Report: Canucks top prospect demanded trade

In case you missed it, the Vancouver Canucks have traded top prospect Jonathan Dahlen to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Linus Karlsson earlier today.

TRADE: #Canucks acquire Linus Karlsson from the Sharks in exchange for Jonathan Dahlen. Trade Deadline coverage presented by @ToyotaBC. https://t.co/KvfkMUKEGj
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) February 25, 2019

Dahlen, of course, was acquired by the Canucks from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Alex Burrows at the 2017 trade deadline and he’s good friends with Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson, prompting some fans to wonder why the 21 year old Dahlen was shipped out so quickly.

In discussing his deadline moves, Canucks GM Jim Benning addressed the Dahlen trade and admitted that Dahlen himself had requested a trade. Benning, happy with the offer he received from Sharks GM Doug Wilson, was happy to oblige.

Benning: "(Linus) Karlsson is a player our scouts like and we looked at drafting. With Dahlen, we signed him and in Utica he's been up and down in development. We like the player we were getting back. Dahlen's agent asked if we could trade him. This is a lateral move." #Canucks
— Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) February 25, 2019

Well then… so long Jonny Boy.

Benning would go on to say, "Sometimes younger players don't want to pay their dues."

Read below for the full press release announcement of this deal, courtesy of the Canucks’ website:

Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has acquired forward Linus Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Jonathan Dahlen.

Karlsson, 19, has registered 17 points (4-13-17) in 48 games for Karlskrona HK in the Allsvenskan. In 2017.18, Karlsson registered 27 goals and 25 assists (27-25-52) in 42 games for Karlskrona Junior in the SuperElit league. He tied for the league lead in goals and finished tied for second in points en route to being named the league's top player.