“I’m a Canuck at heart and I’m going down with the ship. I’ll be here until they throw me out of here.”
That’s what Kevin Bieksa said during an appearance on the Hockey Night in Canada After Hours segment back in 2014 when he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks.
Four years later, Bieksa is a member of the Anaheim Ducks and that Canucks ship has been rapidly taking on water ever since the defenceman was traded in 2015. He was asked about it when speaking with reporters Wednesday ahead of a showdown with the Canucks.
“The ship has been at the bottom hasn’t it for a while? It’s been grounded,” Bieksa said with a laugh.
The Canucks haven’t won a playoff series since 2011 and are set to miss the post-season for the fourth time in five years.
When asked if he is surprised about his former team’s struggles, Bieksa replied: “I don’t know. It’s tough for me to comment. I’m not as involved anymore. I’m not following the day to day. That’s for you guys (the media) to comment on. I see where the standings are year after year and I’m sure it’s been tough for especially some of my good friends that I still have there.”
Bieksa has eight assists and 83 penalty minutes while averaging 18:01 of ice-time in 59 games this season. The Ducks, losers of three straight, sat two points out of a Western Conference playoff spot behind the Kings, Stars and Avalanche heading into Wednesday’s action.
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