Rumor: Nate Schmidt Wants To Be Traded

Nate Schmidt's time with the Vancouver Canucks may be coming to end shortly. Both David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period and Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK have reported that Schmidt has requested to be traded.

The 29-year-old defenseman struggled in his first season with the Canucks. In 54 games, he had 5 goals and 15 points, while also being a -7. These statistics were far lower than the totals he was putting up during his tenure with the Vegas Golden Knights. It is important to note that this season was an immensely difficult one for the Canucks, so perhaps that is to blame for Schmidt's down year. Regardless, it may be best for Schmidt to have a change of scenery.

Schmidt has four more seasons left on his contract. It carries a $5.95 cap hit, so some teams may be a bit nervous to take it on. Yet, when Schmidt is on his game, he is a true top-four defenseman who is capable of registering very solid point totals. In his three seasons with the Golden Knights, he had at least 30 points in each of them. However, this season provided a different narrative, so interest from other teams may be a bit lower.

If Schmidt truly wants out, the Canucks may need to get creative to trade him. Retaining some of his salary would help a deal go through.