Nine years ago, the prospect of Steven Stamkos signing in Vancouver got pulses racing.
Now, the mere suggestion that the aging and struggling Nashville Predators veteran could be a trade fix here is a real head-scratcher.
Yes, the Canucks desperately need to prop up their centre situation, but a 35-year-old, who’s playing more wing than the middle for the Nashville Predators and has but one goal in 14 games, is not the answer. Either is two more years remaining on his contract at US$8 million in annual average value.
Am I missing something? I know it’s already trending into SOS (Save Our Season) desperation here amid an alarming injury total that hit nine, but come on. The Predators would have to eat salary and the Canucks would have to part with something of significance.
I get the Montreal Canadiens’ supposed interest in Stamkos to some degree. They’re looking like a playoff club and with winger Patrik Laine sidelined three to four months following abdominal surgery Oct. 25. So making a trade play and hoping a change of scenery lights a competitive fire in Stamkos would be prudent.
If the Habs were scouting Stamkos on Monday they wouldn’t like what they saw. He had no points and no shots, three attempts missed the mark and two others were blocked. And he committed three turnovers in 17:50 of ice time. But he did win 74 per cent of his draws (7-for-11), so that’s something.
Canucks left winger Drew O’Connor shoots puck past Predators forward Steven Stamkos on Monday night.
As for the Vancouver and Stamkos history, let’s go back. Way back.
In 2016, former Canucks general manager Jim Benning was so excited as free agency approached that he let it be known on the local sports-talk airwaves. And not just Stamkos, he was also talking about trading for P.K. Subban.
Benning was fined $50,000 for saying on TEAM 1040 that he called Montreal about a potential deal for Subban. He also stated that he planned to reach out to Stamkos.
The NHL was not impressed and called his boisterous bravado a violation of league bylaws. Benning apologized.
“I was trying to be candid with our fans and media about our efforts to improve our team, but said too much about players on other teams,” said Benning. “I have spoken personally to the NHL and the general managers involved to apologize and I accept the league’s ruling.”
Benning’s enthusiastic miss-step for a quick fix to prop up his lineup was understandable.
Stamkos was 25 and already had 40, 50 and 60-goal seasons in Tampa Bay and stayed put with an eight-year, $68 million extension. Subban was 26 and entering his prime as a big and effective blueliner with the Canadiens. He had 15 goals and 60 points in 2014-15.
The Canucks were not only coming off a horrible 2015-16 season in which they had just 75 points — 13 points shy of the final Western Conference playoff position after amassing 101 points and making the playoffs the previous campaign — they were also getting old.
Henrik and Daniel Sedin, plus Alex Burrows and Radim Vrbata were 34. Chris Higgins and Dan Hamhuis were 32.
Fast forward and the predicament for current Canucks GM Patrik Allvin is complicated. He’s been searching for a support centre since the summer and many of his colleagues are doing the same. Then it got tougher.
Losing centres Filip Chytil (concussion) and Teddy Blueger (knee) crippled the club offensively and structurally. Blueger is a key cog in the penalty kill that’s not nearly as effective as last season when it ranked third overall. Losing Pius Suter to free agency didn’t help and the PK has plummeted to 26th.
So, what is Allvin supposed to do? The message from above never changes.
It’s always about making the playoffs here and a re-tool on the fly to prop up that quest might resonate with ownership. But never a rebuild. However, the uncertainty of Quinn Hughes’ playing future, especially if the Canucks are poorly positioned at the trade deadline, could factor into franchise direction.
Evander Kane, Kiefer Sherwood and Blueger are unrestricted free agents after this season. Kane and Blueger could help a playoff-bound team, and Sherwood’s asking price here in an extension will keep climbing if he keeps playing well.
The Canucks have a lot of tough decisions to make. One is easy. Pass on Stamkos.
bkuzma@postmedia.com