Friday saw the NHL trade deadline come and go, with several big names, such as Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, Casey Mittelstadt, and Bowen Byram, all being moved within the final days. San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov was not among those who changed teams.
Barabanov, 29, has struggled immensely this season, with just three goals and 10 points in 39 games. With San Jose well out of playoff contention, they were looking to move out several pieces, such as Anthony Duclair and Kaapo Kahkonen. Barabanov scored 47 points last season in 68 games and 39 in 70 games the previous season.
After missing out on the Jake Guentzel sweepstakes, the Canucks opted to remain relatively calm at the deadline. They held onto young players and prospects such as Nils Hoglander, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and Tom Wallinder. Perhaps they may be willing to have some patience with the struggles of Elias Lindholm, though passing up on a former 47-point scorer for virtually nothing may be something the Canucks and other contending teams end up regretting.