NHLer doesn’t deny nixing Canucks trade

At the start of free agency, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that Florida Panthers defenseman Jason Demers nixed a trade to the Vancouver Canucks. 

Demers, who has an eight-team no-trade list, shrugged off the rumor when talking about the situation to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. 

"That’s between my agent and me and Dale, but I’m going to camp right now a Panther,” Demers said at the BioSteel Camp in Toronto. 

“I’m going in ready for the season. I’m going to be a part of them for four more years."

Making the jump from the Dallas Stars to Florida on a five-year, $22.5-million contract he signed as a free agent in 2016, Demers is hoping the Panthers will have better luck in the upcoming season. 

“It was a failure of a season,” Demers said.

In 81 games this past season, Demers recorded nine goals and 28 points, but his minus-14 rating was the worst of his 504-game NHL career.