[Report] Canucks Attempting To Move F Christopher Higgins

[stawns]

58 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

Considering how deep this draft is looking, I'd be pretty happy if we could send Higgins to to Columbus in exchange for ensuring that we get the 2nd that we received from the Torts contract, this year!

Benning said going into last years "deep draft" that he thought this year would actually be even better. Considering the performance of the undrafted group at the Worlds, I'm thinking he was right!

If we could turn Higgins, Hamhuis, and Vrbata us having 5 picks in the top 60 this year, I think we'd be looking at a really bright future for our prospect cupboard over the next few years.

I think as we get down to the deadline, Vrbata could be worth a late 1st round to either Montreal or Florida, and that Hamhuis could be worth the same for any of the other top teams who need some good depth for a deep playoff run. Maybe Washington or the Islanders.

Imagine hitting the draft with 3 of the top 30 picks! Would be awesome. Especially when we win the lottery and get the 1st overall!!!

 

Doubtful that hamhuis is a viable trade option anymore.  No one is going to give up much for him and his value to the paper thin Canucks dcorp probably outweighs his trade value.

[TU90]

19 minutes ago, Nicklas Bo Hunter said:

idk if higgins can be waived with an ntc

They've already stated he's going to be waived and will report if no trades are found.

[Nicklas Bo Hunter]

1 minute ago, TU90 said:

They've already stated he's going to be waived and will report if no trades are found.

seems weird to announce but ok lol.

[DeNiro]

34 minutes ago, TU90 said:

Higgins isn't going to be traded. If any team wants him they'll wait for him to be waived.

He'll go down to Utica and be a leader, not such a bad thing.

The whole idea is that teams can get him now at a reduced salary. If they claim him on waivers they'll be stuck with his whole 2.5 million dollar cap hit.

[WHL rocks]

42 minutes ago, Provost said:

Ha, I was just coming on to post the exact same thing!

We don't get hurt by the retained cap hit for Higgins (or much of it) next year when it matters and a contender gets two solid players for a cheap price this year.

A contending team isn't going to want to take on Higgins' $2.5 mill cap hit next year, it they're contending this year they will likely contend next year. 

Only way this works is if Canucks retain upto 50% on Higgins' salary this year and next. Most likely nothing will happen this week, Higgins will get waived and go to Utica as Canucks have roster issues in a few days when Hansen comes back. 

It's more likely a trade will happen at the trade deadline. 

[Gaudette Celly]

23 minutes ago, Nicklas Bo Hunter said:

idk if higgins can be waived with an ntc

He has an NTC, not NMC.  And it's pretty much moot now, as he'd likely take a trade anywhere rather than go down to the minors.  His agent is also active talking to teams trying to expedite.

 

1 minute ago, DeNiro said:

The whole idea is that teams can get him now at a reduced salary. If they claim him on waivers they'll be stuck with his whole 2.5 million dollar cap hit.

'Zackly.  Come 'n get him, Higgy fans!

[higgyfan]

11 minutes ago, WHL rocks said:

A contending team isn't going to want to take on Higgins' $2.5 mill cap hit next year, it they're contending this year they will likely contend next year. 

Only way this works is if Canucks retain upto 50% on Higgins' salary this year and next. Most likely nothing will happen this week, Higgins will get waived and go to Utica as Canucks have roster issues in a few days when Hansen comes back. 

It's more likely a trade will happen at the trade deadline. 

Wouldn't it be less $ if they buy him out?  I would think the penalty is less than 50%, but don't know for sure.

[on the cycle]

2 hours ago, Canuck Surfer said:

As much as Rychel has asked for a trade...

They are in last place and he is a hot prospect.  My own guess is they will try and make amends? 

How about retaining the max on Hamhuis and some as necessary on Vrbata;

To NYI: Higgins, rights to Hamhuis (injured), Vrbata

To Van: Hamonic, Mayfield.

