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Did the Vancouver Canucks Botch Player Development?
Ben Kuzma of The Provence: As Shark Week ends, it seems appropriate that sharks are circling the water. No, that would be agents err one agent and is dismay over player development. This involves the Vancouver Canucks and Michael DiPietro.
‘A lot of players wouldn’t even be able to endure the lack of attention that maybe the organization had given to him.’
This is from Darren Ferris, the agent of DiPietro. The goaltender was taken with the 64th pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Now, 23, the goalie and his agent have had enough. The Canucks gave permission to broker a trade but with options so few and far between, options are limited.
COVID forced DiPietro to basically lose an entire season along with the Canadian quarantining rules. However, the goalie’s first NHL experience was playing a loaded San Jose Sharks team because of injury. Then, there was playing in Utica and then Abbotsford.
The teams in front of the goalie were not that good and worse, the depth chart now is so stacked in Vancouver’s system. It’s not the first time a player fell through the cracks but this looks like a gaping hole.
How NHL Trades Impacted The Vancouver Canucks?
Thomas Drance of The Athletic: The Calgary Flames sign then trade of Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for MacKenzie Weegar and Jonathan Huberdeau changed a lot of constructs. Yes. Brad Treliving salvage something out of nothing. However, consider that both Johnny Gaudreau and Tkachuk left town.
Again, Vancouver is seeing this now with the slow play that is the J.T. Miller situation. Just wait until the potentially more combustible Elias Pettersson negotiations starting next summer. With Josh Norris and Robert Thomas signing extensions, Pettersson’s agent must be seeing dollar signs.
Does Vancouver learn their lessons here? That may be the question. Pettersson appears back to his good form and expects to have an excellent season. Scoring forwards like this are tricky. The Canucks must be smart. After all, the winger market has softened.
Goaltending depth is good but defense is another story for Vancouver. However, before they get there, the Canucks have the Miller and then Pettersson issue to tackle.