Benning’s cap management worthy of criticism, but no questioning his heart
In the first edition of Trade Deadline Matchmaker, Mike Futa and Kris Versteeg each pick a player they believe would be the ‘perfect match’ for all four ‘buyers’ in the Canadian North division ahead of the trade deadline.
Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet April 9, 2021, 8:10 PM
VANCOUVER – There is a lot to criticize about how general manager Jim Benning has managed the Vancouver Canucks’ salary cap, but there is no question about the boss’ heart.
With his players struggling through a COVID-19 outbreak that has shut down the team and sickened some of their children and spouses, too, Benning said Friday it would be wrong to cause further upheaval by trying to make trades ahead of Monday’s National Hockey League deadline.
Don’t expect the Vancouver Canucks to be busy ahead of Monday’s NHL trade deadline.
Given where the Canucks sit in the standings eight points back of the final playoff spot with just 19 games left in a normal year, they would be deadline sellers. They would be expected to trade players on expiring contracts for draft picks, gearing up for next season.
But of course, this year is anything but normal, and that’s especially true for the Canucks in particular.
Ten days after discovering that COVID-19 had infiltrated their team, 25 members of the team have tested positive for the virus. They still have 19 players on the NHL’s COVID protocol list.
Pearson, 28, has six goals and five assists in 33 games with Vancouver this season, and was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in a statement that Pearson is a veteran who leads by example and provides invaluable leadership experience to our core young players.
Vancouver acquired the native of Kitchener, Ont., in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenceman Erik Gudbranson in February 2019.
Originally selected 30th by the L.A. Kings at the 2012 NHL Draft, Pearson has a career 226 points (114 goals, 112 assists) in 490 games with the Kings, Penguins and Canucks. He won a Stanley Cup with L.A. in 2014.
Originally posted on Pro Hockey Rumors | By Gavin Lee | Last updated 4/8/21
The Vancouver Canucks have maintained for the entire season that they would like to sign pending unrestricted free agent Tanner Pearson to an extension, and that finally appears to be coming true. Though no formal announcement has been made yet, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports all the details on the pending agreement. The three-year contract extension will carry an average annual value of $3.25M and is back-loaded in terms of salary structure. The deal will also include a full no-trade clause in 2021-22 and a seven-team no-trade clause in 2022-23.
Canucks sign F Tanner Pearson to three-year extension sandiegosun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sandiegosun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.