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Canucks Nearing Contract For Quinn Hughes

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Shortly after multiple reports surfaced that Vancouver was making progress on deals for their remaining restricted free agents, the Canucks appear to be closing in on a new contract for defenseman Quinn Hughes.  Sportsnet’s Satiar Shah is among those reporting (Twitter link) that the blueliner is nearing a six-year contract with an AAV of around $7.75MM.  If the agreement winds up being made official at those terms, it will be the richest contract handed out by Canucks GM Jim Benning.

Hughes, the seventh-overall pick in 2018, has quickly emerged as one of the bigger offensive threats from the back end around the NHL.  He has recorded 94 points in 124 games over his two seasons, good for a tie with Colorado’s Cale Makar for fourth among blueliners league-wide.  Makar, by comparison, inked a six-year deal of his own this summer, with an AAV of $9MM.  His play in his own end is still more of a work in progress but at 21, there is still plenty of time for improvement on that front.

The contract would buy out Hughes’ five remaining RFA-eligible seasons plus his first year of UFA eligibility so Vancouver doesn’t gain a lot of team control with this contract but ensures that their biggest offensive threat defensively will be ready to go for the start of the season where he will battle with newcomer Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the top spot on the left side of Vancouver’s defense.  Worth noting is that only the final year of his contract will be eligible for trade protection because it is the only UFA year.

With Vancouver having a little under $14MM in cap room per CapFriendly (before accounting for Micheal Ferland who is likely LTIR-bound again), it will likely push them in the direction of a bridge contract for RFA forward Elias Pettersson.  To that end, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that a three-year deal worth around $7.7MM could be on the table.  With both players being represented by CAA Sports, the deals have basically been worked on together and it wouldn’t be surprising if an announcement from the team will come when both players have officially agreed to terms.  That won’t happen tonight, reports Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre (Twitter link).

Latest On Vancouver’s Restricted Free Agents

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There are two notable absentees from Vancouver’s training camp in defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward Elias Pettersson who remain unsigned.  However, it appears contract talks between the Canucks and their representatives at CAA are starting to improve as Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that some progress was made on both fronts today while Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Hughes’ deal is closer to be being completed out of the two though they are being done together.  In the latest TSN Insider Trading segment (video link), TSN’s Darren Dreger mentions that the state of discussions could be classified as “grinding” so there is clearly some work still to be done.

While the Canucks would undoubtedly like to get long-term deals done with both players, they may not have the cap space to do so and keep wiggle room for in-season movement – roughly $17MM per CapFriendly if Micheal Ferland returns to LTIR.  Hughes would likely be seeking a deal similar to Cale Makar’s in Colorado ($9MM AAV for six years) while Pettersson’s comparables on a long-term pact could push him over the $9MM mark as well.

One potential factor here is the status of defenseman Travis Hamonic who remains unvaccinated with the deadline to opt out of the season coming up on Friday.  If that happens, he would come off the salary cap some of his $3MM AAV could be redirected towards Hughes and Pettersson although some would need to be earmarked to a replacement blueliner as well.

At the very least, it appears as if discussions are heading in the right direction.  And until Hamonic’s situation is finalized on Friday, they may have to wait a little longer until they officially know how much they’ll have available to spend on their young stars.

Defense Notes: Hamonic, Hajek, Capobianco

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Training camp is well underway but the Vancouver Canucks are still awaiting the arrival of veteran defenseman Travis Hamonic. Now, with the deadline to opt out of the coming season arriving on Friday, the team is left to wait to see if they will have the reliable blue liner back after extending him this off-season. Yet, it appears that they will remain patient and calm with Hamonic, who has family concerns to take into account with his decision. Hamonic previously opted out of the 2020 playoff bubble due to his daughter’s respiratory infection and with the NHL returning to a full slate of travel this season, he may be concerned about potential exposure to the Coronavirus and bringing that home. GM Jim Benning tells Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma that he is “confident” that Hamonic will arrive to camp and play this season, but also notes that “he’s dealing with a personal issue and I think everybody should just leave it alone.” Benning did however speak to the team’s COVID vaccination status when discussing Hamonic, which may also imply that he is unvaccinated, adding another layer to his decision. Whatever the cause, time is running out for Hamonic to make his decision, but the Canucks hope the veteran defenseman will be back in the fold as soon as possible.

