With the trade deadline quickly approaching, let’s take a look at the Canucks’ top three trade baits as well as the top 10 disappointments of the season.
The Vancouver Canucks had a much better start into the year than many predicted. But, now 60 games into the season, everything’s the same as always. The Canucks are in the same position as this time last year, and we are contemplating possible trade deadline moves.
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Top trade baits Ryan Miller, Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen all have no-trade clauses. Plus, it’s never easy to say goodbye — The Province’s Ben Kuzma has more.
Meanwhile, Jason Botchford compiled a list of the Canucks’ top 10 disappointments of the season. I bet it was tough to pick out just 10.
Saying Goodbye
Ben Kuzma (The Province) — Never easy to say goodbye as NHL trade deadline closes in
"The forgotten side of the National Hockey League trade deadline — the effects of leaving a young family and old friendships for nearly four months to pursue a championship — is often reduced to sidebar material.The main story will always be asset management and the logic of long-term franchise vision versus the short-sightedness of chasing an elusive wild-card playoff position."
If your work life is anything like average Joe’s, you know that leaving for work before your kids get up and coming home right before they go to sleep really sucks. Add in some business trips and you see your kids even less. There’s nothing positive about it.
Though NHL players aren’t exactly average Joes, their situations aren’t much different. They want to see their kids as much as possible, and every little road trip is totally annoying — and there’s plenty of those in a season.
Now imagine your boss telling you you’ve been moved to a different department in your company. But it’s on the other side of the continent. That’d suck, eh?
Miller, Burrows and Hansen all have kids, and they really don’t want to leave their families. That’s something few fans look at when they argue for players to be traded.
But, personally, I have to say it’s tough to care. Hockey is a business, and players agree with that once they sign a contract. Nobody forces them to play in the NHL.
Give Ben Kuzma’s article a read to see how the players feel about the deadline coming up — but don’t expect those factors to change anything.
Top 10 Disappointments
Jason Botchford (The Province) — Top 10 disappointments as Canucks’ season slips away
"No one had a precise count on how many things had to go well this season for the Vancouver Canucks to make the playoffs.Everyone knew, however, it was a lot.Some things have worked out better than expected. There’s Bo Horvat’s progression and the unexpected positive impacts being made by Nikita Tryamkin and Troy Stecher.But not everything went quite as planned for the Canucks this National Hockey League season. Here are the Top 10 biggest disappointments"
Well, there isn’t much to say about this.
The Canucks’ season was off to a solid start, like 2015-16, but the team is slowly falling off a cliff. There were some positives, like the emergence of Troy Stecher and Nikita Tryamkin as NHL regulars, but there has been at least an equal amount of disappointments.
Next: Hansen Scores 1st Goal Since Return
Jason Botchford has a top 10 for you.
It even includes Stecher, which once again shows what stage the Canucks’ rebuild is really at.