After months of speculation as to just how the Vancouver Canucks would get under the cap and which defenseman of the 20 the Canucks had on the team would be traded, the proverbial axe finally fell on Shane O'Brien and his $1,600,000 salary. On Tuesday, O'Brien and Dan Gendur were sent to the Nashville Predators for fellow blueliner Ryan Parent and Jonas Andersson.
Kevin Bieksa must be sighing a breath of relief, although he should take note that this move merely serves as a vote of confidence for Andrew Alberts at the expense of O'Brien on the part of Canucks management as the two were reportedly battling it out for the much sought-out right to call themselves the team's fringe defenseman for the year.
O'Brien will never be confused for a star, but he did seem to understand his role of having to drop the gloves once in a while. Now the onus still falls on Bieksa to understand his a little better,and score some points instead of fighting and getting injured all the time. One thing he doesn't need to worry about, though, is Don Cherry's kiss of death, as the CBC broadcaster can't seem to get the poor guy's name right, as illustrated in the clip below from the Canucks' game-five win against the Chicago Blackhawks in last spring's second round.
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