5 Canucks from the past 5 years you probably forgot about
By Joshua Rey
#2: Philip Larsen
The Canucks traded a conditional fifth-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers for Philip Larsen’s rights in February of 2016. There was the hope that he could improve the Canucks power play. That summer, Larsen signed a one-year deal with Vancouver.
Larsen played for several European teams, (Such as Sweden’s Rögle BK and Frölunda HC ) as well as the Oilers and Stars before joining the Canucks.
Larsen only played 26 games with the Canucks scoring one goal and managing five assists. He struggled in his time with the Canucks and dealt with injuries. That included him being knocked out after being on the receiving end of a big hit by Taylor Hall who was with the New Jersey Devils at the time.
Larsen has not been in the NHL since and after leaving Vancouver, he spent the next five seasons in the KHL with Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Shortly after Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine a few months ago, Larsen left Salavat Yulaev Ufa. He will play for his hometown team Esbjerg Energy next season.
#3: Alexander Burmistrov
Alexander Burmistrov was drafted eighth overall in 2010 by the Atlanta Thrashers who are now the Winnipeg Jets.
He failed to live up to expectations as a top ten draft pick and split time between the St. John Ice Caps of the AHL and the Jets in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. That summer he left Winnipeg for Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL and played two seasons there before returning to the Jets in 2015.
23 games into the 2016-17 season, Burmistrov was put on waivers and claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. He then signed with the Canucks but he only played 24 games receiving very few minutes. On Christmas Eve 2017, his agent, Dan Milstein announced he would be retiring from the NHL.
“He wanted to go back home, no other reason,” Milstein told Rick Dhaliwal after the announcement. “The Canucks were more than accommodating to his request.”
Three days later, it was announced that Burmistrov returned to Ak Bars Kazan. He spent the next two seasons there and then spent two seasons at Salavat Yulaev Ufa. The centre then went back to Ak Bars Kazan in 2020. Burmistrov is still with AK Bars Kazan and that is his fourth stint with them as he first started out in their youth system before coming to the NHL