The day the Vancouver Canucks lost shut-down defender Willie Mitchell to the L.A. Kings wasn't such a bad one for the team. Not when you consider that they added what could be an important piece of their Stanley Cup seeking puzzle for 2010-2011 by signing unrestricted free agent Raffi Torres.
The 28-year-old forward plays with edge and at 6' and 218 pounds has enough size to agitate defenders and fight for space in front of the net. He is not expected to get into the top six forwards but Torres can score and last season, split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, he did so19 times, all with Columbus (only 5 assists in 14 late season games with Buffalo).
Torres has also played with the New York Islanders, who drafted him fifth overall in the 2000 junior entry draft, and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers, with whom he scored 67 of his 98 NHL goals (in a total of 432 NHL games) traded Torres to Columbus in July of 2008 for Gilbert Brule. He played in the 2006 Stanley Cup final with Edmonton.
Former NHL First-Rounder Torres Came at a Good Cap Price for Canucks
Vancouver must spend carefully after adding two tremendous, relatively high-priced blue line players this summer in B.C. native Dan Hamhuis, signed as a free-agent, and Ketih Ballard, obtained in a deal with the Florida Panthers for Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier and the Canucks first-round 2010 pick (25th overall). Torres came relatively cheap as they got the UFA for only $1 million U.S. in a one-year deal.
Canucks G.M. Mike Gillis has had a busy off-season. Besides Torres, Hamhuis and Ballard he also grabbed free-agent Manny Malhotra, one of the league's better defensive forwards and a stud in the face-off circle, Jeff Tambellini, Victor Oreskovich, Joel Perrault and Aaron Volpatti.
There has been speculation Gillis will deal defender Kevin Bieska to create cap space but if he keep him the Canucks will have one of the strongest and deepest rearguards in the NHL with Hamhuis, Ballard, Bieska, Christian Ehrhoff, Alexander Edler, Shane O'Brien, Sami Salo, Andrew Alberts, Nolan Baumgartner and Aaron Rome. Salo is injured and will miss up to four months.
Gillis Feels Vancouver Now a City NHL Players Want to Come Play in
With the Torres signing the trend of NHL players choosing Vancouver for the lifestyle and quality of the team continues. "I think word's going around the league that it's a good place to play in Vancouver," G.M. Mike Gillis said in July. "We are trying to win and I think players that are really high character, high quality people want to be in an environment where you are trying to win and I think that's coming through loud and clear."
Luongo May Give up 'C' and Just Be Goalie
Finally there is speculation a meeting between Gillis and gold-medal goalie Roberto Luongo, coming before the start of training camp in Penticton on Sept. 12, will include talk of Luongo relinquishing the captaincy. Luongo became the first modern-era goalie to be named captain two years ago but with mixed results as his play has fallen off and at times he expressed frustration with talking with the media.
“We decided to wait until I see him in September,” said Gillis, who at one point was going to meet with his Captain in July. “We’re going to have a discussion about it and see where he’s at. It’s going to be a combination of input.”
If Luongo does give up the captaincy the obvious choice to take the post would be the 2010 Hart Trophy and Art Ross winner Henrik Sedin, who is currently an assistant captain along with Ryan Kesler. The other Canuck assistant captain last season was new L.A. King Willie Mitchell.
See also:
Mitchell Signs: King Willie Mitchell
All-time NHL Highest Scoring Families
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