Failed trade reported in Vancouver!

The Vancouver Canucks reportedly attempted to pull another trade this season to bolster their back end. According to CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks tried to trade one of their defensemen, Tyler Myers, in order to acquire another blue liner, Nikita Zaitsev of the Ottawa Senators.

The Senators have also been working the phones to get some help on the blue line. Dhaliwal explained how Ottawa looked into making the swap with the Canucks, but a huge issue emerged when the Senators were informed that Myers gets a $5 million signing bonus next July 1, which is difficult for most teams to swallow.

The insider believes the Senators demanded a sweetener in the transaction, which the Canucks weren’t willing to give up.

On top of that, some drama about Zaitsev surfaced in Ottawa at the time the rumoured trade is believed to have fallen through. It was reported how the defenseman allegedly attacked a fan online, sending messages that hinted he wanted to get physical for being parodied on Instagram.

Since, Zaitsev has been sent down to the AHL. He has suited up for just seven games this season despite carrying a $4.5 million cap hit both this year and next year. When he has been in the lineup he’s been abysmal. He was waived on Nov. 9 and cleared the next day but remained with the team as a healthy scratch, but now he plays for the Belleville Senators, where he has yet to record a point.

If the Canucks look to move Myers, they might have to wait after his bonus is paid. Once the Canucks pay him out next July, Myers will be owed just $1 million for the remainder of next season. He might be more coveted then, especially to teams looking for teams seeking blue line depth hoping to remain close to the cap minimum.