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    All-Centennial Team

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    Stanley Cup Champs

    Breaking: Canucks trade Ryan Kesler to Ducks on eve of Draft night

    Let the trade fireworks commence!
    Off the block and off to Cali: Ryan Kesler is heading to the Ducks (via 604now.com)

    According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Vancouver Canucks have pulled the trigger on the long-anticipated deal that will send centreman Ryan Kesler and a 2015 third-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for former BU Terrier Nick Bonino, defenseman Luca Sbisa, the #24 pick and a third-round pick in this weekends Entry Draft.

    Kesler has been rumored to be on the block before, with the Bruins playing a background role in his movements, and with new Vancouver general manager Jim Benning now calling the shots, it's evident he's wasting no time in triggering the rebuild for a Canucks team in desperate need of a restart after falling off the cliff last season, resulting in the team missing the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

    All along it seemed Anaheim was the team for Kesler to end up, and operating with a no-movement clause in his contract, the 29-year-old former Selke winner had all the say when it came to deciding where was to be traded. Anaheim is the place, and the Ducks have done themselves a great favor in solidifying the center position behind Ryan Getzlav.

    It should also be noted that even though the Ducks gave up their pick late in the first round, they still have a selection at #10 overall by way of the Bobby Ryan trade they made last summer with the Ottawa Senators.

    This is a bold move from Benning, who took the job as GM of the Canucks after serving eight years as the assistant general manager in Boston. Benning clearly wants to build the team in his vision, and if Kesler is an unhappy camper in the ranks and doesn't want to stick around in VanCity anymore, then it's evident that Benning had no problems granting his wish of sending him out of town.