Vancouver Canucks sign Christian Wolanin to two-year contract extension

The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenceman Christian Wolanin to a two-year, two-way contract extension, the club announced Thursday afternoon.

Wolanin, who turned 28 on Mar. 17, has three assists while averaging 16:41 in 15 games with the Canucks this season. His new contract runs through 2024–25 and carries a $775,000 NHL cap hit.

The Quebec City, Que. product will earn a $500,000 salary in the American Hockey League in the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons.

Wolanin has spent most of the 2022–23 season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. The six-foot-two defenceman, who shoots left, collected six goals and 55 points in 49 games with Abbotsford this year, earning a spot at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic along the way.

The Ottawa Senators originally selected Wolanin in the fourth round (No. 107 overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Senators during the 2017–18 season, recording three points in 10 games.

Wolanin has collected six goals and 23 points in 85 games over parts of six NHL seasons with the Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres, and Canucks. He has yet to appear in a Stanley Cup Playoff game during his career.

The Canucks will return to action at 7:00 p.m. PT on Thursday evening to take on the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.