Canucks Sign Swedish Goaltender Joacim Eriksson
Thomas Drance
June 15 2013 09:25AM
The Canucks have reportedly signed Joacim Eriksson, probably the best European goalie on the market.
Photo Credit: Studio Eriksson Photography.
Last weekend, reports out of Sweden indicated that the Canucks were close to a signing an entry level deal with UMass-Lowell defenceman Christian Folin. Folin subsequently made like a PSA and stayed in school. But this weekend is different, it seems, as the Canucks look like they've actually landed a highly-touted Swedish born prospect in goaltender Joacim Eriksson according Swedish newspaper Noran by way of Pass it to Bulis.
Joacim Eriksson is twenty-three years old, so any entry-level deal the Canucks sign with him will be of the two year variety. Eriksson has put in two seasons of stellar play for Skellefteå over the last couple of years, including a dominant performance in the postseason as Eriksson his club to the Elitserien title in his most recent campaign.
Read past the jump for more.
Nation Network Mock Draft: Final Rankings
Jonathan Willis
June 15 2013 07:04AM
Over the past few days, the readers of the various sites in the Nation Network have been voting on their rankings of prospects for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Today, we reveal the results.
Canucks Make it Official: Locate AHL Franchise in Utica
Thomas Drance
June 14 2013 12:22PM
Screencap of Laurence Gilman unveiling the new Utica Comets logo today.
After months of speculation, back room dealings, and legitimate concerns that the Canucks were going to have to shutter their newly acquired AHL franchise for the year, the Utica Comet were officially unveiled on Friday at a Press Conference in Utica, New York.
While the specifics of the deal between Robert Esche's group, the Canucks, and the city of Utica remain a mystery at this point, the dominant mood at the Press Conference was optimism. Laurence Gilman, Lorne Henning and Tom Sestito - a threesome henceforth to be known as "the brain trust" - were in attendance representing the Canucks, and Laurence Gilman spoke at the presser. Read on past the jump.
Nation Network 2013 Mock Draft: Day 3
Jonathan Willis
June 14 2013 10:10AM
The Nation Network’s 2013 Mock Draft continues, with the close of the first round.
Agreement between the Canucks, Utica approved but still shrouded in mystery
Thomas Drance
June 14 2013 07:58AM
Here stands a relic, and the new AHL home of the Vancouver Canucks.
We didn't comment on the AHL Board of Governors long anticipated approval of a deal to move the Canucks owned and operated AHL affiliate, formerly the Peoria Rivermen, to the Mohawk Valley yesterday. We avoided writing it about it then because, frankly, details about the deal were scant. They still are.
We've covered this story for months, doing our best to recap the public record and provide insight despite the information vacuum. It's a vacuum we're still dealing with, though we may get more answers today.
For now the deal remains shrouded in mystery. No one in the Vancouver Canucks front office has commented on the agreement as of yet, with Scott Arniel being the highest profile Vancouver Canucks employee to go on the record yesterday. There have been reports about a "one year deal" between the city and the Canucks, though AHL sources have indicated to me that it's a bit more complicated than that. Also, and perhaps most importantly, there's no firm indication as to whether or not the new Utica based AHL club will recieve any type of operating subsidy from the city or the region.
Read past the jump for more.
