Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet with a deadline built right into the title.

Speaking of deadlines, this edition comes smack-dab in the middle of Trade Deadline Week. Depending on when you’re reading this, it’s either the day before the deadline, or it’s the deadline itself, or it’s the weekend following the deadline.

Either way, it makes for awkward timing on a call-and-response column. If we ask you about anything too specific, we run the risk of it quickly becoming outdated as various Vancouver Canucks are traded and/or various players are traded to the Canucks.

If we asked you to predict what happened on Trade Deadline Day, you’d either have a day to do it or you’d just be recapping. If we asked you to react to what happened on that day, and you happened to read it the day before, that just wouldn’t make any sense.

So, we’re retreating a little bit into vagueness today.

The topic is “recently departed Canucks,” and we’re going to go ahead and officially deem “recently departed” as players who have left the team within the past year. So, from last year’s Trade Deadline to this one…and yes, if someone gets traded this week, you’re allowed to write about them here.

This span will take us all the way back to the departure of Andrei Kuzmenko, and carry through to the JT Miller/Vincent Desharnais/Danton Heinen crowd (and, again, maybe beyond that to someone who has been traded after the writing of this intro.) In the middle, there are plenty of other key departures to consider, like Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm and Ian Cole and Ilya Mikheyev.

But only one of them can be the one who got away. The former Canuck you most wish wasn’t former. Your MIA MVP.

This week, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

Filip Chytil’s skill set is very intriguing. His speed is much needed on this slow Canucks squad. If he can gel with a teammate or two he could do a good deal of damage.

Vittorio Mancini brings a strong name game…. He’s no Cole McWard, but still…

DPetey.

Kiefer Sherwood. He works hard every night delivering hits and scoring the occasional points.

Honorable mentions to Lankinen who has done awesome in net, and D-Petey who has burst onto the scene and looks to be a great talent.

Has to be Lankinen, without him a not-so-great record would look way worse.

If they make the playoffs, he could be runner-up MVP to Hughes.

Without a doubt, and most likely the runaway winner, is MP3. We came into the season with a defense that was reminiscent of the term “adequate” from a few years ago, even though everyone knew that was not the case. Finally we have a D Corps that I think now is slightly better than last year. Of course, to get there we got thin on top-end talent down the middle from an embarrassment of riches. If we put EP2 on the list, he is becoming my favorite to watch. Goes for the big hit and rarely out of position after. Last night being the exception. Newcomers named Pettersson take the win.

With the Demko injuries there is little doubt Lankinen has had the biggest impact as a new guy. Without him the Canucks are nowhere near a playoff spot.

My favourite has been Sherwood. Any player on track to set a record for most hits is fun to watch. His speed and point production were undersold and a pleasant surprise.

The most important new player for this team is EP25. He is pretty good now and he just got here. He will make MP expendable in a few years. Until that time he will be part of a good third pairing.

I think the wording of the question is key here.

If it was “most impactful new Canuck,” I’d have to say Lankinen, we simply wouldn’t be in playoff contention without him. If it was “most pleasantly surprising new Canuck” it would be D-Petey, playing way beyond where I thought he’d be at this point.

But favourite? For me, it has to be Sherwood. How can you not love a guy who puts it all out there every night, hits everything in sight, AND has an offensive upside? Very good and reasonably priced snag by management.

Sherwood is a heart and soul guy and he’s named after a classic hockey stick.

Lots of hits, in fact setting records, and reasonable secondary scoring.

What’s not to like? Easy choice here.

I’m kind of torn on my favourite new Canuck. I want to say Lankinen, but then again if the Canucks hadn’t signed Lankinen, then they’d be in last place and would be a shoo-in for the lottery and have a high probability to draft an impact player. I really like what Sherwood has brought to the team. So I guess my choice is Sherwood, even though my heart says Lankinen.

Marcus Pettersson. The backend is much better with him there.

Having a solid second pair is a welcome change.

Underpaid Sherwood.

My favourite new Canuck is Lankinen, because he’s made the biggest positive impact on the team. Honourable mentions to DeBrusk and Sherwood.