Ex-Canuck prospect Jonathan Dahlén is opening up about his time in Utica that led to him being traded to the San Jose Sharks at the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for Linus Karlsson.

Following the trade, Dahlen has now been forced to close his social media accounts due to some hateful messages from Canucks Nation.

The 21-year-old conducted the interview with the Swedish publication HockeyNews. While some of the translations may be off, it’s easy to get a basic understanding of what Dahlen is saying.

When it comes to players being harassed on social media, it’s typically always a select few fans who go out of their way to send hateful messages to someone they dislike. It’s usually not a representation of an entire fanbase, but still completely unnecessary and not a good look. Whatever was said to Dahlen, it was was enough to make him delete his accounts on social media.

Dahlen explains how he likely doesn’t have much of a relationship with Canucks fans simply because he hasn’t done many interviews. Most fans just don’t know who he is outside of a name on a prospect list.

“I have not done many interviews, so I find it difficult to get messages from Vancouver fans. They have written very hateful messages and it ended with me removing both Twitter and Instagram. I have try to keep myself in the dark now and am focused on trying to feel a bit better.”

Dahlen tries to explain that he didn’t ask for a trade and it was Vancouver management who ultimately pushed him out of the organization.

“I actually chose not to be traded. I didn’t want to move.”

There have been reports that Dahlen’s agent asked the Canucks for a trade. What Dahlen is saying about how he was treated makes it plausible that his agent did go to the Canucks and ask for a move even if Dahlen never specifically said that’s what he wanted.

“I have had a bit of toughness and measures like that. They have treated me in a way that does not bring out the best hockey player in me or developed me. They have had the wrong approach and that is what I have told the agent. That it is the wrong way to treat me if they want me to develop.”

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Dahlen further details what was happening in Utica that hindered his development.

“There are fantastic teammates and captains in the team, the guys are wonderful but that is the way they try to develop young players. It has had the opposite effect on me and it feels like I have been trampled rather than lifted. Instead of becoming a better hockey player, it has gone in the opposite direction. I have not been able to do anything offensive without being afraid of being benched if I make a mistake.”

Dahlen states the Canucks decided to pull the trigger on a trade once they realized Dahlen was unhappy with what was going on.

“We have tried to get a change on it and finally they sadly guessed that I did not feel so good or that I did not think they treated me properly. So then they chose to pull me off and get something else for me.”

As stated previously, there’s toxicity in most fanbases. It’s unfortunate those who decided to send messages to Dahlen were negative and hateful.

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The winger had 14 goals in 50 games with the Comets this season and has three assists in his first three games with the San Jose Barracuda. Here’s hoping the young forward can develop into a valuable player at the NHL level for the Sharks.





