Schenn turned down offer from Canucks before leaving for Tampa

It seems like veteran defenseman Luke Schenn could have stayed in Vancouver. He however chose not to… 

According to Joe Smith of The Athletic , Schenn turned down a one-year offer to stay with the Canucks on July 1 in order to pursue a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After witnessing his younger brother Brayden hoisting the trophy in June with the St. Louis Blues, he became convinced he had no other choice but to play for a contender. 

“There’s no question the fire is there,” Schenn said. “When Tampa came in, (the Cup) was the first thing that crossed my mind. They were the top team in the league and obviously have extra motivation coming into next season. I haven’t had the chance to go deep in the playoffs yet, and that’s the main reason you keep going.

“I was glad to see my younger brother do it. You want it just as bad, if not more.”

He therefore agreed to a one-year, $700,000 with Tampa Bay, turning down the Canucks’ offer. 

Schenn joined the Canucks last season in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks. He started the season in the AHL, where he played  29 games including seven after the trade to Vancouver, before earning his call-up from the Canucks. He then had two assists in 18 games with Vancouver.

The 29-year-old has only played 12 playoff games in his 11-year NHL career and wanted to get the chance to play more contests in the postseason with the Bolts.