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Derrick Pouliot is somewhat in limbo.

The Vancouver Canucks’ restricted free-agent defenceman wasn’t qualified by the Monday deadline of 2 p.m. Pacific. It means that the 24-year-old Pouliot, who was tied for second in club blue-liner points last season with 22 (3-19), but was seventh in average ice time (17:51) and also an occasional healthy scratch, is now an unrestricted free agent.

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However, the Canucks don’t want to part with Pouliot and are still trying to hammer out a short, show-us deal.

By not qualifying Pouliot, who earned US$800,000 last season on a one-way deal, he loses his arbitration rights. That might not seem like much, but when an independent arbiter is shown evidence to reach a settlement that the club could walk away from — statistics, games played and especially comparable performances and salaries — the Canucks were wary of just where that might go.

“It’s probably the comparables,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Monday. “We’re still working on a contract and that’s the only thing I’m going to say. We’re trying to figure it out.”