjardins would likely vote for.

To be fair, the Canucks struggled with injuries all season long, and there are not too many players down in Utica who show more promise than Vey. Brendan Gaunce, Alexandre Grenier and especially Hunter Shinkaruk would probably disagree with that assessment, but neither Gaunce nor Grenier could shine in the NHL time they got. Shinkaruk is a different story, as he got traded to the Calgary Flames about midway through the season.

By the Numbers

Vey did a decent job at the AHL level, and the 2015-16 campaign was his perhaps final chance to show why he deserves another NHL deal. Even the power-play time makes sense once you look at his numbers: according to stats.hockeyanalysis.com, Vey recorded 3.27 points per 60 minutes of power-play time — fifth on the roster. Vey is not a big goal scorer, but he managed to get three tallies on the man advantage, so that’s alright.

But, a fourth-line forward who is something you may call a power-play specialist just doesn’t make a lot of sense. Vey had five PP-points and only recorded a goal and nine assists in even strength. What Vey has shown for the Canucks so far does not look like the point-per game AHL scorer that he was when Vancouver acquired him.

Enough talking; here are the numbers that support it.

Vey was supposed to be a playmaker who can produce offense in different ways. As the HERO Chart above shows, his goal scoring and primary point production are off the charts — yay! Like, they are even worse than a fourth-liner’s production — ohhhh…

A playmaker, Vey had .55 primary assists per 60 minutes, good enough to be regarded a third-line player on the chart. Then you take a glimpse at shot generation, shot suppression and the resulting useful possession, and we find that he is a fourth-liner at best in those categories.

As to the WOWY (with or without you) charts, Vey actually seems to make his teammates worse. Ouch.

So what should be done with him?

Off-Ice Struggles

Looking at what he has done on the ice, Vey should not be on the roster. He deserved to be cut from the roster in the preseason, and it was not too surprising that he wasn’t claimed either. Vey just does not look like an NHL player.

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But there is also his huge private issue. Vey’s father went into trial on May 24, 2016 after being charged with conspiracy to murder his wife, Vey’s mother. Jason Botchford of the Province talked to Vey and Trevor Linden about the case, and you should definitely give his article a read.

As Linden Vey says himself, everyone goes through rough patches in life — that’s just the way it is. But there is no denying that it affects a person and can definitely hurt an athlete’s focus on the game and the resulting performance.

Vey is a nice young man and he is liked by his teammates and management, so it is not totally crazy to assume that coach Desjardins simply wanted to give him every chance to succeed. He made Vey a regular in the Canucks lineup and gave him time on the power play, what more could he do?

If that was the case — and we don’t know that — it would have been nice of Willie D. Looking at the personal side of this debate, Vey should be helped and supported, but management can only do so much.

Hockey Is a Business

At the end of the day, hockey is a business. As terrible as Vey’s story is, the Canucks cannot re-sign him and give him a big role next season only because he is having private issues. They need to make a hockey decision.

If Jim Benning and Willie Desjardins still believe that Vey has NHL potential, they should extend his contract. If they do not, they do not need to qualify him. Giving Vey a chance to move on and get a fresh start could help him as well. But, as said before, his private issues probably should not be considered here at all.

Next: Top 7 UFA Center to Target

Linden Vey has 134 NHL games, 116 for the Vancouver Canucks. He got a fair chance, but he failed to use it. As of today, Vey does not look like an NHL-caliber player. Plus, as a playmaker and mediocre defensive player, he is the kind of top six or nothing guy.

Hockey is a business. Linden Vey does not look like an NHL-caliber player. Final verdict: don’t qualify him.