It's bad news on a number of fronts.
First, we
need players who can play in our top 6 that don't cost $5M or $6M+. People have short memories, but hopefully in 5 years the Canucks are taking a deep run into the playoffs when players like EP, QH, BB66 are in their prime, and Horvat and hopefully Demko are still difference makers. But deep runs means injuries, and we need players on cheaper contracts who can step in and be difference makers. How many goals did we score in the 2011 SCF?
Second, we
don't need yet more high profile demonstrations of coaching bias and its results, where players like LE and Granlund are favoured over a player like Goldobin. Mismanagement of players is not going to bring out the best in them, it never did and it particularly won't do it in the modern NHL.
Third, it is probably the nail in the coffin for getting any Russians interested in playing here. The inability of the Canucks to work with Larianov and Goldobin does not bode well for working with any Russian.
When Ryan Miller is the one having done the most to fix a problem, that's bad news.