Canucks And Prospect Tom Willander Remain In Contract Dispute

Vancouver Canucks prospect Tom Willander remains in contract limbo and is currently wondering what his future holds, per Cam Robinson of eliteprospects.com.

Willander, a 20-year-old defenseman from Stockholm, Sweden, was drafted 11th overall by the Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft. He spent the last two seasons at Boston University and has developed into one of the top two-way defensive prospects thanks to his combination of speed and high hockey IQ. In his sophomore season, he recorded 21 points (2 goals, 19 assists) and a plus-16 rating in 33 games. In two seasons at Boston University, he has registered 51 points and a plus-47 rating.

However, as Robinson points out, Willander and the Canucks remain in the dispute over the bonuses he should receive in his entry-level contract (reportedly thought to be approximately $200,000). On Friday, Willander said he has simply asked the team to include the bonuses in his entry-level deal and that no other stipulations have been requested (such as a demand to start in the NHL). Willander also noted that he held off on joining the Swedish National Team, per the Canucks’ request, at least until negotiations continued to stall. Willander eventually decided to join the team in hopes of participating at the 2025 IIHF World Championships.

“They asked us earlier in the season. The Canucks didn’t want us to play there,” Willander said.  “But then as time moved on, it became viable so we decided ‘okay, it could be fun to play games with really good players.”

There were also conflicting reports between the player the team regarding where he’ll play next season. As recent as last week, the Canucks stated in a press conference that Willander would be returning to college for another season. However, as Willander told Robinson, he believes he’s ready to move on from college hockey, noting that it’s no longer the “perfect spot” for him.

Through it all, Willander said he’s trying to stay objective through the process and noted that his goal is to still to play in the NHL with Vancouver. He said that he likes the players and people he has met throughout the organization. It’s just a matter of if a deal can be reached at this point. And as Willander added, “I haven’t even thought about it hypothetically because it’s not close to being a done deal.”