Music: {allcanada} Ducks acquire Bieksa from Canucks for draft pick

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

{allcanada} Ducks acquire Bieksa from Canucks for draft pick

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The Ducks have acquired defenseman Kevin Bieksa from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Bieksa, 34 (6/16/81), scored 56-185=241 points with a +22 rating and 879 penalty minutes (PIM) in 597 career NHL games with Vancouver. Among all-time franchise defensemen, Bieksa ranked sixth in scoring, assists and games, and fourth in PIM. Among franchise playoff leaders for defensemen, he led in goals (10), ranked third in appearances (71), and sixth in scoring.

Selected by Vancouver in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft, Bieksa collected 4-10=14 points with an even plus/minus rating and 77 PIM in 60 games for Vancouver last season. Among team leaders, he ranked third in hits (109) and fifth in blocked shots (93). Bieksa also appeared in six Stanley Cup Playoff games, going scoreless with nine PIM.

Ducks Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Murray discussed the acquisition with reporters Tuesday afternoon:

On how trading for Bieksa could mean negotiations are stalling with Francois Beauchemin
That's very accurate. I got told they were going to the market early this morning. We discussed a few things, and it wasn't going to work. [His agent] told me what he was going to get in free agency, and I couldn't go anywhere near that. This morning he just said, "We're going to the market," and I said, "Oh okay." Luckily we had prepared for that circumstance and moved quickly on Kevin.

On Beauchemin's decision to test free agency
Beauch played most of his career here, and he was a pretty good warrior for us. He's worked hard for this. He has the one-time chance to go to free agency. We made them a one-year and two-year offer, and it wasn't good enough. He mentioned getting three years and five million for free agency, and I couldn't do that. If they get that, I totally understand what they're doing.

On what Bieksa brings in comparison to Beauchemin
He's a right-hand shot, and Beauch is a left who plays the right side. I think Kevin skates better than Beauch does at this point in time, partly because Beauch has had both knees worked on. Kevin is a smaller man, so that's a difference too. They're both tough and they both have a mean streak. They're both competitive guys.