    • Just a few years after being one of the cornerstone prospects in the Ryan McDonagh trade return, Libor Hajek’s job with the New York Rangers could be in jeopardy. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that sources believe Hajek has slid outside a starting job on the Rangers’ depth chart and possibly even outside of a roster spot. Behind established 23-year-old Ryan Lindgren, 21-year-old rising sophomore K’Andre Miller, and 20-year-old rookie Zac Jones, the 23-year-old Hajek has not done enough to assert himself as a roster lock and can no longer depend on his upside with so much talented youth around him. Lindgren and Miller both greatly outplayed Hajek last year and Jones came in late in the season, after a long college season that ended in a National Championship with UMass, and proceeded to match Hajek’s season point total in just ten games.  Beyond just the youngsters, Brooks reports that veteran free agent addition Patrik Nemeth is also above Hajek on the depth chart. With four lefties seemingly locked into roster spots, Hajek would have to unseat a righty to make the team – and that certainly won’t be Adam Fox or Jacob Trouba – or hope that New York opts to carry eight defenseman, five of which are lefties. Another promising rookie, Nils Lundkvist, is currently penciled in for the final spot on the right side, while a potential fifth lefty spot would also be open to competition from veterans Jarred Tinordi and Anthony Bitetto and promising prospect Matthew Robertson. This all goes to show that there are a lot of defensemen in the mix for the Rangers and Hajek no longer has the shine of a budding star. Even though the likes of Miller, Jones, Lundkvist, and Robertson are all waiver-exempt, don’t be surprised to see New York subject to Hajek to waivers anyhow in order to ensure the best players are on the NHL roster. Whether that decision ultimately means Hajek’s days in the Big Apple are numbered remains to be seen.
    • The Arizona Coyotes have announced that Kyle Capobianco is currently sidelined with a knee injury, which is exactly what the young defenseman did not want in training camp this year. Though PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan writes that he is only considered day-to-day, this is a critical preseason for Capobianco. The left side of the Coyotes blue line was obliterated this off-season with the trade of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, free agent departures of Alex Goligoski and Jordan Oesterle, and retirement of Niklas Hjalmarsson. Even with the addition of Shayne Gostisbehere to a left side now led by Jakob Chychrun, Capobianco flew up the depth chart into a top-three slot. This was his chance to finally secure an NHL starting job, but he risks missing out with a surplus of right-handed defensemen also jockeying for position. If youngsters like Victor Soderstrom, Conor Timmins, and Ty Emberson all prove they should be on the NHL roster while Capobianco sits out, he could lose his starting job, especially with veterans Ilya Lyubushkin and Anton Stralman able to play their off-side.

Canucks’ Brady Keeper Out Indefinitely With Broken Leg

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When new Vancouver Canucks defenseman Brady Keeper went down in obvious pain following a blocked shot in practice in on Saturday and had to be stretched off the ice, the result was never going to be good. However, the hope was that Keeper’s injury would not cost him his entire debut season with the Canucks after signing a two-year, one-way contract this summer. While the team has not provided a definitive diagnosis or recovery timeline, it unfortunately seems likely that Keeper will miss extensive time, if not the whole season. Head coach Travis Green updated the media today and disclosed that Keeper did in fact suffer a fractured leg on the blocked shot. The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal adds that Keeper underwent surgery this morning.

Some sources are reporting that Keeper suffered both a fractured tibia and fibula, while others have merely stuck with “broken leg” until an official confirmation from the Canucks. Either way, there is a chance that Keeper may not be able to return this season, especially since the fracture required surgery. Timelines vary for recoveries from a broken leg, but the most recent cases in the NHL all cost players a minimum of three months. This would actually be a positive result for Keeper, getting him back in action after the calendar flips to January. Even if he is out close to four or five month, the extended regular season due to the Olympic break should still allow Keeper to return. However, if the defenseman is looking at a six-month recovery, considered to be the maximum for a leg fracture, the Canucks may simply shut him down rather than try to bring him back in April with so little time left in the year.

While Keeper may not be a household name and may only seem like a minor off-season addition, the 25-year-old defenseman out of the University of Maine was clearly in the Canucks’ plans this season. A Group 6 free agent from the Florida Panthers, Keeper only has two regular season NHL games to his credit, but has impressed in the AHL with his well-rounded play. His market was such this summer that Vancouver gave him a one-way contract and at a $762.5K AAV that is above the minimum salary. Keeper was expected to at least compete for an opening night roster spot with the Canucks.

