Vancouver Canucks right wing Radim Vrbata (17) celebrates his goal with Daniel Sedin (22) during the second period of NHL action against the Edmonton Oilers in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. (Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press)
Spotlight on… Radim Vrbata, RW, Canucks
When: After playing five of its first six games on the road, the Avalanche has two home games this week — Tuesday against the Florida Panthers and Friday against the Radim Vrbata-led Vancouver Canucks.
What’s up: The 33-year-old Vrbata, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Canucks as a free agent and scored three goals in his first three games, was part of one of the most uneven trades in Avs history. Late in the 2002-03 season, he was shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes for Bates Battaglia. Battaglia scored one goal in 17 regular-season games with the Avs, and zero in the 2003 first-round playoff series against Minnesota — a shocking seven-game upset that ultimately was Patrick Roy’s final campaign as a Hall of Fame goaltender.
Background: Vrbata was born in the Czech Republic but played juniors in Quebec, and he was selected by the Avalanche as the 212th pick in the 1999 NHL draft.
Chambers’ take: Vrbata’s rookie season should have signaled stardom, but the Avalanche shipped him off for a guy who retired with 80 career goals. Vrbata had 18 goals in just 52 games as a rookie — an average that was better than teammates Joe Sakic (26 in 82), Chris Drury (21 in 82), Milan Hejduk (21 in 62) and Alex Tanguay (13 in 70) — before he was sent to Carolina late in his second season. Vrbata also was cast off by the Hurricanes and the Blackhawks before becoming a face of the Arizona Coyotes for six years, scoring 137 of his 218 career goals.
