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Vancouver Canucks Sign Vasily Podkolzin To Entry-Level Contract

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May 31: Podkolzin told Sport24 in Russia that he is willing to play in the AHL if that’s what the Canucks management wants him to do and is not considering a return to Russia or using a European Assignment Clause. That’s good news for Vancouver, who can bring the teenaged forward along slowly if he’s not quite ready to make an impact at the start of the season.

May 30: The Vancouver Canucks announced they have signed top prospect Vasily Podkolzin to a three-year, entry-level contract. The winger was the team’s 10th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reports that the deal will be for the full $925K cap hit along with full Schedule A bonuses, making it a $1.775MM actual cap hit.

“Vasily is a competitor who plays an aggressive game,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “He’s effective using his size and skill to get to the net and produce offensively. We’re pleased to sign him today and look forward to adding him to our young core of skilled players.”

The winger should provide the team with an impressive power forward for years to come, although his height is debated with his KHL team listing him as 6-foot-3, while the Canucks have him at 6-foot-1. Regardless of his exact size, his high-end skating and his physical make-up present the team with one of their more interesting prospects. He likely will be an immediate fit in Vancouver’s top-six and will be a top Calder Trophy candidate.

The 19-year-old Podkolzin is coming off a full season in the KHL where he scored five goals and 11 points in 35 games with SKA St. Petersburg in limited minutes. He also captained Team Russia in the World Junior Championships, scoring two goals and four points in seven games as Russia lost in the bronze medal game to Finland.

There was speculation during the season that Podkolzin might come over to Vancouver in April after his KHL season ended and burn the first year of his entry-level deal. However, the youngster opted instead to stay in Russia and focus on making Russia’s World Championship roster, which he did not make. However, the chances that Podkolzin would have seen much action after having secured a work visa and sat through quarantine seemed unlikely.

Canucks Will Face A Bonus Penalty Next Season

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The Canucks are a team that’s going to be looking to free up some cap room this summer and their situation for next season just got a bit more challenging.  PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that as a result of Quinn Hughes maxing out on his bonuses and Nils Hoglander hitting a games played-related bonus, Vancouver will be facing a $649K bonus overage penalty heading into next season.  With the team being in LTIR for the entire year, they were unable to bank any cap room throughout the season which means that full amount is added to their 2021-22 payroll.

Vancouver Canucks Open To Moving Nate Schmidt

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The Vancouver Canucks didn’t have the type of season they were hoping for. The team finished in last place in the North Division, even behind the rebuilding Ottawa Senators — a far cry from their strong playoff performance a season ago. While the team lost several free agents in goaltender Jacob Markstrom, winger Tyler Toffoli and defenseman Chris Tanev, the hope was that others could step up in their place, including Thatcher Demko, Nils Hoglander and trade acquisition Nate Schmidt, who they picked up from Vegas for a 2022 third-round pick.

Of course, things didn’t work out for Schmidt, who just didn’t seem to be a good fit with Vancouver this year. The 29-year-old played in all but two games for the Canucks, but couldn’t get it going offensively with just 15 points in 54 games, quite a difference from the 31 points he posted in 59 games with Vegas in 2019-20. That’s not exactly what Vancouver envisioned when it took on Schmidt’s contract, which suddenly doesn’t look so good on their payroll as Schmidt still has four more years at $5.95MM.

The Province’s Patrick Johnston writes that the Canucks will likely have to do a major shakeup of their blueline this offseason with only a few players considered key pieces to their puzzle. The belief is the team would prefer to move Schmidt and his contract to free up some cap space, although that could prove challenging, according to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal  (subscription required). While the contract is somewhat front-loaded, the base salary for this next year is still $6MM and only drops slightly over the next three years.

What that type of cap hit in a flat cap world, only a handful of teams are likely willing to take on four more years of Schmidt and the Canucks could be forced to send a sweetener if they hope to move the blueliner. All three scribes suggest that Schmidt is a likely trade candidate, but also admit that Schmidt may be difficult to unload and therefore might just have to be an expensive second-pair defenseman, who the team hopes can rebound and have a big season.

Benning: Canucks Expect To Announce The Hiring Of The Sedins Over The Next Couple Of Weeks

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While the exact role has yet to be determined, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin will be returning to the Canucks. GM Jim Benning indicated in a recent appearance on CHEK’s Donnie and Dhali show (audio link) that talks about a reunion are ongoing with an announcement hopefully coming over the next couple of weeks.  The twins each played 17 years with Vancouver after being selected second and third overall back in 1999 and hung up their skates in 2018.  Benning hopes to have the Sedins get their feet wet with several different aspects of the organization and given their commitment as players, this could be the beginning of another long run with the team.

Snapshots: Rutherford, Urquhart, COVID Protocol

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It sure doesn’t sound as though former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford is done with hockey. The 72-year-old Hall of Fame executive left the Penguins abruptly back in January and it felt as though it could be the end of an illustrious front office career. However, it didn’t take long for speculation to mount that Rutherford wanted to get back into the management game. Now, his interest is official. PBI Sports Agency has announced that they now officially represent Rutherford, who is looking for new “NHL management opportunities.” The GM and President of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes for 20 years and GM and Executive Vice President of the Penguins for another seven, not to mention considerable time spent in the OHL, there are few in hockey with as much front office experience as Rutherford. If he wants a new job in the league, PBI shouldn’t have a hard time finding him one.

