Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien and Vancouver Canucks forward Radim Vrbata are both in the final season of their contracts, and they both have partial no-trade clauses. As the Feb. 29 trade deadline nears, fans are wondering what will happen to these two valuable players.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Byfuglien has not been asked to provide a list of teams he would accept a trade to. It may seem like the 30-year-old is destined to stay in Winnipeg, but the length of the contract is still an obstacle. "I don't think there's any way Byfuglien signs for any less than five years in length, so I believe the internal debate for Winnipeg is whether it's comfortable with that term or not," wrote ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly still undecided about whether to trade Vrbata, but he also has not been asked to give a list of teams he would accept being traded to. The Canucks have announced that they are trading veteran 32-year-old Chris Higgins, to rebuild and focus on youth, according to LeBrun. Vrbata will turn 35 in June. The level of play the Sedin twins achieve may also play a part in Vrbata's worth. He has not been playing up to par this season, having scored only 10 goals in 41 games played, and is projected to only score 20 total. His first season as a Canuck saw him score 31 goals.
Byfuglien's current salary is $6 million per year, and Vrbata's is $5 million. Both their respective teams are still in the playoff race in the West.
