from Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province,

The Vancouver Canuck could be the best affordable defenceman in advance of the NHL trade deadline Monday — especially with the New York Rangers expected to take pending unrestricted free agent blueliner Keith Yandle off the market — and that’s where the ongoing fiddling has become more pronounced for Hamhuis. He’s a pending UFA, who would have to waive his no-trade clause to be moved, and he has gone back and forth with the issue that needs to be resolved quickly.

“We’ve been working through some thoughts and to be prepared,” said Hamhuis. “And certainly, if going is the direction, we would have to give them (Canucks) some time to make a deal happen.”

The Smithers native took a hometown discount to sign here for six years at $27 million US as a free agent, after his rights were traded from Nashville to Philadelphia and then to Pittsburgh. He left money on the table. He would hit the jackpot in free agency on July 1 because joining a Stanley Cup contender at the trade deadline would only increase the value of a proven defender. Hamhuis was on world championship title teams in 2015 and 2007 and won gold at the 2014 Olympics.

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