Jared McCann puts the Vancouver Canucks on blast

The Seattle Kraken were off and running, as their famed announcer John Forslund like to say. In only their second year of existence, they came within one victory of advancing to the Western Conference Final before bowing out to the Dallas Stars. 

And a huge part of their success during the regular season was the goal scoring prowess of forward Jared McCann, who tallied a career-best 40 goals. And while he's happy to have found a home in the American Pacific Northwest, it was his time with Seattle's new rival that had him "afraid" for his career at one point. 

McCann was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1st round of the 2014 NHL Draft, but he believes that the team gave up on him far too quickly.

“I could’ve used a year in the AHL,” McCann said. "Mentally, I think it would have helped me. Physically, it would have helped me out. I was 172 pounds playing in the NHL as a 19-year-old. You get tossed around...

“I think they did give up on me early, I really do. Mentally, it affected me a lot. I was in a dark place… as a young player, you just want to play and get an opportunity to play in the NHL, it’s a dream, right? And then to get traded after your first year after having a decent opportunity, it was tough.”

McCann also described the atmosphere as "stressful".

“The atmosphere was definitely very stressful. I’m a young kid, 19 years old, trying to find my way in the NHL. Having the Sedins there, they were great guys, easy to talk to, very quiet,” McCann said.

“I was afraid. I was terrified even to talk to them. Myself, personally, I don’t want to step on toes, you know what I mean?”

McCann would eventually be traded to the Florida Panthers for Erik Gudbranson and a 2016 fifth-round pick, where he would play until being dealt again to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He would be claimed by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. 

Right now, the Canucks are almost certainly regretting their move to give up on McCann so quickly considering his newfound goal scoring touch.

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