Hunter Shinkaruk sent back to WHL

Alain Vigneault proves once again he just doesn’t want kids on his roster.

Wait… Vigneault isn’t here anymore?

This isn’t unexpected, looking at the roster moves that happened yesterday. The Canucks needed to clear out a body after adding Zac Dalpe and again after adding Ryan Stanton, and really, what’s worth burning a year on Shinkaruk’s entry-level deal when he needs to be around for cheap in the years when all those long term contracts start to pile up?

For B.C.-based Canuck fans that want to get a look at Shinkaruk, the Medicine Hat Tigers actually make two Western trips this season.

November 12 – @ Prince George
November 13 – @ Kamloops
November 15 – @ Vancouver
November 16 – @ Kelowna

January 21 – @ Victoria
January 22 – @ Vancouver
January 24 – @ Kelowna
January 25 – @ Kamloops

They’ll also play in Cranbrook on January 5, February 19 and March 7. I wouldn’t expect Shinkaruk to be in that January 5 game. He should be on Team Canada at the World Juniors in Sweden this winter. Bo Horvat and Brendan Gaunce also have good shots at that roster.

It’s not the end of the world. Sending down Bo Horvat and Shinkaruk, unfortuantely, means we’ll never see the Bo – Hunter – Bow Hunter line with the two kids and David Booth.