Chris Higgins got the call Sunday morning and was told not to bother reporting for work.
Just like that, his days as a Vancouver Canuck were done.
At age 32 and in the midst of his least productive season, Higgins is a victim of the Canucks’ youth movement.
When the Canucks traded for Emerson Etem — another young forward — late last week, you knew something had to give. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Higgins’ days as a Canuck could be numbered.
On Sunday, shortly after coach Willie Desjardins called Higgins to deliver the news, the team took the rather unusual step of issuing a news release to announce that it was trying to trade him.