Counter to the whirlwind deadline coverage surrounding Dan Hamhuis, it’s been surprisingly quiet on the Radim Vrbata front. Declining production is the likely culprit, although, it’s fair to wonder what extent the Canucks reluctance to commit one way or another going into the deadline has affected the market.

Another, often forgotten factor in moving Vrbata is the limited no-trade clause his contract carries. Per www.GeneralFanager.com, Vrbata’s contract allows the Czech winger to submit a list of eight teams he’d waive his no-trade for. There was a confusing report surrounding this clause this morning.

Now, where the confusion lies is in the second half of that tweet. How can Vrbata only accept a trade to two or three teams, if his contract allows the Canucks to trade him to eight of his choosing? Well, just spitballing here, but I imagine the five teams on that list that he wouldn’t go to are actually teams that don’t want him. A pretty savvy move by Vrbata and his agent if that is the case.

There are conflicting reports regarding the level of interest in Vrbata leaguewide. Joe Haggerty of www.CSNNE.com reported this morning that the moves made by their inter-divisional competition might spring the Bruins to action. Haggerty highlighted the Canucks premier rentals, Hamhuis and Vrbata, citing the familiarity between the two organizations as a logical starting point.

Contract negotiations with Loui Eriksson stalled on Saturday, with the sides far apart on both terms and dollars. That being the case, the Bruins — more likely now to dangle Eriksson as a chip in trade negotiations — will be in the market for both a defenseman and a wing. They may find a trading partner in Vancouver, where former B’s executives Jim Benning and John Weisbrod are in the front office. Hamhuis and winger Radim Vrbata would fit needs for Boston, and Benning holds plenty of B’s prospects in high regard since he helped draft and develop them. Bruins scouts have been paying close attention to Vancouver’s AHL affiliate over the last few weeks.

In advance of tonight’s game – a game which will feature the like of Hamhuis, conventional wisdom be damned – Ian MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun reported that it is possible that neither Vrbata or Hamhuis are dealt by the noon deadline tomorrow. Essentially, the collective nightmare of the entire market. 

It’s hard to make heads or tails of what’s happening on the Vrbata front. After Andrew Ladd was returned to the Chicago Blackhawks, Vrbata became the premier rental option on the wing. A market was set. Then nothing. It’s been eerily quiet and people close to the organization can’t seem to get a pulse on the situation, either. 

Perhaps Vrbata’s injury is making teams leery of his $5-million cap hit for the season. That’s a large rental commitment, especially with salary cap stagnation in the background. That said, it’s been reported on multiple occasions that the Canucks are willing to retain salary to make a transaction happen. 

The water’s been tepid over the course of the weekend and doesn’t appear to be picking up as we enter the final day. This is the risk one runs when holding onto an asset to the last minute. League could force them into holding Vrbata beyond that, though and that’s a scenario no one is looking forward to.