Jim Rutherford's explanation for losing Pius Suter has Canucks fans speechless
Canucks President Jim Rutherford revealed that the reason the team lost Pius Suter was due to a contract miscommunication, leaving fans speechless.
It's early, but depth down the middle for the Vancouver Canucks already appears unsettled. Elias Pettersson hasn't found his groove yet, and Filip Chytil is injured.
18-year-old Braeden Cootes briefly started the season in Vancouver before being returned to the WHL. Aatu Räty has been a bright spot, but he still profiles as just a third-line option, not more than that.
The reasonable salary Pius Suter agreed to with the St. Louis Blues
It all leads to one glaring question: why didn't the Canucks simply keep Pius Suter? The 29-year-old hit free agency on July 1, signing a reasonable two-year deal with the St. Louis Blues at $4.125 million per season.
In St. Louis, he's already playing heavy minutes in all situations and providing exactly what the Blues thought they were getting: a smart, reliable, versatile centre. That sounds like a player the Canucks desperately need right now.
What surprised fans even more was how Canucks President Jim Rutherford explained it recently.
Why Pius Suter walked away from the Vancouver Canucks
He admitted that the organization lost Suter because of a miscommunication over the contract term, a breakdown that ultimately pushed the player to free agency.
"There may have been miscommunication about the term."
On a team with such an obvious need down the middle, the admission left many fans speechless and very critical.
It's all the more puzzling given early reporting that Vancouver balked at projections of $4.5 million to $5 million for Suter, only to later trade for Evander Kane at a $5.125 million cap hit.
Even if they believed Kane was the better player, centre was the position of far greater need. Now Suter is thriving in St. Louis, logging more minutes than either Pettersson or Chytil. The Canucks had their solution in-house, and they let him walk.
The Vancouver centre dilemma feels self-inflicted, and Suter's early success only amplifies the regret.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 14 | 88 ANSWERS Jim Rutherford's explanation for losing Pius Suter has Canucks fans speechless Are you surprised at the reason behind the Canucks losing Pius Suter? | ||
| Yes | 59 | 67 % |
| No | 29 | 33 % |
| List of polls | ||