A brief word about the defenceman Canucks’ fans love to hate
I find it rather humorous how many Canuck fans want to run Kevin Bieksa out of town.
For the better part of two seasons now, Bieksa has been the whipping boy of choice for followers of the team, although, Andrew Alberts took the title for the month of April.
I've heard all the arguments a number of times. He's turnover prone. He runs around too much in his own end. He pinches at the wrong times. He doesn't play with enough urgency. He needs to fight more. Followers of my twitter account, (@sportsnetmurph,) are constantly tweeting things like, AV needs to dress Ryan Parent over Kevin Bieksa, and, Alberts has the flu! Noooo! Why couldn't it be KB3?
To all the Bieksa detractors I have one thing to say. Be careful what you wish for.
I mean I can't argue that Bieksa's worth the money he's making right now but he's certainly not the only NHLer you can say that about. Yes, I too think Bieksa should look for more fights, take fewer chances and make quicker decisions sometimes but folks, it's not like Bieksa is the team's No. 1 defenceman right now. Many times this season he hasn't even been a part of the top two pairings and if Kevin Bieksa is a team's fifth or sixth defenceman, then that team is pretty well off. Even the biggest Bieksa detractors have to admit that he has been much better this season than he was last season.
I think most people realize that Bieksa was going to be traded this past offseason until Sami Salo got hurt. It's also quite possible that Bieksa could be traded once/if Salo comes back. But if you think that a lack of depth on defence last season was a big reason why the Canucks couldn't get by the Blackhawks, then how does it make sense to trade a guy who plays in the top six?
Wouldn't you rather have Salo, Hamhuis, Edler, Ehrhoff, Bieksa, Ballard, Alberts, Rome and Parent at your disposal come playoff time? I know many of you are sick and tired of hearing the whole "right-handed shot" argument as a reason to keep the guy. But John Shorthouse and I specifically asked Rick Bowness in the summer if it was important to the power play to have a right-handed shot and he told us it was not only important, it was imperative. So until Salo comes back, the Canucks feel they can't do without Bieksa.
And I feel that even if Salo comes back better than ever, it doesn't make a lot of sense to trade Bieksa anyway.
I know he's a UFA this summer and it would be nice to get something for him instead of lose him for nothing but I also know the window to win a Cup can be very small so why not keep all hands on deck while the window is open. After all, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
