Rumours and Revelations: Hamhuis update, bike rides and shades of Patrick White

As the Canucks continue their longest road trip of the season, lets look at the stories behind the stories. It’s time for Rumours and Revelations.

Ham-hurt

Jason Botchford has news on the severity of Dan Hamhuis’ injury:

Dan Hamhuis may not require surgery, but he is still not expected to return for at least six weeks. And Benning admitted there’s a chance it could be longer, depending on how Hamhuis’s injury, believed to be a groin tear, heals.

This is going to be a huge test for the Canucks to see how they do without their most dependable d-man. Hamhuis will likely miss 15-20 games, or about a quarter of the season. With him out of the lineup, the Canucks depend more on Luca Sbisa. What worries me now is the thought that another one of their top-4 blueliners could go down with an injury. Long road trips aren’t usually a great tonic for staying healthy.

Fun in DC

Three dudes, three bikes, one White House. @BoHorvat @frankcorrado22 #Canucks pic.twitter.com/SJHB4QdQz7

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) December 1, 2014

OK, now I know that Trevor Linden is influencing this hockey team. The Canucks’ three youngest players, Bo Horvat, Frank Corrado and Nicklas Jensen went on a sightseeing bike ride through Washington, DC on Monday.

If you’re worried about them getting too tired to play on Tuesday, don’t. Horvat will only play about 10 minutes, while Jensen and Corrado will watch from the press box once again. That begs the question, why are the Canucks sitting two AHL-eligible prospects in the press box every night?

Throwing away third round picks

In case you missed it, the Canucks acquired another prospect last week. Jim Benning pulled the trigger on a minor deal that sent Alexandre Mallet and a 2016 third round pick to the New York Islanders for defenceman Andrey Pedan.

Here is Pedan’s bio, courtesy of the Canucks press release:

Pedan, 21, has played six games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season, recording three assists and 51 penalty minutes. The Moscow, Russia native played three seasons with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League before making his professional debut in 2012.13 with the New York Islanders AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers. During the 2010.11 season Pedan played for Russia at the World Junior Championships earning two points in six games and recording 25 penalty minutes.

The 6’4”, 210-pound defenceman was originally selected by the New York Islanders 63rd overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Mallet, the Canucks second round pick from only two years ago, scored just one goal last year in the AHL and is playing in the ECHL this year. He is already a bust. That’s Patrick White-like bust speed.

My issue here is that the Canucks are giving up a third round pick for a guy who has yet to establish himself as a fixture in the AHL. Sure, the Islanders may have a lot of defensive depth in their organization, but I would feel more comfortable giving up future assets for someone a bit more proven.

Hopefully Jim Benning knows something that I don’t with this one.

Is Nick Bonino still outscoring Ryan Kesler?

Bonino now has 19 PTS and +13 in 22 games. Kesler has 18 PTS and -3 in 24 games. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/ofRKc6YUyA

— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) November 29, 2014

Yes, yes he is.

Canucks on Team Canada

Canucks first round draft pick Jake Virtanen has been named to Team Canada’s selection camp roster and is expected to make Team Canada for the World Junior Championships later this month. Vancouver’s other 2014 first rounder, Jared McCann, did not make the cut. Neither did Canucks fourth rounder in 2013, Jordan Subban, despite leading all OHL defencemen in scoring.

Of course Bo Horvat will make the team, if the Canucks choose to loan him to Team Canada. At this point I think that’s a long shot.

B-Mac

Jason Botchford had an update on TSN 1040’s Barry Macdonald. B-Mac is battling depression and has been absent from the airwaves for most of the last few months. It was hoped that B-Mac would return as early as this week, but now it appears that he won’t be back until January at the earliest. In the meantime, Bob ‘the Moj’ Marjanovich will be filling-in alongside Don Taylor.

There are a lot of people that love to give the sports radio guys a hard time, myself included, but we all wish Barry Macdonald the best as he fights this disease. Get well B-Mac.

Feature Image: shesfit.com