NHL Insider Confirms the Vancouver Canucks Are Set On Trading Big Defenseman

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported in his 32 Thoughts blogthat the team is looking to find him a new home after he's struggled to fit in with the team.

Desharnais was a healthy scratch against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night and the press box has been familiar territory for him.

After 114 games with the Edmonton Oilers, Desharnais signed with the Canucks on a 2 year deal worth $2 million per season, but thus far has been outplayed by players like Noah Juulsen, Erik Brannstrom, and even Mark Friedman.

With fellow offseason signing Derek Forbort returning to the lineup Thursday, Desharnais finds himself on the outs.

Patrik Allvin hasn't had a lot of misses so far with the Canucks, but this is one of them.

Patrik Allvin will try to move on from Desharnais and open up even more cap flexibility, but his relatively meager $2 million salary could also be a digestible cap dump for a team in a bigger move.

If the Canucks can't move on from Desharnais, he'll get some chances to turn around his game if injuries proceed, but under normal circumstances he would be a buyout candidate this summer.

Desharnais has a signing bonus in his 2nd year, so the Canucks cap savings wouldn't even be worth buying out Desharnais.

They'll have to hope they can find a taker, but with teams coveting right shooting D they should be able to.