LATEST | Jim Rutherford takes a shot at Ethan Bear for not re-signing with the Canucks

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Felip Gosselin
December 13, 2023 (6:32 PM)

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Many insiders had reported that the Canucks were the team to beat in the Ethan Bear sweepstakes, and it appears the team's management believed this one to be a done deal.

A wild series of event prevented a reunion between both parties, but it now appears that the Canucks' upper management are holding a grudge.

A LOVE STORY WITH A NOT SO HAPPY ENDING?

The Canucks acquired Bear from the Hurricanes last year after he was made a healthy scratch for the season's first quarter, and from there, everything went great.

Bear was tremendous during his time with the team, and once the season ended, the team's president, Jim Rutherford, included the Defenseman in a letter meant to include the team's future. The two parties had not yet reached an agreement on an extension, but both Bear and the Canucks felt it was only a matter of time before he put his name on a contract.

Things went south when the former number 74 got injured at the Men's World Championship, a shoulder injury was about to keep Bear out until December at the very least, and the Canucks were then reluctant to ink him to a new deal. Despite everything, the two parties held in touch, hoping to get it done once Bear was ready to return.

However, the demand for a right-handed Defenseman has driven Bear's asking price out of the Canucks' range, and clearly, the team is unhappy about it.

CANUCKS HOLDING A GRUDGE OVER ETHAN BEAR?

Jim Rutherford gave a lengthy interview on Donnie and Dhali today. The team's president addressed the subject and wasn't happy about the way things went:

Rutherford on Bear:

"We thought we were the front runners...We thought he was coming back to the Canucks."

Mentions no one wanted him last season, and they traded for him and helped him. 💀💀

Didn't sound too happy.

�'We thought we were the frontrunners. In the end, things changed partly due to money. It is disappointing, but he can choose where to play.''

Rutherford felt like Bear owed the Canucks that much. The young defender on the other end seems to be choosing contract security, and for his career, it may be the right call. The latest reports suggest that the Capitals' offer currently stands at two years and $4M, while the Canucks had only been offering a one-year and $1M deal.

We're still waiting to see how this whole thing unfolds. At this moment, no official announcement has been made, but something is imminent.