The Vancouver Canucks have traded tough guy veteran Darcy Hordichuk to the Florida Panthers for tough guy Andrew Peters on Wednesday.
Hordichuk, 30, had requested the trade from GM Mike Gillis as his NHL ice time was looking bleak. Gills waived the fourth line agitator on Saturday, and pledged to try and find him a job.
“This is real good news for me,” Hordichuk said. “I am excited to get a chance to go back out there and continue to do what I do best."
“At this time of the year it's often tough make a trade, especially with the cap and me on a one-way (contract). This is definitely an opportunity for me to show why I have been in this league for a while. They have a lot of young guys out there and I think it is a great situation for me.”
In his three years with the Cancuks, Darcy has collected 5 goals for 7 points and 251 penalty minutes in 129 NHL games. In 431 NHL games, he has registered 33 points (18-15-33) and 998 penalty minutes. Florida is familiar territory for the Kamsack, SK native as he played 60 games with the Panthers between 2002 and 2004 before the lockout. After two years with the Nashville Predators, he was signed by Vancouver as a free agent July 1, 2008.Hordichuk is a high character, hard working player and will bring size and grit to the Panthers’ roster.
The player coming back to the Canucks in the trade is 30 year-old Andrew Peters. Peters played in 29 games with the New Jersey Devils in 2009-10, collecting 93 penalty minutes and 29 hits with no points.
Peters’ contract had been bought out over the summer by the Devils, and he was signed by the Panthers to a one-year, two way contract. Shortly thereafter Peters was waived, and cleared waivers, and is now expected to play with Manitoba of the AHL.
“I was under the impression they liked what I did, they liked what I brought to the team in terms of personality, in terms of energy,” Peters said. “I like Florida, I like organization. It seemed like a perfect fit for a guy that might have to go up and down. I thought I did everything Florida wanted.”
“I talked to Dale (Tallon, the Panthers general manager) and I thanked him for the opportunity,” Peters said.
“I have no animosity.” He went on, “I knew there was a better than good chance that I’d be in the minors, I just didn’t think on my first day in the minors I’d get traded.”
In 229 NHL games split with the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils, the St. Catherines, ON native has collected 4 goals for 7 points and 650 penalty minutes. The 6’4”, 247 lbs. left wing was originally selected 34th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
Peters’ repertoire is more of a goon type player, that doesn’t possess any real scoring or skating ability, but will defend his teammates and fight at any opportunity given.
It was the second trade in two days for the Canucks as they continue to shuffle players to be a more salary cap efficient team. Peters is set to collect $500,000 this year, but being in the minors negates the cap hit. Darcy Hordichuk has a cap hit of $775,000 with a take home of $800,000 for the 2010-11 season. Essentially, Vancouver has relinquished themselves of $775,000 through the trade, but expect more moves to come.
- Kendall Grubbs
No comments:
Post a Comment