Canucks Likely Moving On From Desharnais

The Vancouver Canucks are not going to stay quiet this season. There should be moves to make the team that is in playoff contention better. One of the moves that may come earlier is trading Vincent Desharnais who the team signed to a two-year, $2 million AAV deal in the offseason.

Elliotte Friedman said, "Vancouver is trying to find a better fit for Vincent Desharnais. It just hasn't worked out as everyone hoped." The big defender has only played 17 games this season and even with Filip Hronek injured, Desharnais appears to be the fourth option to play the right side and the eighth defenseman on the Canucks.

Desharnais has averaged just over 15 minutes per game this season when he's gotten in games. He has just two assists and is a -4, but now that Derek Forbort is back from injury and logging the most minutes on the penalty kill, it lessens Desharnais' role even further.

The Canucks won't have the hardest or the easiest time moving Desharnais' $2 million cap hit for the rest of this season and next. He has proven himself to be an NHL defenseman and he plays the right side, but it will likely be to a team that is struggling with injuries or not in contention.

Desharnais was good in Edmonton last season and is big, mean, and physical. He's a decent third pairing d-man that can come in and out of the lineup like he's done this season. It will be interesting to see where he ends up as he appears to be the odd man out in Vancouver and likely won't see much more time if the Canucks' general manager is working on finding a new home for him.

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