3 ways the Vancouver Canucks can keep Adam Gaudette in the NHL

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VANCOUVER, BC – SEPTEMBER 26: Vancouver Canucks Left Wing Loui Eriksson (21) is pursued by Arizona Coyotes Defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) during their NHL game at Rogers Arena on September 26, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Move on from Loui Eriksson

When the Canucks signed Loui Eriksson to a six-year, 36 million dollar contract back on July 1st of 2016, nobody could have predicted that his Canucks’ tenure would go as poorly as it has up to this point.

Eriksson has scored just 32 goals over the past three seasons, through 196 games with the Canucks. For context, Eriksson scored 30 goals the year before in Boston, and scored 22 with the Bruins the year before that.

Eriksson has not lived up to his contract, and has seen himself transition into a bottom six role, one he’s rarely ever played in his career before. Eriksson had a less than impressive preseason, and the hope that he can turn it around and find his scoring touch should be non-existent at this point.

It’s time for the Canucks to swallow their pride and own up to the fact that the contract they handed to Eriksson was a grave mistake. Don’t count this out scenario out either, as the Canucks sent Sam Gagner down to the minors last season after younger players such as Elias Pettersson and Nikolay Goldobin outplayed him at camp.

A similar situation could be in store for Eriksson, who has three years remaining on his contract. It would be a bold move and one that I don’t necessarily see the Canucks making. But if we’re going to be hard on players like Virtanen and Goldobin, telling them there’s no more room for passengers on this team, shouldn’t the same message be told to an underperforming veteran like Eriksson?

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