  • San Diego Gulls assistant coach David Urquhart is moving to the college game and returning to his old stomping grounds. The Anaheim Ducks’ affiliate has announced that Urquhart has accepted the head coach position at McGill University, where he was an assistant for four years before joining the Gulls in 2018. Urquhart also played at McGill and was one the rare four-year Canadian collegiate players to go on to have an extended pro career, playing three seasons in the AHL and another three in Italy. While USports pales in comparison to its American counterpart, the NCAA, McGill is one of its most highly regarded institutions and based in a high-publicity area in Montreal. While Urquhart’s move was clearly impacted by loyalty to his university, it could also lead to greater heights in his career, especially if he finds success in his first head coaching position.
  • The NHL is loosening it’s COVID Protocol restrictions as it relates to fans. With many playoff teams having already received permission from local authorities to host increasing amounts of fans, the league is moving forward with improving that spectator experience. The NHL has announced that, beginning in the second round, fans will no longer be required to wear masks at games. Individual teams may still enforce a mask mandate if local health policies insist, but the league will no longer do the same. Additionally, the glass behind the penalty boxes and benches, initially removed to allow for more breathing room for teams, can also be removed if teams are 85% vaccinated. This will be the case for most remaining American teams.

Elias Pettersson To Rehab Wrist Injury, Won't Undergo Surgery

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  • Although he missed the final two months of the season with a lingering wrist injury, Canucks center Elias Pettersson won’t need to undergo surgery to repair the issue, notes Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston. While surgery was discussed at one point with team doctors, they decided that simply rehabbing it would be the better way to go.  He enters restricted free agency this summer coming off a bit of a disappointing campaign that saw him miss 30 games although he still managed to pick up 10 goals and 11 assists in the 26 contests he was able to suit up for.

North Notes: Weber, Oilers, Tkachuk, Hamonic

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The Department of Player Safety announced that they have fined Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber $5,000, the maximum fine allowable in the CBA,  for cross-checking Toronto’s Wayne Simmonds Saturday during Game 2 of the playoffs.

The veteran forward was not assessed a penalty against Simmonds on the play, but did receive a two-minute minor for cross-checking on Toronto’s Pierre Engvall during the third period and later received a 10-minute misconduct. Montreal received seven minor penalties during their 5-1 loss to Toronto.

  • The Edmonton Oilers look to be making several lineup changes after falling 2-0 to the Winnipeg Jets in their first-round matchup, according to Oilers insider Bob Stauffer. With the hope of being faster on the ice, the team is scratching James Neal, Dominik Kahun and Alex Chiasson, while bringing Tyler Ennis, Gaetan Haas and Devin Shore. The team has also split up defensemen Tyson Barrie and Darnell Nurse, while demoting forward Kailer Yamamoto to the third line.
  • Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is eligible to sign an extension with the team, tells Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg that he hasn’t spoken to Flames’ management about a new contract. The 23-year-old has one more year remaining at a $7MM AAV, but also will have a qualifying offer of $9MM when he becomes a restricted free agent. That’s a lot of money for a player that hasn’t taken that next step the team was hoping for. Tkachuk scored 34 goals and 77 points during the 2018-19 season and looked to be developing into a star player. However, those numbers have dropped to 23 goals and 61 points in 69 2019-20 and then 16 goals and 43 points in 56 games this season. There’s even been talk of Calgary making major changes this year, which could, in theory, include Tkachuk as well.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have high hopes they can re-sign defenseman Travis Hamonic to a new contract for the upcoming season. Hamonic, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, played 38 games for Vancouver, mostly pairing with Quinn Hughes and fared well, despite dealing with injuries and rust. However, The Province’s Ben Kuzma reports that general manager Jim Benning said that there is interest in bringing back Hamonic, assuming the two sides can reach a reasonable deal. The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal worth $1.25MM in hopes of staying in Western Canada, suggesting a deal is legitimately possible.

J.T. Miller Wants To Stay In Vancouver

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Since arriving in Vancouver in 2019, acquired by the Canucks from the Tampa Bay Lightning, J.T. Miller has been a star. He leads the team in scoring with 118 points in 122 regular season games, 24 ahead of Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes tied for second. He was one of the biggest reasons the team reached the second round in the bubble playoffs last year, scoring 18 points in 17 postseason games.

Still, there have been bouts of inconsistency at times, and recently some speculation has emerged over whether he wants to even stay in Vancouver. During the Headlines segment on Hockey Night In Canada, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet explained that he went right to the source and asked Miller:

No, he does not want to be traded, he does not want to leave, he wants to be a Vancouver Canuck. He has no intentions of leaving. ’We have a good team here’ and he wants to be a part of it.

