Radim Vrbata didn't generate much attention during the initial surge of free-agent signings. In fact, he wasn't even the most notable addition to his new team, the Vancouver Canucks, which also inked star netminder Ryan Miller.
Yet, the veteran winger's contributions could very well end up being just as important to the Canucks as Miller or any other signing. Given his track record, he signed for a reasonable $5 million per season over two years.
Vrbata spent the past five seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. He scored at least 20 goals three times during that span and also netted 27 during a previous stint in Phoenix. The most he scored during any of his other stops was 18.
He never ruled out returning to the team, but progress toward a new deal was sluggish and the sides weren't able to reach an agreement.
Nothing changed in the immediate aftermath of the regular season, which saw Arizona miss the playoffs by three points. In turn, Vrbata hit the open market with a strong recent track record, as well as uncertainty about how he would perform outside of the desert.
Now we'll find out. In ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tim Daniels
Radim Vrbata to Canucks: Predictions for Vancouver’s New Star in 2014-15
July 16th, 2014 by Tim Daniels Leave a reply »
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