Acquired at the 2016-17 trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jannik Hansen, Nikolay Goldobin appeared to be ready to be an everyday NHL player out of training camp prior to this season. At least, that’s what the Vancouver Canucks‘ management group and coaching staff thought.
Goldobin made the team and was one of the main reasons that Sam Gagner was cut from the team and sent down to the American Hockey League before being traded later in the year. Goldobin quickly found a home on the Canucks’ top line alongside Elias Pettersson and later on, Brock Boeser.