Category Archives: Canuck Players

Canuck Players, Hockey News

Canucks’ Vrbata on his struggles: ‘We could be here a while’

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Radim Vrbata will return to the Vancouver Canucks lineup Monday in Los Angeles, but you could forgive him for wanting the season to be over already.

The 34-year-old hasn't played since Feb. 21 due to a groin injury, and has only 12 goals and 12 assists in 57 games. It's been a nightmare few months, a season removed from scoring 31 goals.

Vrbata will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and he's got the remainder of his season to up his value. He wasn't moved at the trade deadline, which means suitors won't likely be banging on his door on July 1.

Asked by the Vancouver Province's Ben Kuzma how tough the season has been, Vrbata was honest.

"We could be here a while," he said.

"It's been frustrating and there's not just one thing you could pinpoint and if not the most frustrating season, it's certainly one near the top."

Vrbata's a veteran. He broke into the league in 2001 and has 258 goals and 293 assists in 928 regular-season games over his career.

"To score goals in this league you need to have guys around you who are clicking," Vrbata said. "There aren’t too many guys who can do it on their own."

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Canuck News, Canuck Players, Canuck Prospects, Canucks, Hockey News, Trades

Canucks, Hurricanes make minor trade

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What trade deadline?

Vancouver and Carolina made a minor deal Monday, the Canucks sending forward Dane Fox to the Hurricanes for future considerations.

Fox has spent the majority of the season in the East Coast Hockey League, with Kalamazoo, where he has a team-leading 26 goals and 50 points, but he's moving on up to the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers.

The 22-year-old was an undrafted free-agent signing of the Canucks in 2013. He's 6-feet tall and weighs 188 pounds. He had 30 goals in his first ECHL season, after scoring 64 goals in 67 games in his final season of junior hockey.

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Boedker, Canuck Players, Canucks, Drouin, Eriksson, Flyers, Hamhuis, Hockey News, Leafs, McGinn, Red Wings, Rumors, Russell, Stars, Trade Rumors

NHL Rumor Mill (Trade Deadline Edition) – February 29, 2016

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It’s NHL Trade Deadline Day. Check out the latest noable trade rumors and speculations.   THE NHL TRADE DEADLINE IS 3 PM ET TODAY.  LIST OF POTENTIAL TRADE CANDIDATES. NJ.com: presents a list of the top-25 players who could be on the trade block today. Among the notables are the usual suspects (Boston Bruins right wing […]
Canuck Players, Canucks, Hockey News

Bartkowski’s career night helps snap Sens’ streak

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How do you get the best out of Matt Bartkowski? Tell him he might be traded.

One day after it was reported that the Vancouver Canucks had named him as one of seven players available at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old went off for a career-best, three-point night - scoring two goals and adding an assist - in a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Bartkowski picked up a point on the first three Canucks goals, and after his second goal knotted the score at three apiece, the team's Twitter account couldn't help but acknowledge the man keeping them in the game.

"I probably have like eight voicemails from my mom," Bartkowski said post-game about his proud mother, who gained fame watching her son score live during a game earlier in the month. "You're lucky she wasn't here or everyone would have heard her tonight."

Bartkowski now has five goals and 11 assists in 59 games this season.

Emerson Etem also had a two-goal game, adding an empty-netter in the final minute to clinch the win. Jake Virtanen scored the game-winner during a third-period power play, and Ryan Miller made 27 saves to pick up his second consecutive win.

As for the Senators, they saw their four-game winning streak come to an end as they hope to make yet another late-season push for the playoffs. Star forwards Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan all found the net for Ottawa.

The Canucks have one more game before the trade deadline, as they host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Senators will finish their three-game Western Canadian road trip against the Calgary Flames on Friday.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canuck News, Canuck Players, Trades

What Return Can The Canucks Expect From Kesler Trade

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The draft and free agency is quickly approaching and the Canucks have to make some decisions not the least of which is what to do with Ryan Kesler.

So it is apparent that the Canucks need to trade Kesler. There is no choice in my opinion the trade needs to happen so what can the Canucks expect to get in return for the veteran center?

Here are the positives that make Kesler attractive to other teams around the league.

He has some grit to his game
Tremendous speed
Excellent shot
Great penalty killer
Lots of heart – wants to win!
Playoff Success
Career high 41 goals in 2010-11
Career high 75 points in 2009-10
Good size 6′ 2″ 202lbs
Signed for 2 years at 5 million as season

In my opinion in 2010-11 Kesler demonstrated what kind of dominate player he can be in the series against Nashville where he was the main reason the Canucks won the series.

The Canucks should be looking for at least a roster player, a prospect and a first round pick in a trade.

I believe the return for Kesler will be at its highest point during this off season. Canucks have a history of making mistakes by not making a trade when the value is high… I hope they do not make a similar one here.

Canuck News, Canuck Players

Canucks Parting Ways With David Booth?

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The rumours have been circulating for two seasons and now it appears the Vancouver Canucks are finally cutting their ties with forward David Booth.

The Canucks placed Booth on conditional waivers on Tuesday for the purpose of a buyout. David Booth has one year left on his contract at a $4.25 million cap hit which the Canucks management feel could be better spent elsewhere.

After a very poor start Booth finished with nine goals and 10 assists in 66 games this past season.

Booth never seemed to fit in to the Canucks plans. Booth worked hard and had a lot of bad luck with injuries and just never got on a roll. I understand the thought process behind the buyout but I wonder if Booth was finally ready to bust loose.

Hard to say. Good luck Booth on the next chapter of your NHL Career. We wish you the best and thank you for the efforts you gave us. I only wish things could have been better for everyone!

Canuck News, Canuck Players, Trades

Does Ryan Kesler Want Out Of Vancouver?

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I am wondering how true the reports of Kesler requesting a trade are.

Ryan Kesler has been a main stay down the middle of the ice in Vancouver since 2003. Almost every year Ryan has shown improvement and the desire to win in Vancouver and his apparent decision to leave was almost unfathomable three years ago. The loss in the Stanley Cup finals really seems to have wounded the Canucks plyers psyche deeply. Remember how lights out Kesler was against the Preditors during that run so you can only imagine how pained Kesler was with that loss. He took it personally for sure!

What seems like out of the blue, last year reports after the Olympics stated Kesler wanted out of Vancouver. I can’t believe that the reporters are inaccurate in their reporting but I wonder where everything went wrong. I know the addition of Torts as the GM caused a rift with management but with the changes I would have thought Kesler would give the Canucks a chance to correct the errors of the past.

I am not sure trading Kesler is the right move to make. That being said, if he wants out, then we must do everything in our power to move him quickly. We do not want another circus around this team for yet another year.

Hopefully the reports that Kesler wants out is false, but if not, the Canuck management team must move quickly to make a good hockey deal.