Kesler says team told him to lie about his trade request away from Canucks
Whether you’re a fan or a player, being involved with the Vancouver Canucks can be a wild ride.
Just ask Ryan Kesler.
The former Selke Trophy winner was recently on the Spittin Chiclets Podcast where he dropped a number of eye-popping stories, including one where Canucks management reportedly told him to lie about his 2014 trade request.
“I think why the fanbase was so upset with me was because I quote, unquote, lied to them, Kesler admitted.
“Which, I lied to them because I was told by upper management and the PR people to not say that I wanted a trade… Someone leaked it, then I had media asking about it and I was like, no.
“And, they gave me this whole spiel on what to say. I mean, White [co-host Ryan Whitney], you played in Canada, you know what it’s like. They gave me this whole page on say this, this, this, this, and this. And I said it and then all of the sudden it comes out and someone said I wanted a trade.”
Rumours about Kesler wanting out of Vancouver started after the 2014 Sochi Olympics. As soon as the Michigan native returned to North America, media was questioning him about the supposed trade request.
Here were some of the answers Kesler gave to media back in February 2014.
“Completely false,” Kesler said. “I’m happy. I love my teammates. I love the city. My son was born here, my kids grew up here.
“It’s coming from our seven-game losing streak, and when you have reports that everybody not named Sedin is on the trading block, I think it stems from that,”
The 29-year-old had an injured hand at the time, and some of the rumours coming out of Sochi suggested that he was frustrated that the injury might nullify a potential trade.
“False. Hashtag Sochi Problems? I never commented to anybody that I wanted out. My heart is with this team and making the playoffs.”
The truth behind Kesler’s trade request
There weren’t many who believed Kesler’s trade request at the time. Although he wasn’t traded at the 2014 trade deadline, the centre was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks prior to the 2014 NHL Draft.
“I did ask for a trade,” Kesler said on Spittin Chiclets. “But, it was mainly…well one, I wanted to win a Cup and it was going like this in Vancouver, the good years were over and I wanted to go to a contender where I could win a cup and get that feeling like 2011 again.
“And, to be honest, I wanted to live a normal life with my family. I wanted to have them go to school and not be known as Ryan Kesler’s daughter.”
Kesler previously shed some light on the trade request scenario as well. He originally had a list of six of seven teams he wanted to be dealt to. One of those teams included the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Apparently, a deal was nearly in place to send Kesler to the Penguins at the 2014 NHL trade deadline. According to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Now, the deal included Kesler for “Brandon Sutter, two 2014 draft picks — likely a first and third — and the Canucks’ choice of defensemen Simon Despres or Brian Dumoulin.”
However, the trade fell through. As Kesler admitted in his most recent interview, he still didn’t know why the deal fell apart.
Once Jim Benning was hired, Kesler cut his list down to two teams.
“I was like, ‘Jim, I asked to get dealt last year, Kesler said in a 2021 interview. “It put me in a really bad spot the rest of the year, everybody knew I wanted out. My teammates, everyone.
“It’s not your fault, but two teams now.”
Kesler’s rocky relationship with Canucks fans
Kesler’s trade request has been known for some time. What’s new about his most recent interview is him revealing that the Canucks asked him to lie about the trade request.
Once Kesler was eventually dealt, the entire facade about him wanting to say clearly held no truth. He became an on-ice enemy and was booed nearly every time he touched the puck while wearing a Ducks jersey at Rogers Arena.
The constant booing bothered Kesler.
“When you touch the puck and you get booed every time, it definitely hurt,” Kesler said on the Kes and Juice Podcast back in 2019.
“I know it was a tough break up, but [Canucks fans will] always have a place in my heart.”
Eventually, the relationship came full circle, with Kesler receiving a standing ovation during the Sedins jersey retirement ceremony.
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