The Vancouver Canucks have traded veteran forward Thomas Vanek.
In return, the Canucks get back Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen in exchange for Vanek. For the entire season, Jokinen has been moving around, starting with the Edmonton Oilers, then claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Kings who dropped him back on the wire. The Blue Jackets grabbed him and now dumped him off to Vancouver in this trade.
Despite 17 goals and 41 points in 61 games this season for the Canucks, Vanek had to wait until the last minutes of the trade deadline to find his new destination.
After initially announcing he would be in their lineup Sunday night against the Arizona Coyotes, the Canucks were to sit out Vanek as protection against injury. And it was the right decision now that this deal has taken place.
Vanek is quite used to moving at the deadline as he has been on the move for the past several seasons. Last year, the veteran forward was having a better season before the deadline than he is now, and he fetched an AHLer and a third-round draft pick.
Currently in the last months of his current contract, Vanek will be used as a rental, and fans were hoping to see him go as GM Jim Benning has felt the pressure for resigning UFA-to-be Erik Gudbranson.
YOUR TRADE DEADLINE RESUME
- Trades started pouring earlier this week when the New York Rangers pulled two of their star players, Michael Grabner and Rick Nash, from the lineup Tuesday before the game against the Montreal Canadiens. Hours later, Grabner was traded to the New Jersey Devils for a second round pick as well as Devils' prospect Yegor Rykov.
- Then on Friday, the Ottawa Senators managed to trade centre Derick Brassard in a complex three-team trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins, getting the Vegas Golden Knights involved.
Saturday was less agitated on the trade market as teams seemed to be getting ready for a busy Sunday, and it was.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets acquired center Mark Letestu in a three team trade with the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators. He was traded by the Oilers to the Predators for forward Pontus Aberg. Predators general manger David Poile then flipped Letestu to the Blue Jackets in exchange for a 4th round pick.
- Then the Montreal Canadiens traded forward Tomas Plekanec to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a package of picks and prospects, retaining 50% of Plekanec's salary in the trade:
- We cannot forget how the Boston Bruins made a splash on the trade market, acquiring star forward Rick Nash from the New York Rangers. The Rangers acquire Ryan Spooner, Matt Beleskey, prospect Ryan Lindgren a 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick in exchange for Nash.
- The day closed off with the Predators again, who acquired forward Brandon Bollig and goaltender Troy Grosenick from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the upcoming 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
- There was also 12 names, including the ones of Sens’ Johnny Oduya and Alex Burrows who landed on the waiver wire.
- This morning, veteran defenseman Ian Cole was on the move again. After getting moved from the Penguins to the Senators, Cole ended up with the Columbus Blue Jackets for prospect winger Nick Moutrey and a third round pick in 2020.
- The Hawks traded forward Ryan Hartman to the Nashville Predators.
- There was also a minor trade between the Coyotes and the Blue Jackets: Columbus acquired Ryan Kujawinski and Carter Camper from Arizona for centre Jordan Maletta.
- The biggest move so far wasEvander Kane heading to the San Jose Sharksfor a conditional first round pick (lottery protected) a prospect, and a conditional fourth rounder.
- There was also a minor move as the Anaheim Ducks have acquired veteran forward Jason Chimera from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Chris Wagner.