Fortunately, Keeper was one of a number additions to the blue line this off-season for Vancouver. In addition to returners Tyler Myers, Travis Hamonic, Olli Juolevi, and (unsigned) Quinn Hughes, the Canucks added Oliver Ekman-Larsson as well as Keeper, Tucker Poolman, and Brad Hunt. Prospects Jack Rathbone and Jett Woo and veterans Madison Bowey and Guillaume Brisebois will also be in the mix. The Canucks have the depth to replace Keeper, but will still be disappointed to be without him for a length of time this season.

Injury Notes: Vrana, Martin, Keeper

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Expectations are high for 25-year-old Jakub Vrana this season after the talented forward arrived in Detroit late last season in the Anthony Mantha trade and promptly recorded eight goals and 11 points in 11 games. However, his 2021-22 season is not off to as smooth a start. As Kevin Allen writes for Detroit Hockey Now, Vrana arrived late to training camp due to visa issues and was only able to take the ice for the first time today. Less than ten minutes into his first session back with the team, Vrana suffered a shoulder injury and had to leave. Head coach Jeff Blashill did not have a prognosis after practice, stating only that Vrana would be “re-evaluated later”. As Allen notes, Detroit was missing Tyler Bertuzzi for nearly all of last season and don’t need another core scorer with a nagging injury again this year. Hopefully Vrana’s shoulder ailment is nothing serious.

  • The New York Islanders iconic fourth line has looked a little different so far in camp with Richard Panik lining up with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck rather than Matt Martin. No, head coach Barry Trotz isn’t just breaking up a line with proven chemistry. Instead, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that Martin is dealing with an ankle injury. Rather than taking part in line rushes as a full participant in practice, Martin has been skating by himself so far in camp. There is no timeline for when the veteran forward might return. In the meantime, Panik will have the opportunity to show that he should not be one of many notable victims of the Islanders’ impending roster crunch.
  • A scary scene occurred at Vancouver Canucks camp today as defenseman Brady Keeper has to be stretchered off the ice following an apparent seriously leg injury. As The Athletic’s Thomas Drance recalls, Keeper blocked a shot in the leg and went down in audible pain. Drance describes his state as “a ton of distress”. The stretcher was eventually brought out as Keeper could not get up under his own power. While any serious injury such as this is unfortunate, don’t underestimate the potential impact that an extensive absence for Keeper could have on the Canucks. The 25-year-old may only have two NHL games under his belt, but the market was such for the Group 6 UFA this summer that the Canucks signed him to a one-way contract and at a value above the $750K minimum. Vancouver seemingly felt that Keeper could be an NHL contributor this season, even though he is one of 11 or 12 defenders battling for a roster spot. Fortunately that depth will also help the team overcome the potential long-term loss of a player they clearly had plans for this season.

Remaining RFAs Training Together As Season Approaches

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If you navigate to the restricted free agent page on CapFriendly, only five names remain unsigned for the upcoming season. Two of them are New York Islanders players–Anatoly Golyshev and Kieffer Bellows–who are both already in training camp even though the team has not officially announced new contracts. The other three, Elias Pettersson, Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes, are having their own kind of training camp in Michigan. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the three are now skating together as they continue to wait out their contract negotiations.

Pettersson joined Hughes there as the Vancouver Canucks deal directly with representative Pat Brisson on new deals for the young stars. As recently as Tuesday, the super-agent told Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV that he and the club were speaking every other day, working to get deals done as soon as possible. But it’s now a couple of days into camp and the two most important players on the Vancouver roster are not even in the country.

In Ottawa, things are moving forward without Tkachuk, the team’s best forward and likely their next captain. GM Pierre Dorion once again told reporters including Wayne Scanlan of Sportsnet that the negotiations were “productive and positive,” but the 22-year-old is now missing from camp in an all-important year for the Senators. The team is looking to turn the corner on their rebuild and Tkachuk is the player that needs to lead them there.

A week ago, Justin Bourne of Sportsnet wrote a column detailing his viewpoint on missing the start of training camp. He makes the case that the early part of the season is the most crucial, because of the trust it builds between the coaching staff and roster. While neither Vancouver nor Ottawa have rookie head coaches trying to get the respect of the room, they are both teams that are by no means guaranteed a playoff spot or even a competitive season. Any disruption to the start of the year could cascade throughout the entire schedule.

