Vancouver Canucks Quiet Trade Deadline, Moronic Rumours Die

The first question from the Vancouver Canucks fanbase to management might be, ‘how come you didn’t do much of anything on trade deadline day?’

Options were limited, the team isn’t ‘buying’ for a playoff run, the cap situation is tight, and there was no urgency to shed anyone in particular at this point. The Canucks moved some money and got younger on the blueline with Travis Hamonic going out to Ottawa and Travis Dermott coming in from Toronto on Sunday. Three-million dollars out with a right-shot, $1.5-million in with a lefty.

Monday they moved Tyler Motte to the New York Rangers for a fourth-round 2023 draft pick. No surprises. One might complain they didn’t get a 3rd-rounder for the 27-year-old left-shot forward, but the demand wasn’t there. He’s a depth player for the Rangers who will compete for a spot on the 4th line and on the second penalty killing unit.

Depending on the price, Motte could always sign back with Vancouver in the off-season. Keep the player in a way, gain a pick for the rental. He blocked more shots than any other forward on the Canucks roster, a function of the PK, and delivered more hits than any other forward not named JT Miller. Motte’s possession numbers were awful but he’s grinding on the fourth line against superior offensive talent.

Ultimately, considering the Covid interruptions to the roster evaluations and the mid-season arrival of President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford and General Manager Patrik Allvin, not much more could have been expected for the Vancouver Canucks.

The trade-of-JT-Miller rumours were exactly what we told you they were, over and over again for two months, completely asinine.

Whatever Conor Garland ‘chatter’ may have existed didn’t make any sense either. That’s for anyone who’s been watching him play and knows he’s 26-years-old and making $4.95-million for the next four years.

Luke Schenn, with a year remaining on an $850,000 per-season deal is an invaluable presence, a leader, and the team’s only physical intimidator. No surprise he’s still here.

The Canucks picked up former Canucks forward Brad Richardson off waivers Monday from the Calgary Flames to bring some veteran effort and leadership to the stretch drive and to replace Motte in a way, but otherwise stood pat up front. Richardson’s minimal contract expires at the end of the season.

“Brad has been here before, he’s a versatile player, the leadership he has, I thought it would help us,” Allvin said Monday. “Playing centre, wing and PK, he’s excited to come back into Vancouver again.”

The lefty tallied 44 points in 118 games with the Vancouver Canucks over two seasons starting in 2013.

Brock Boeser remains in Vancouver on his expiring Restricted Free Agent contract. The team will decide on his qualifying offer and/or his future come the off-season. Maybe now he can start focusing on playing again. He appeared distracted lately.

Management has another 18 games to continue their evaluations.

“We have some young players that are going through the stages of establishing themselves into good players, hopefully here we’ve created cap space and gotten Travis Dermott in here. Hopefully we get healthy here and continue to push,” Allvin said.

The Canucks start a four-game road swing against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.