Miller, 28, has two seasons left on the five-year, $26.25MM deal he signed with the Lightning in 2018 and carries a cap hit of $5.25MM. That’s a very reasonable number for a player that is nearly a point-per-game for the Canucks, even if this season didn’t result in much success for the team.

Of course, when the Canucks acquired Miller they voided the partial no-trade clause that had originally been included in the deal, meaning he technically wouldn’t be able to stop a move. A trade seems very unlikely though given Vancouver GM Jim Benning’s recent comments about making the playoffs next season. In fact, Miller is likely a piece to build around if the postseason is a realistic goal.

The same can’t be said about everyone on the roster and there are changes coming in Vancouver this summer. But for now, at least, Miller isn’t looking to be moved.

North Notes: Giordano, Sutter, Senators Arena

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Mark Giordano has been a fixture on Calgary’s back end for well over a decade and has gone from a role player to a top-line fixture while taking over as their captain.  However, Seattle’s expansion draft is on the horizon and the Flames could be inclined to protect players that are going to be around a little longer than the 37-year-old in Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev who all have at least three years left on their respective deals.  Accordingly, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis suggests that Giordano would be a viable target for the Kraken who would be able to afford the $6.75MM on his deal for next season where he’d be a valuable mentor (and perhaps a late-season trade chip).  For his part, Giordano acknowledged that “there are certain situations where you have to be an adult about it and know there are certain things that have to happen”, suggesting that he seems to see the writing on the wall.

More from the North Division:

  • Canucks center Brandon Sutter’s preference is to re-sign with Vancouver this offseason, notes Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 32-year-old certainly hasn’t lived up to the $4.375MM cap hit on the deal he signed after joining Vancouver but he can still be an effective role player, scoring nine goals this season while winning 55.5% of his faceoffs.  A significant pay cut is coming one way or another but given his fit on the team, it’s understandable that Sutter may want to stick around.
  • Ottawa’s arena situation has been a concern for a few years now after the LeBreton Flats development fell through but it has been off the radar lately. However, team owner Eugene Melnyk indicated in a recent appearance on the Bob McCown Podcast (audio link) that he’s hoping to commit to a new plan within the next few years.  His preference is to stay in Kanata but he indicated an openness to considering Gatineau, Quebec as a potential fallback.

Vancouver Canucks Will Consider Buyouts This Offseason

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When the Vancouver Canucks signed Loui Eriksson to a six-year, $36MM contract on July 1, 2016, it was almost immediately met with concern from many who believed it would not go well. After all, Eriksson was going to turn 31 just a few weeks after inking the deal and was coming off a year which saw him shoot 16.3% to rack up 30 goals. Still, there was some hope that he would be able to age gracefully and be a solid contributor throughout the deal, even if he wasn’t a first-line option. After one season in Vancouver, it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen.

Eriksson wasn’t the only bad contract handed out on that day. Milan Lucic, Andrew Ladd, David Backes, Kyle Okposo, and others were also given long-term deals that haven’t panned out, but the Canucks winger has been the poster boy for that disastrous free agent class. Through five seasons in Vancouver he has scored 38 goals and 90 points in 252 games, has cleared waivers twice, and spent almost the entire 2020-21 campaign on the taxi squad. Canucks fans have been clamoring for an Eriksson buyout for years now, but as we examined just two days after it was originally signed, the structure of the contract made it relatively buyout-proof.

At today’s end-of-season media availability, Vancouver GM Jim Benning indicated to reporters including Thomas Drance of The Athletic that the team will explore buyouts this offseason. While the mind may immediately jump to Eriksson when Benning mentions the buyout process, the now 35-year-old forward actually doesn’t seem the most likely candidate.

That structure that made Eriksson’s deal so difficult to buy out in previous years is still there, and the Canucks would still be on the hook for a $4MM cap hit next season if they bought him out this summer. They would also face a $1MM cap hit in 2022-23. By moving Eriksson to the minor leagues, they can already bury $1.125MM of his cap hit next season (the amount will increase because the league minimum salary is moving to $750K), more than half of the buyout savings but without the 2022-23 penalty.

So if not Eriksson, who else could face the buyout machine?

Jake Virtanen, who finished the season with just five goals and zero assists in 38 games this season is an option. Because he is still just 24, the Canucks would be on the hook for only one-third of the remaining salary on his contract. It would mean carrying a $50K cap hit in 2021-22 and $500K in 2022-23. Virtanen has shown flashes of top-line potential since being selected sixth overall in 2014, but they have come far too infrequently. Antoine Roussel is another candidate, but like in the Eriksson situation, thanks to a front-loaded contract a buyout wouldn’t actually save much more than simply waiving him and stashing him in the minor leagues. The Canucks would be on the hook for a cap hit of $1.73MM (compared to a $1.875MM if stashed in the minors) in 2021-22 and $633K in 2022-23 with a Roussel buyout.

Even though the Canucks are in salary cap trouble, there aren’t actually a ton of obvious candidates for buyouts this summer. Instead, they may have to try and trade some of the bad money out if they want to clear real room for players like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, who both are restricted free agents in need of new contracts.

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