Canucks Friday Night Massacre

On Friday, the Canucks made a series of trades completely changing the identity of the team. 

First was that JT Miller, along with Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington, has been traded to the New York Rangers. Miller, who has a no-movement clause, was asked to waive by the team and did so and is on his way to the Big Apple. This move ends a months (perhaps years) long feud with Canucks star player Elias Pettersson and his five season tenure with Vancouver.

In the deal, the Canucks received Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a protected first round pick. Chytil, centre who is 25 years old, has scored 11 goals and 9 assists for 20 points in 41 games so far into the season but has a rough history with injuries. Mancini, 22, is a right handed defenseman and could fill a hole on a barren Canucks blueline. 

Then, the Canucks traded the pick acquired from the Rangers, along with Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais, and Melvin Fernström to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor.

Pettersson, not to be confused with Elias Pettersson, is a defenseman who further bolsters Vancouver’s blueline and O’Connor is a depth forward who is sure to play in the bottom six. 

It is no secret that JT Miller was a fan favourite in Vancouver, from his chants at Rogers Arena to him and his wife Natailie’s involvement in the community. But his drama with Elias Pettersson (the forward) proved to be too much of a distraction.

With these trades, Vancouver hopes these moves are enough to squeak into the playoffs come April.