With Tyler Motte on the sideline recovering from surgery, the Vancouver Canucks have brought in a little more competition for the bottom-six. Alex Chiasson has signed a professional tryout with the team, according to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV, but he wasn’t listed on the team’s first camp roster.
The 30-year-old Chiasson has played 564 regular-season games in the NHL, including 183 over the last three years with the Edmonton Oilers. While he scored 22 goals during his first full year in Edmonton, that’s not the kind of offensive presence that Chiasson usually brings. Instead, he has averaged 13 goals per 82 games in the other seven seasons of his career, a number that still represents a useful bottom-six option.
The fact that he is an effective possession payer and has some special teams versatility makes him a worthwhile PTO candidate for a team that is looking to get back to the playoffs. In fact, this move represents the opposite of so much of the criticism Canucks GM Jim Benning has taken over the years. While in previous offseasons he has committed multiyear contracts to bottom-six players, this is a no-risk move for Vancouver that could result in a useful player.
Of course, that’s if Chiasson signs a deal with Vancouver at all. Tryouts are showcases for the entire league, meaning he could very well catch on somewhere else if an opportunity presents itself.
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