Roster reality, long rehab lead to parting with Rodin
Winger hopes to play in Europe, writes Ben Kuzma.
Anton Rodin’s heart was always in the right place.
Despite assurances that his surgically repaired left knee would hold up in elite NHL competition this season, the 26-yearold right-winger faced long odds of a realistic future with the Vancouver Canucks.
It all caught up to him Monday. The former Swedish Elite League MVP and Canucks second-round draft pick in 2009, asked to be released from his one-year, US$700,000 commitment. Unconditional waivers means buying out the player’s rights under terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
Rodin played just three regular-season games last season. He had one assist in seven games this season with the AHL affiliate Comets and was battling a hipflexor injury.
“Obviously, last year was a challenging year for him with the injury and a positive was just getting him back healthy,” said Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden. “But it was a competitive camp and some guys passed him and he felt it was best to go back to an opportunity in Europe.”
Rodin endured immense physical and mental strain to mend a troublesome freak tendon laceration in January 2016 that morphed into a greater concern. It resulted in a disheartening season and exhaustive attempts to rehab the ailment before season-ending surgery on Feb. 7.
The knee tendon laceration at practice required surgery, but the Canucks discovered in July 2016 — after consultations with Rodin — that the post-operation prognosis was much more complicated.
The procedure to repair the quadriceps tendon changed the mechanics of Rodin’s knee and caused inflammation of the joint. Rodin’s kneecap also has two bones instead of the traditional one and because they hadn’t fused, it created stress in the joint and the inflammation of bones.
OVERTIME
Defenceman Philip Holm, 25, has been recalled from the Comets and his 10 points (2-8) in 15 games are encouraging and the Canucks want him exposed to their practice environment on this six-game road trip. Patrick Wiercioch, who has yet to play this NHL regular season, has been dispatched to Utica to get in some games. Chris Tanev (thumb) is expected to play at some point on this trip, but Troy Stecher (knee) is further away.