NYI go on a run?

And Boom, our right side D is suddenly set!

you would have to retain part of all those salaries. Retain the max for Vrbata and Hamhuis but none for Higgins. 

[The Lock]

1 hour ago, WHL rocks said:

Who cares about how you wanna justify it to yourself.  That's completely irrelevant.

The fact is you need to suck for several years and accumulate top end prospects.  Some of them will turn out some won't. Then it takes many years to develop those prospects.

 Looking at 7 to 10 years.

Say what you want about me "justifying" stuff, the new changes make tanking unfeasible anyway as Toews said in his reply to me.

The real truth is you just need good players. These players can come from the beginning of the draft, the end of the draft, through trades, through signing.... through various sources and not just at the beginning of the draft. In order to succeed, you need a good team and tanking doesn't necessarily bring that. As you said, some players work out while others don't. All of the teams that have won cups in the past 10 years didn't just have players from the beginning of the draft, in fact, their cogs and wheels have arguably been players from the later rounds.

[Provost]

20 minutes ago, WHL rocks said:

A contending team isn't going to want to take on Higgins' $2.5 mill cap hit next year, it they're contending this year they will likely contend next year. 

Only way this works is if Canucks retain upto 50% on Higgins' salary this year and next. Most likely nothing will happen this week, Higgins will get waived and go to Utica as Canucks have roster issues in a few days when Hansen comes back. 

It's more likely a trade will happen at the trade deadline. 

Not true at all, there are teams with lots of different salaries coming off the books where $2.0-2.5 for a 3rd liner isn't a big deal.

Teams will also give up a lot to improve their chances this season.  Adding Vrbata as a 2nd line scorer and Higgins as a 4th line depth player for a run this season... both for under $5 million total can be a be a game changed for a team with aspirations.

If he can't back on the horse in a new situation and as he comes off injuries, they waive him or buy him out.

[VegasCanuck]

33 minutes ago, stawns said:

Doubtful that hamhuis is a viable trade option anymore.  No one is going to give up much for him and his value to the paper thin Canucks dcorp probably outweighs his trade value.

I think you are devaluing what he provides. I can't find a link to the article, but before he got injured, they were giving up less goals and attempts on goal when Hamhuis was on the ice compared to any of their other defense. He's still a solid defenseman in this league and a top 4 on most teams in this league.

 

[Gurn]

Hamhuis has experience at the highest levels of hockey, made it to the SC Finals and won a gold medal. Valuable experience and still a 2-3 defencemance level of play this year. May have a couple of bounce back years left as well.

[aGENT]

3 minutes ago, gurn said:

Hamhuis has experience at the highest levels of hockey, made it to the SC Finals and won a gold medal. Valuable experience and still a 2-3 defencemance level of play this year. May have a couple of bounce back years left as well.

Particularly on a better, deeper team.

[stawns]

15 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

I think you are devaluing what he provides. I can't find a link to the article, but before he got injured, they were giving up less goals and attempts on goal when Hamhuis was on the ice compared to any of their other defense. He's still a solid defenseman in this league and a top 4 on most teams in this league.

 

I'm not talking about his game, I love the way Hammer plays.  The fact is he is "at least a month away" which puts him coming back right on top of the deadline.  I have serious doubts about that month timeline considering he just got the ability to eat solid food back.  He will have lost serious muscle mass and conditioning and to think a team is going to see much value in him is unlikely.  I can't see a team giving more than a 4th rounder for him in that condition......in which case, they are better off keeping him

[WHL rocks]

11 minutes ago, Provost said:

Not true at all, there are teams with lots of different salaries coming off the books where $2.0-2.5 for a 3rd liner isn't a big deal.

Teams will also give up a lot to improve their chances this season.  Adding Vrbata as a 2nd line scorer and Higgins as a 4th line depth player for a run this season... both for under $5 million total can be a be a game changed for a team with aspirations.

