Canucks Recall Alex Biega, Reassign Alexandre Grenier

With the injury to Alex Edler (which has resulted in surgery and a 4-6 week timetable for return), the Canucks needed to bring in an extra defenceman. The easy choice was Alex Biega, who was in Utica on a conditioning assignment. Unfortunately, the Canucks were already at their limit for Alex’s, meaning that Alexandre Grenier needed to be sent back to Utica to make space.

The 28-year old Biega played in one game in Utica during his “conditioning stint”, and he’s likely just to be on the outside looking in once he returns to Vancouver. It hardly seems fair to Biega, but their options are limited at this point, without a wide variety of NHL ready players in the minors. Personally, I’d rather see the Canucks bring Andrey Pedan up – despite a lack of production, he’s been solid in Utica and wouldn’t require waivers again unless he spent 30 days or 10 games on the NHL roster – though that would mean Biega would require waivers if they decided to turn his conditioning stint into a reassignment.

As a result, Alex Biega will probably just go back to not playing.

Speaking of not playing, Alex Grenier was a healthy scratch during the two games for which he was on the Canucks roster. Not really all that surprising, the Canucks clearly didn’t have room in the lineup when it was bustling with names like Jack Skille, Michael Chaput, Jayson Megna, and Joe LaBate.

To be fair, Joe LaBate is a prospect with some bottom six potential, Michael Chaput is actually younger than Grenier, and I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Jayson Megna. But still. Skille. You can bump him for Grenier, can’t you?

Evidently the Canucks were not interested in going down that road, and so Grenier will head back to Utica. On the bright side, the Comets are getting their leading scorer back, which should help – they recently had a four game win streak snapped by the ever-scary Toronto Marlies.

Grenier, who’s now 25, is running out of rope as a “prospect”. At this point, he’s likely to continue being what he is: a solid AHL producer and a periodic NHL injury replacement. It’s a shame he couldn’t build on that performance he had in the 2015 Calder Cup playoffs.

Despite being waiver eligible, Grenier won’t require waivers this time to head back to the American League, having been on the NHL roster for less than 30 days (or ten games) since the last time he cleared.

The Canucks play tonight at home against the Minnesota Wild (7:00pm puck drop, Sportsnet Pacific), while the Comets’ next game is tomorrow in Utica against Rochester (4:00pm PST puck drop).