Take that, Pacific division!
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Vancouver Canucks ‘outwrestled’ Drew O’Connor from the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights and intend to offer him a contract extension.
The 26-year-old undrafted winger is currently on the second year of a two-year, $1.85 million contract and will become a UFA on July 1st.
In a ’32 thoughts’ blog post published earlier today, Friedman commented on the recent Canucks’ trades, revealing multiple other teams had been interested in the 6’4″, 209lb skater :
“With their two trades, the Canucks look like a different team. Remodelled defence; the entire group quicker both on their skates and moving the puck. For different reasons than Miller, Filip Chytil needed his own fresh start. The Canucks outwrestled Western rivals Edmonton and Vegas (among others) for Drew O’Connor, and will attempt to extend him, too.”
Vancouver acquired O’Connor with defenceman Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins last week in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, defenceman Vincent Desharnais, the rights to forward Melvin Fernström, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, acquired from the New York Rangers.
With 4 Nations fast approaching and the March 7th trade deadline is just one month away, it’s no surprise two Western Conference contenders in Edmonton and Vegas would target a big, physical player like O’Connor. It will certainly be welcome news to Canucks fans that he ended up in Vancouver instead of with one of their Pacific division rivals.
Now it’s confirmed the Canucks will attempt to extend to re-sign the former Penguin when his contract expires later this year. As the team undergoes a massive restructuring, the New Jersey native could be a great low-cost depth piece to lock down for at least a few years.
O’Connor already has his first goal as a Canuck, adding an empty netter late Monday, as the team shutout the Colorado Avalanche 3-0.
Through 210 career games with the Penguins, the winger has 30 goals and 66 points. He added 27 goals and 73 points in 73 games played in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He has appeared in two playoff games with Pittsburgh.
