How close were the Canucks and Sharks to pulling off a trade involving Kevin Bieksa?
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Bieksa and his family recently visited San Jose and looked at homes.
Bieksa waived his no-trade clause to allow for a trade to the Bay Area, but the Canucks and Sharks reportedly could not come to an agreement on which year Vancouver would receive a second round pick.
Friedman reports that executives told him that Bieksa was seeking an extension in the neighborhood of three-years, $12 million because he doesn’t want to uproot his family twice (he’s a UFA after next season).
There are reportedly 10 teams still interested in the defenseman’s services.
Bieksa appeared in 60 games with the Canucks during the 2014-15 season scoring four goals and 14 points while averaging nearly 21 minutes a night in ice time.
The 34-year-old has one year remaining on his five-year, $23 million contract with a cap hit of $4.6 million.