As expected, the Vancouver Canucks have reached an agreement with restricted free agent Nikolay Goldobin. The young forward has re-signed with the team on a one-year, one-way contract worth $900K. Reports yesterday were that things had moved in a positive direction, and this deal will now leave the Canucks with just Brock Boeser left to get under contract. GM Jim Benning released a short statement on the signing:
Nikolay is a gifted offensive player who has shown good chemistry with some of our other younger players. He has taken steps to round out his game and we’re excited to see continued improvement from him this season.
Goldobin, 23, scored 27 points in 63 games last season for the Canucks but still hasn’t quite figured out his game at the NHL level. Armed with plenty of offensive talent, there are times when Goldobin fades into the background and doesn’t assert himself enough to deserve a bigger role. That said, there have been times that he looks right at home alongside top players like Boeser and the Canucks will hope he can grow on that moving forward.
The young forward will have arbitration rights as a restricted free agent when the deal expires next year. Vancouver will now turn its full attention towards Boeser and the ongoing negotiation which is still expected to take some time. Though Goldobin’s relatively low salary will give them some extra wiggle room, the Canucks don’t have a ton of cap space to fit Boeser in if the reports of demands reaching $7MM per season are to believed. There may be some more work coming for Benning and company to clear a bit of space, or the team may be heading into the year without much flexibility.
As often as Goldobin has been in Travis’ doghouse, this doesn’t seem like a good move, on the surface.
Depth scoring. Low risk at that cost
Vancouver according to spotrac Cap Tracker , it indicates Vancouver has over $5 million to sign Boeser. Now what does Benning do. Keller in Arizona just got $7 million, how much does Boeser want, or they gonna offer 3 year bridge deal for less or have to move someone, Goldobin only makes $900,000+ not much more if place Roussel on IR , ? Hope it don’t messy in Canuck Land!