I was worried so I thought I should make some inquiries into the condition of Henrik Sedin-when a guy from St. Louis radio makes claims about the condition of a Canucks player and puts it on the intrawebz- well this blogger takes notice!

Henrik is fine. I want you all the rest easy and relax. He is currently leading the league in scoring with 76 points. It may not last but he is still there atop the league, 87 spots higher than the scoring leader on St. Louis Brad Boyes. Did I mention what Boyes salary is, 5 million dollars. If the season stopped today those 34 points Boyes has amassed cost St. Louis 147,058.00$$ EACH! Let's be fair Henrik makes far more than Brad at 6.1 million/per year for an incredible rip off of 80,263.00$ per point if the season ended today. I probably should not even get into the point per game total of St. Louis' uber free agent signing Paul Kariya.

But why not? I mean if we have people calling into question a guy who has never been injured, has taken abuse from all manners in the corners-places few St. Louis Blues' players have been brave enough to go this season we should compare. 104 points to date in 3 seasons at...gasp 6 million per. If the season ended today that would cost the Blues 173,076.00 $ per point. Now little Henrik a guy who played every game in those previous two season cost only 58,119.00 per point. He must be a diver because he is not very durable, and can't take the abuse thrown at him night after night being on the top line of a division winning team and won who swept the Blues in 4 games last post season.

I checked the Canucks home page and he is listed as playing. Whew. What got more intersting is that I called a scout. Actually I got a friend who knows a scout to call him to ask if Henrik Sedin is known for diving. "Nope" said the scout. "You would think that with all the abuse and attention they get along the boards that they might try and draw more but those guys are monsters on their feet."

So that got me thinking. The Sedins make their money on a bread and butter possession game along the boards and doing the cycle. They get crosschecked, boarded, hit, pinned and roughed up all game every game yet they always seem to have control of the puck and get great scoring opportunities. Doesn't seem like a guy who has a reputation of a dubious nature does it? No he just keeps going about his business and getting points. Must be pretty unsusual for some people to watch- you know, effort on the puck and controlling the game and doing it consistently.

I digrees though, this is not about other teams it's about poor old Henrik. He's okay and I expect him to be pretty good for the rest of the season, I think he's earned his reputation as a durable, consistent hard working player who puts up points quite honestly.


Trade talk.

I don't have any news...yet. Mathew Sekeres never returns my phone calls and Blotchford has lost himself in a Twitter vortex. I tried to yak with Murph but there's too much product in his hair to hear me on his LG Chocolate phone from 2008. It's tough being a blogger.


So who are the Canucks best assets for a trade? Here's my thoughts.

Cory Schneider
Mathieu Schneider
Jannik Hansen
Sergei Shirokov
Kyle Wellwood
Steve Bernier

That's in no particular order either. Unless some things really change in the trade marketplace I don't see Gillis packaging up more than what's there for any kind of rental- even if he does decide to go that route- which I doubt. He will want a player who can contribute and is signed for longer than this year. If there is a real deal brewing I could see two more names being added to this list, Grabner and Raymond.

Raymond is going to get a raise, perhaps a big one and an offer sheet too. If Gillis does not think he fits in with the Canucks financial reality and knowing that Willie is UFA too perhaps a deal for a defenseman who is signed for more than this season is a route he may consider. He'd be foolish not to look and consider Raymond. Kesler is due a huge raise 4-5 million range certainly. Can we expect Raymond to take 1.5 or 2 like Burrows? Wishful thinking at best.

I don't want to lose him, especially they was he is playing but you have to consider the bigger picture and even though we associate the trade deadline with stocking up for a run at Lord Stanley's mug it has further reaching effects.

So there you have it. Henrik is okay and the tradeable assets for this year's deadline frenzy.

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