Vancouver Canucks: Top 5 Questionable Moves by Jim Benning
By Alex Hoegler
4. Trading Eddie Lack
The Vancouver Canucks brought up Lack in the 2013-14 season to back up Roberto Luongo after Schneider was traded months earlier. Lack, on a very messy Canucks squad, went 16-17-5 with a 2.41 goals-against average and .912 save percentage with four shutouts. That came on one of the NHL’s worst teams with no superstars.
There was a lot to like about this kid’s future with the Canucks.
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With Miller hurt during the team’s run to the playoffs in 2014-15, Lack stepped in just fine. His hot play down the stretch got Vancouver into the postseason. He went 18-13-4 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.
The Canucks, for reasons unknown, decided it was time to trade Lack. They didn’t even try selling him high, letting teams know they were looking at non-first-round picks. Benning traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes for a third and seventh-round pick in that offseason.
If the Canucks wanted to trade a goalie, it should have been Miller. Lack was quietly carrying this team and showing his worth as a No. 1 goalie. Better yet, they could have held on to Lack for another season and get more value for him. Instead, they traded him for very little when his value was only getting higher.