Though the object for a rebuilding team in any sports is to get as young as possible, teams like the Vancouver Canucks certainly need some form of veteran leadership before they become a playoff contender again.
For Sidney Crosby, it surely helped having Pittsburgh Penguins franchise icon Mario Lemieux mentor him for bits of his rookie season, before the latter retired. But with the Sedin twins now retired, the Canucks lack a veteran future Hall of Famer(s) to lead the young group entering next season.
Now, Sam Gagner is no Lemieux or Sedin twin, and he’s not going to the Hall of Fame.