On the Vancouver Canucks and Chris Higgins …
- Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province: Chris Higgins’ wife is from Vancouver, they had a baby in April, but his time in Vancouver is over. The Canucks sent him home as they need his roster spot.
“These are hard decisions, when you’re disrupting people’s lives,” GM Jim Benning said. “But doing what’s best for the organization, we’re going to have to make these decisions. We’ve been thinking about this for a while now.”
Canucks tried to trade him this past offseason. His no-trade clause allows him to pick eight teams he’d accept a trade to.
“I think he wants to remain playing in the NHL,” Benning said. “I talked to the agent, we’re going to try to accommodate him as much as we can.
“If we can help move him to another team and help him continue his NHL career, that’s where the focus is right now. But, I suppose, (waivers) could be the next step.”
- Bob McKenzie: Vancouver knows they must retain salary to get a trade done. A handful of teams contacted the Canucks yesterday.
- Renaud Lavoie: If Chris Higgins is traded, the Canucks are going to have to retain part of his salary. He’s under contract till the end of next year – $2.5 million this season and next.
- Elliotte Friedman: Chris Higgins agent, Matt Keator, said that he’s been given permission by the Canucks to talk to other teams about his client: “We will work together on this.” Keator added.
“There is nothing acrimonious here,” Keator said. “We understand this is part of a transition. Vancouver treated Chris very well over the years. It was a great fit. We’ll see where this goes.”
Keator confirmed that Higgins did not make a trade request. Higgins does have a partial no-trade clause, but is okay with expanding it.
On the Columbus Blue Jackets …
- Brendan Ross: If Blue Jackets prospect Sonny Milano is heading to play for London (OHL) will be known today. Sounding like there is a good chance that he does. (Milano is currently playing in the AHL with Lake Erie. 11 points in 23 games)
- Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch: (From Friday) London acquired Milano’s rights in a trade on Thursday. Friday morning Blues Jackets assistant GM Bill Zito said that Milano wasn’t going to London. London’s GM is Basil McRae, who is a very good friend of GM Jarmo Kekalainen. London is expected to make another run at the Memorial Cup this year.