Jason Demers Refuses to Waive No-Trade to Join Canucks

Earlier this week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Vancouver Canucks were among the teams interested in acquiring Florida Panthers defenceman Jason Demers.

According to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, the Panthers are operating under a $65-million internal cap this season. So far, that’s meant parting with Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith and Jaromir Jagr. Demers, who the Panthers left unprotected in the Expansion Draft, is next in line.

One team Demers won’t join? The Canucks. According to multiple sources, Demers invoked his limited no-trade clause to nix a trade between the Panthers and Canucks which would send the 29-year-old, right-shot defender the Canucks’ way.

Demers has four years remaining on his contract a $4.5-million annually, and as the Canuck are too aware, a limited no-trade clause which allows the player to choose eight teams he is not willing to waive it to join. You can count the Canucks among those teams, apparently.