It would seem that the Vancouver Canucks are loading up…. for the Calder Cup playoffs.

The Canucks have finally been heard from on NHL trade deadline, at least according to the agent for New York Islander farmhand Cory Conacher:

Reports have now come flooding in from a variety of sources confirming the deal.

Conacher, 25, has split time between the NHL and the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season. After falling flat in a lengthy audition on a line with Kyle Okposo and John Tavares this fall, Conacher was reassigned to Bridgeport where he’s been very effective – managing 22 points in 25 games with the nonsensically named Sound Tigers. 

When we considered the prospect of the Canucks adding Conacher in December, we mostly thought he might have some utility in a fourth-line role. He likely won’t even do that though, as he’s been exchanged for Utica Comets forward Dustin Jeffrey, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

So this is an AHL move, one that’s unlikely to impact Vancouver’s NHL roster barring a brutal run of injury luck.