Canucks Acquire Defencemen from Sharks / Sign Mathieu Schneider
Just announced by Mike Gillis, Canucks defenseman Daniel Rahimi and forward Patrick White have just been traded to San Jose for defensemen Brad Lukowich and Christian Ehrhoff.
Both Lukowich and Ehrhoff played for the Sharks last year.
Edit: As Missy also pointed out in the comments section, the Canucks have also officially signed Mathieu Schneider. We'll have more on Ehrhoff and Lukowich soon. Big tip of the hat to Missy for posting these deals!
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Hmm...anyone see this coming?
I think it’s a decent move for both teams.
by kentcheesehead on Aug 28, 2009 11:14 AM PDT reply actions
Keeping It Teal: Why Christian Ehrhoff's Days as a San Jose Shark Are Numbered
by Andy Bensch (Columnist) Written on August 18, 2009
When the San Jose Sharks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season, the entire fan base was expecting a major tweak to the roster.
However, so far during the offseason, the majority of moves have been letting minor role players walk, signing new ones, and deciding that Patrick Marleau will no longer be captain.
Now to be fair, blowing up the roster would be a critical error in judgment by Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, and to his credit, he has kept the core group intact.
But on the same note, it is now August and nothing significantly has changed. And to borrow a line from my fellow Sharks community leader MJ Kasprzak’s question at this year’s State of the Sharks, “I go back to Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
The Sharks may just be insane to think that keeping the entire core together is the way to go after continued playoff failures.
But the “core” of the team is not limited to the big three of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, and Evgeni Nabokov. The core also includes Dan Boyle, Joe Pavelski, Milan Michalek, Devin Setoguchi, Ryane Clowe and Christian Ehrhoff.
One could argue that Rob Blake is a part of the core, but due to his age, it is appropriate to leave him out of the main core of this years Sharks team.
The true Sharks core involves the top six forwards, top two defenseman who aren’t on the cusp of retirement, and the starting goaltender. And if all nine members of that core return this season, then Shark fans shouldn’t expect much change in their fortunes.
However, the one marquee signing Wilson has made this season was thought to be a precursor to a bigger move. When the Sharks re-signed veteran defenseman Kent Huskins to a two-year deal, it appeared to many to mean the end of Christian Ehrhoff’s tenure in San Jose.
But so far this offseason, Ehrhoff is still a member of the Sharks, and the fact he has yet to be shipped out of town makes fans like myself nervous that he might remain a Shark for the upcoming season.
Fortunately for Sharks fans, Wilson has a history of letting issues play themselves out and making his moves after he has thoroughly done his research.
Therefore, with both center Torrey Mitchell and winger Brad Staubitz still needing new contracts, and with the Sharks up against the cap, it is safe to say that Ehrhoff’s days in teal are still numbered.
The Sharks defenseman has been a mainstay on the blue-line for quite some time now, as Ehrhoff has been a top-six quality defenseman since his rookie year in 2003-04. And in the last three seasons, Ehrhoff has easily been a top-four defenseman and an important part of the power play. In the last three years, Ehrhoff has registered 48 power play points.
However, Ehrhoff is owed $6.2 million over the next two seasons. And with the Sharks in need of signing the aforementioned two top-12 quality forwards, as well as being able to afford depth players, Ehrhoff appears to be the odd man out.
Essentially, unless Marleau waives his no-trade clause, the only way the Sharks can improve their roster and increase cap room without diminishing their talent level is by trading Ehrhoff.
Even if all that comes in return is draft picks, the trade has to happen, purely as a salary dump.
Despite the fact that Ehrhoff put up career point totals last season with 42, he just does not have a signature play that has endeared himself to Sharks fans. And his negative 12 plus/minus last season doesn’t help his cause.
But getting rid of his contract would enable the Sharks to resign two players in Mitchell and Staubitz, who already have signature plays in teal.
Mitchell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q44RRllsCg
Staubitz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzqk81M-1eo
Although Ehrhoff has cashed in a couple of memorable overtime-winning goals, his incessant knack for shooting the puck a mile wide, and his constant turnovers, will be what fans remember most.
Combine that with Ehrhoff’s innability to knock opposing players off the puck, and his value to the Sharks is extremely dimished. His rather lack of physicality made for his defensive partner Douglas Murray having to do the overwhelming amount of the workload defensively.