If he can't back on the horse in a new situation and as he comes off injuries, they waive him or buy him out.

Vrbata is a playoff no show. Canucks would be good to get a 2nd for him, he's not a player who you can package a salary dump with.

Canucks have been trying to trade Higgins with eating salary since the summer, still can't find a partner, it would be shocking that all of a sudden a team is willing to take Higgins just because we're giving them Vrbata at half price.

If this happens kudos to you but I wouldn't hold my breath. 

Higgins is Utica bound unless his agent works some serious magic. Perhaps another player at a good price later to take on Higgins now. 

 

 

[aGENT]

10 minutes ago, stawns said:

I'm not talking about his game, I love the way Hammer plays.  The fact is he is "at least a month away" which puts him coming back right on top of the deadline.  I have serious doubts about that month timeline considering he just got the ability to eat solid food back.  He will have lost serious muscle mass and conditioning and to think a team is going to see much value in him is unlikely.  I can't see a team giving more than a 4th rounder for him in that condition......in which case, they are better off keeping him

He reportedly lost 10 pounds, half of which he has now gained back. Again, reportedly. 

He's training, skating and working out now. Yes his timing etc will be a bit off when he initially gets back but I don't think he'll have fallen off a cliff.

In fact, given he injury history, trouble with his groin etc he's had in recent years, this time off might have actually served him well 

[Gaudette Celly]

12 minutes ago, stawns said:

I'm not talking about his game, I love the way Hammer plays.  The fact is he is "at least a month away" which puts him coming back right on top of the deadline.  I have serious doubts about that month timeline considering he just got the ability to eat solid food back.  He will have lost serious muscle mass and conditioning and to think a team is going to see much value in him is unlikely.  I can't see a team giving more than a 4th rounder for him in that condition......in which case, they are better off keeping him

A facial injury has far less impact on conditioning than any bodily injury.  He lost 10lbs but reportedly has already gained half of that back.

[Boudrias]

17 minutes ago, gurn said:

Hamhuis has experience at the highest levels of hockey, made it to the SC Finals and won a gold medal. Valuable experience and still a 2-3 defencemance level of play this year. May have a couple of bounce back years left as well.

Biggest mistake the Canucks ever made was letting Willie Mitchell walk. Gillis was nervous about his concussion risk but Willie went on to 2 CUPs in LA and now is guiding Florida's young d-core towards contention. I always thought Willie advocated for a defense first game pan that was not fully appreciated by AV and Gillis.   

[goblix]

20 minutes ago, WHL rocks said:

Vrbata is a playoff no show. Canucks would be good to get a 2nd for him, he's not a player who you can package a salary dump with.

Canucks have been trying to trade Higgins with eating salary since the summer, still can't find a partner, it would be shocking that all of a sudden a team is willing to take Higgins just because we're giving them Vrbata at half price.

If this happens kudos to you but I wouldn't hold my breath. 

Higgins is Utica bound unless his agent works some serious magic. Perhaps another player at a good price later to take on Higgins now. 

 

 

You say this, but if that is the case and based on their logic now in scratching Higgins to prevent injury he should've been scratched on day 1. 

ah k fair enough found the article.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/07/09/canucks-summer-summit-yes-it-could-have-been-miller-gone-if-benning-believed-in-lack/

Quote

"In it, Linden revealed several tidbits, including his pitch that the Canucks have been trying to trade Chris Higgins but have found they cannot move his contract."

To me Higgins half a year in with very little production isn't very appealing. But maybe early in the year they weren't willing to retain salary which can change a ton in a trade

[VegasCanuck]

14 minutes ago, goblix said:

To me Higgins half a year in with very little production isn't very appealing. But maybe early in the year they weren't willing to retain salary which can change a ton in a trade

Too bad you can't trade retained salary cap hit. Considering some teams may struggle to reach the salary floor, this might actually work for teams like the Rangers and Canucks etc.