For now though, all the players can do is train on their own and wait for a resolution. Thomas Drance of The Athletic writes that it will have to be Pettersson that signs before Hughes, because of the latter’s status as a 10.2(c) RFA that cannot be signed to an offer sheet. If they signed them in the reverse, it would open a window for another team to swoop in and offer something to Pettersson that would be difficult to match under the Canucks’ current cap situation.

At this point, there are no more comparables to be signed, as these are the three pillars left standing. The only real pressure point coming now is the start of the regular season, certainly not something either side wants to wait for.

Justin Bailey Has Positive COVID-19 Test; Brandon Sutter Dealing With Fatigue

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  • Canucks forward Justin Bailey will not be available at the start of training camp following a positive COVID-19 test, reports Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played in just three games with Vancouver last season; he spent most of the first month of the year on the taxi squad before suffering a season-ending shoulder surgery.  Meanwhile, GM Jim Benning also indicated that center Brandon Sutter is dealing with some fatigue with the team not fully sure of what the cause of it is at this time but ruled out the possibility of it being the COVID-19 virus.

Alex Chiasson Signs PTO With Vancouver Canucks

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With Tyler Motte on the sideline recovering from surgery, the Vancouver Canucks have brought in a little more competition for the bottom-six. Alex Chiasson has signed a professional tryout with the team.

The 30-year-old Chiasson has played 564 regular season games in the NHL, including 183 over the last three years with the Edmonton Oilers. While he scored 22 goals during his first full year in Edmonton, that’s not the kind of offensive presence that Chiasson usually brings. Instead, he has averaged 13 goals per 82 games in the other seven seasons of his career, a number that still represents a useful bottom-six option.

The fact that he is an effective possession payer and has some special teams versatility makes him a worthwhile PTO candidate for a team that is looking to get back to the playoffs. In fact, this move represents the opposite of so much of the criticism Canucks GM Jim Benning has taken over the years. While in previous offseasons he has committed multi-year contracts to bottom-six players, this is a no-risk move for Vancouver that could result in a useful player.

Of course, that’s if Chiasson signs a deal with Vancouver at all. Tryouts are showcases for the entire league, meaning he could very well catch on somewhere else if an opportunity presents itself.

Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV broke the news earlier today, after originally reporting earlier this week that the team was talking to Chiasson. 

Tyler Motte Recovering From Surgery

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Heading into the 2020 bubble playoffs, many fans around the league may have never noticed Vancouver Canucks forward Tyler Motte. He had registered just 38 points in 187 games to that point in his career, bouncing from Chicago to Columbus to Vancouver as a depth player moving in and out of the lineup. But in that condensed postseason, Motte made a name for himself with endless energy and a few well-timed goals, helping the Canucks reach game seven of the second round.

When things resumed for the 2020-21 season, the bang-and-crash forward suddenly found his role increased for the Canucks. He averaged more than 16 minutes a night through his first 15 games, scoring five goals in the process. Unfortunately, he was injured in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and eventually found himself on long-term injured reserve, meaning he’d miss a good chunk of the season. He dealt with two other stints on the sideline with injuries and ended up with just 24 games played last season.

Now, after it was made clear that Motte wouldn’t be available to the Canucks at the start of training camp, Rick Dhaliwal and Thomas Drance of The Athletic have confirmed it is because he is rehabbing from an undisclosed surgery. Vancouver GM Jim Benning explained that the team will “see where [Motte] is at here in the next three weeks.”

On the second season of a two-year contract signed after that strong playoff performance, Motte will carry a cap hit of $1.225MM this season. That three-week timeline mentioned by Benning likely refers to the period from now until the team’s first game, which will be held in Edmonton on October 13. If Motte’s not ready to join the lineup by then, the team will have to find another option to take his minutes and penalty-killing role.

Benning: "No Angry Sides" In Talks With Hughes And Pettersson

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The Canucks remain a team to watch for with training camp fast approaching with their two prominent unsigned players in defenseman Quinn Hughes and forward Elias Pettersson.  Speaking with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, GM Jim Benning indicated that “there’s no angry sides” as they continue to talk either every day or every second day.  Vancouver has enough cap room to potentially sign one of the two to a long-term contract and the other a bridge deal but MacIntyre reports that at this point, short-term contracts for both are the current focus.  With both being represented by CAA, the discussions are basically intertwined.  Benning expressed a desire to have both stars signed before training camp starts so agreements will need to be in place soon for that to happen.

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