Canucks Throw in the Towel

To say the Canucks have under-achieved this season would be an understatement. After GM Travis Fleming once again traded draft picks and prospects to bolster his line-up and take another run at the Stanley Cup, Vancouver has spent the entire season at the bottom of the standings.

It's not just the Canucks who are baffled at how their season has unfolded. Many around the league are wondering how a team that consists of the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Shea Weber and Tuukka Rask can't seem to get themselves into the playoff race. 

But that's sports. It's impossible to predict.

Following an overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, word out of Vancouver is that Fleming has decided to call it quits on the season. The source of these rumours? Well, Fleming's plans for the team were made pretty clear when he blew past the media after the game, went through a door and the second it closed screamed "Trade them all!" loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I don't think any of us expected to be in this situation at the start of the season," said captain Shea Weber after the game. "We went into this season believing we had a real shot at a championship. I think all of us are pretty disappointed with how we've played. Obviously none of us want to be traded, but given the situation it's understandable if some guys end up being moved. They need to do what's best for the future of the team."

The obvious candidates to be traded are any pending unrestricted free agents. That includes Weber, Kris Letang, Rick Nash, Justin Williams and Jason Chimera. Reports indicate that the team plans on resigning Ovechkin and Rask, and those two will be remaining with the Canucks for now.

The two most sought after players that could be put on the block are Ryan O'Reilly and John Carlson. The pending restricted free agents are also said to be on their way out as Fleming looks to clean house and start building a younger core. The team is apparently looking for a hefty return for two players right in the middle of their prime.

Fans in Vancouver have gotten pretty used to winning. The Canucks have made the playoffs every year since the EHE began, making it to the Gretzky Conference finals the last two seasons. It will be interesting to see how they react to a rebuild.

Either way, it looks like it's the dawn of a new era in Vancouver.