While Nick Bonino is helping the Pittsburgh Penguins challenge for a Stanley Cup, the Vancouver Canucks are left wondering what could have been if the player he was traded for had played a full season.
In an interview on TSN 1040 in Vancouver on Thursday, Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins was asked about the deal that saw Bonino sent to Pittsburgh in exchange for Brandon Sutter, and he lamented an injury to the latter that limited him to only 20 games in 2015-16.
"The tough thing for us and for Brandon is he didn’t get to show what he could do last year," said Desjardins. "Everybody felt in our dressing room that if he's there then we're in the playoffs this year."
Desjardins added it's easy to question trades in hindsight, explaining the deal was made with a view to injecting speed into the lineup.
"I like Nick Bonino. I’ve always liked him. He’s a great guy, he moves the puck really well," Desjardins said. "(But) we had to find more speed in our lineup. We just had to.
"Nick’s one fault is he’s not quick. But when you put him with (Carl) Hagelin and (Phil) Kessel, then he's quick. They make up for his speed. It becomes a quick line. We didn’t have that luxury, so we went with a guy that’s a little quicker and we went with Brandon Sutter."
In the 20 games in which he appeared for the Canucks, Sutter recorded five goals, four assists, and 45 shots.
The Canucks finished the season with 75 points, good for 28th in the overall standings and 12 points behind the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
