As we first told you about in last night’s Canucks post-game SixPack, Tom Sestito has been placed on waivers.
Sestito has been with the Canucks ever since March 1, 2013 when Mike Gillis plucked him off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers. Sestito has 11 points and 273 penalty minutes in 103 regular season games with Vancouver.
The writing appeared to be on the wall with Sestito this year. Head coach Willie Desjardins doesn’t appear to value the enforcer role like John Tortorella did. Under Torts, Sestito was an everyday NHL player. With Desjardins, Sestito is the 14th forward.
Sestito is the Canucks’ only heavyweight, but I agree with the way Desjardins has deployed his lineup. Vancouver is a 4-line team this year and Sestito is clearly below guys like Derek Dorsett, Shawn Matthias and Zack Kassian on the depth chart. Meanwhile, the Canucks need to develop their young players, meaning that Bo Horvat and Lindey Vey need to stay in the lineup on most nights.
Sestito endeared himself to Canucks fans last January when he defended Canucks captain Henrik Sedin by standing up to Kings forward Jordan Nolan.
Sestito will get an opportunity to play for another NHL team, if anyone needs an enforcer. If not, he will report to the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Utica.
Feature Image:USA Today
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