With the Sharks now having six capable defenseman without Ehrhoff, it should only be a matter of time before he is no longer with the club.
His departure, when it finally happens, will be twofold. The Sharks will then have the money to get Mitchell and Staubitz the deals they deserve, and Ehrhoff’s departure will be the major move fans have been looking for all offseason.
I like it A LOT. Ehroff is solid offensively – the man got over 40 points last year – and is just what the Canucks need. I am now very much more comfortable with our defense corps. Not sure about Lukowich – he’s kinda old now, isn’t he? But hey, the depth can’t hurt.
As for what we’re sending back, I say good riddance to Patrick White, who is developing slower than a glacier moves. Rahimi intrigued me from what I’ve read about him, but I honestly don’t know much about him. The Hockey News year book doesn’t list him amongst our Top 10 prospects (White was number) so I can live without him.
I am one happy Canucks fan today – I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like the look of our roster right now. Gillis pulls the amazing move of getting a skilled d-man into our top 4/5 without surrendering a roster player. Brilliant.
also, in canucks-defense news, Mathieu Schneider has been officially signed.
this is a good day for us.
GO CANUCKS GO!
Good moves, for sure, but given the cap issues (Ehrlich is about a $3m cap hit) … who’s gonna be dealt now?
It won’t help much to deal away the cheap $1m/yr kids, so who’s left who’s got a larger contract, will be a UFA next year anyway, and whose position could be filled replaced by, say, Hodgson or Shirokov? Doesn’t today’s news up the pressure to trade Demitra?
Er, I meant “Ehrhoff” of course.
Quick math: Ehrhoff $3.1m + Lukowich $1.7m + Schneider $1.5m = $6.3m, presuming the Schneider figure is correct. Plus Luongo to come.
Lui’s extenstion won’t count against the cap this year….or so sjkel (I think that’s the name) keeps reminding me!
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Aug 28, 2009 11:56 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I think so. Last I checked we had about 4.5 million to spare. So someone has to move….raymond, hansen? God maybe someone will take demitra and we can break the record for a collective high five
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Aug 28, 2009 12:07 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Raymond and Hansen just don’t make enough to make shedding them an option, even if we wanted to. Hansen costs, what, $550k? Raymond’s not much more.
Looking over the roster and their salaries, the obvious candidate is still Demitra. Either that, or one of our existing d-men has to go, or we ditch burrows and/or bernier etc.
Demitra looks like the guy to me. Since the Canucks situation is for all to see, the other GMs will probably drive a somewhat harder bargain, knowing that Gillis must now take draft picks and minor leaguers in return. Then again, maybe somebody really wants a good vet fw in the next coupla weeks.
I’d love to see salo go but he has the NTC, same as demo. Sadly bieksa could be the odd man out here unless luko is going to be flipped for someone else.
Amazing what a difference in a single day can be for assessing a team’s problems
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Aug 28, 2009 1:04 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I can't keep doing it myself...
But I have been over at Blueshirt Banter a couple times trying to flog Demo to the Rangers.
Gabby and his bestest bud, together again (image of the two, hand in hand, skipping through the wild flowers…)
But I can’t keep doing it myself. So, if you guys want to help, maybe we can send him there (if Slats actually reads SB Nation!!! LOL)
vancitydan
Thanks for getting this up missy. I’m stuck in a car….in the rain….with my family. Fucking kill me now.
But now I have something to play around with. So did we seriously pick up three new defensemen today? Schneider is whatever still to me but I agree with n&p….these sharks additions all for two prospects, is a great deal. White was a long reach and we all knew that.
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Aug 28, 2009 11:55 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Sharks had to shed salary so this is a good dump move for them. If white ever see’s real time in the NHL it’ll be amazing.
Hidden bonus: now sundin to vancouver is impossible.
But now gillis is over the cap (first time vancouver has been over since the lockout right?) Hooray for financial bedlam!
'Nucks Misconduct - Housing Swedish Millionaires Since 2000.
by Yankee Canuck on Aug 28, 2009 12:25 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
We now have 3 guys with a Cup ring. Good, good, gooooood times.
And best of luck to Rahimi and(sigh) Patrick White.
From what I was reading about White…he seemed unstable, indecisive and inconsistent at times.
by Sean Zandberg on Aug 29, 2009 2:01 AM PDT up reply actions






















