The trade deadline is on Monday and Canucks fans are either excited, terrified, or some confusing combination of the two. The Canucks could ace the trade deadline and put themselves in a good positioin to improve the team in the future. Or they could completely screw it up.
Here are six ways they could completely screw it up.
1. Canucks commit to making playoffs and become buyers
Don’t look now, but the Canucks have won two-straight games and are back in the playoff hunt!
I say, “don’t look now,” because if you looked you would see they’re still eight points out of the playoffs and still have one of the worst goal differentials in the entire NHL.
Yes, it’s still possible that the Canucks could make the playoffs, similar to how it’s still possible that Kendrick Lamar and I become best buds and go on a whirlwind tour of North America’s greatest rollercoasters.
Loading up for a playoff run would be incredibly foolish right now. The Canucks are not a piece or two from contending; they’re a whole pie away from contending. They need to acquire more ingredients and bake the damn pie.
2. Dan Hamhuis refuses to waive his no-trade clause
Hamhuis is easily the Canucks biggest trade chip and their aren’t many defencemen out there on the trade market. The Canucks could conceivably get an excellent package of picks and/or prospects and perhaps even get a bidding war going to pump up the price.
And all of that could be scuttled by Hamhuis refusing to waive his no-trade clause. It’s completely conceivable that he would do so: he’s a family man with deep roots in BC and may not want to leave his family behind for a couple months to go play elsewhere.
In fact, this may have already happened. Jason Botchford has suggested that Hamhuis’s reluctance to waive his no-trade clause may have killed a potential deal to the Chicago Blackhawks. Rumour had it they were interested in both Hamhuis and Vrbata, but trading for Andrew Ladd likely killed any potential for Vrbata to be included and their swap with the Kings for Christian Ehrhoff may have completed their search for defence.
3. Radim Vrbata injury scares off potential suitors
Vrbata has struggled mightily this season, with just 12 goals and 24 points in 57 games. Those struggles have already lowered his value as it is, but his recent injury further complicates matters and may make other teams nervous about acquiring him.
Vrbata hasn’t played since February 21st, when he scored his first goal in 15 games. He hasn’t even practiced with the Canucks since then, though he has skated on his own. He’s unlikely to return by Sunday, the Canucks last game before the trade deadline. It’s not like the Canucks would want to risk another injury to Vrbata by playing him on Sunday anyway, but as proof to potential suitors that he’s healthy, it might be worth it.
4. Jim Benning sends more prospects packing
The Hunter Shinkaruk trade has understandably made some fans nervous about what might be coming at the deadline. It seems obvious that the Canucks should be stockpiling picks and prospects as they rebuild or retool or whatever the heck it is they’re doing.
Is the writing on the wall for undersized defenceman (and Mike Gillis pick) Jordan Subban? With the Comets previous leading scorer already traded, is (Mike Gillis pick) Brendan Gaunce on his way out as well? What about (Mike Gillis pick) Cole Cassels, who has seriously struggled in his first year in the AHL?
Sure, you can imagine all sorts of deals that would legitimately make the Canucks a better team by trading one or more of these prospects, but it wouldn’t feel right scooping more water out of what is still a relatively shallow prospect pool.
5. Canucks trade for that guy
You know that guy. You hate that guy. He's the worst. And the Canucks just traded someone you like for that guy. Ugh.
6. Nothing happens
The Canucks don’t make any trades. Radim Vrbata returns to the lineup but never scores again. Dan Hamhuis gives up the game of hockey and joins a commune. All the people in Vancouver—men, women, children, babies—stop, turn towards Rogers Arena, and emit a single, monotonous, joyless, never-ending “Woooooooooooooo.”
Dogs bark frantically at the sky until the sky ceases to exist. There are no stars. There is no light.
Time freezes. Surrender to the void. All is lost. No one cares. No one knows. No one understands. All is lost. All is lost.
All is lost.
