Vancouver Canucks' Maxim Lapierre, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks at the trade deadline, takes part in the pre-game skate before playing the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday March 1, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckDARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
Forwards Chris Higgins and Maxim Lapierre are not just trade-deadline acquisitions for the Vancouver Canucks.
The underachieving forwards are also the next two patients in Mike Gillis's rehabilitation centre.
Ostensibly brought in to help a Stanley Cup push, Higgins and Lapierre continue a trend that has run through the general manager's three-year tenure. Under Gillis, the NHL franchise has targeted reclamation projects, or players whose stocks were down, believing they could flourish in the Canucks culture of sleep doctors, nutrition programs and skills coaches.
Higgins thrice scored 20 goals early in his career with the Montreal Canadiens, but has just 31 over the last three seasons while bouncing between four franchises. The 27-year-old had been playing more of a penalty-killing role with the Florida Panthers, but Vancouver is hoping to unlock some of his offensive potential.
Lapierre, meanwhile, has played for three teams this season, and admitted Tuesday that his best hockey has been missing. The 25-year-old requested a trade last December, when his ice-time sagged in Montreal, and spent just two months with the Anaheim Ducks before being shipped to Vancouver.
The Canucks have yet to find scrap-heap gold, and given the low-percentage nature of these acquisitions, that is no surprise. But Higgins, when he returns from a broken thumb, and Lapierre are the next experiments in the Gillis's laboratory - and he won't stop until he creates a monster.
"As long as people are on short-term contracts, and we have a chance to evaluate them, you have very little risk," Gillis said. "They've been successful in the past, and in the right environment, they can be successful again."
Here's a look at the results so far:
2010-11
Winger Raffi Torres, one of six former first-round draft picks to join the Canucks this year, was signed to a one-year deal worth $1-million (U.S.) last summer, and has 13 goals and 25 points in a third-line role.
Jeff Tambellini was having trouble solidifying a regular roster spot in five seasons with the New York Islanders, but has already set a career-high with 17 points as utility forward.
Defenceman Ryan Parent has regressed and is toiling in the minors, way down the organizational depth chart.
Veterans Peter Schaefer and Brendan Morrison came to training camp on professional tryouts. Schaefer was signed and lasted 16 games before being cut. Morrison was released, but has been a driving force behind the Calgary Flames' second-half surge.
2009-10
Winger Tanner Glass stands as perhaps the most successful project to date. He played 41 games with the Florida Panthers in 2007-08, but slipped to just three the following season. Signed by Vancouver, Glass had an impressive training camp and earned a roster spot over more touted teammates. He played 67 games, and became a staple.
This year, he is one of just seven Canucks to have played in every game, and has been the only constant on the fourth line. Glass isn't flashy, but he's a physical presence on a finesse team.
Defenceman Mathieu Schneider and Brad Lukowich were both hoping to revive their careers, but the veterans played just 17 and 13 games, respectively. Schneider left the team after an argument with the coaching staff over playing time.
2008-09
Kyle Wellwood didn't work out in Vancouver, but he made tremendous strides as a player. Released by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Wellwood was coming off sports hernia surgery and reported to Canucks camp grossly out of shape. Through the team's nutrition plan, he recovered to play 149 games over two seasons, and was one of the team's better forwards in consecutive postseasons.
Wellwood joined the San Jose Sharks in January, after a brief KHL stint, and the team is 14-2-1 with him in the lineup.
The Buffalo Sabres gave up quickly on winger Steve Bernier, a former first-round pick, dealing him to the Canucks just six months after acquiring him from the Sharks.
In Vancouver, he was supposed to be the right-wing answer for the Sedin twins, but he never developed hands, and was dealt to Florida last June. He has 14 points in 51 games, and has yet to recapture his rookie form of 2005-06.