The Vancouver Canucks took care of a little housekeeping on the eve of free agency, locking up pending unrestricted free agent winger Anton Rodin with a one-year contract extension.

Per TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, Rodin’s new deal is valued at $700,000 and is a one-way pact, meaning he would make as much in the AHL as he would in the NHL. It’s a slight pay cut from the $900,000 contract the Canucks used to pry Rodin from the SHL in advance of last season.

Rodin, 26-years-old, played in, technically, three games for the Canucks last season, registering but one assist. I say technically in this context because for one of the games Rodin sat on the bench for the entire 60-minutes.

For some, including yours truly, it’s something of a surprise that the Canucks were willing to roll the dice on Rodin as he hopes to use a second season as the liftoff point for his NHL career. While it’s not terribly fair to cut Rodin’s comeback bid short after an injury plagued year (one the Canucks, some would argue, share some semblance of culpability in fostering), the logistics of Vancouver’s roster make it a tight squeeze.

Apparently, the Canucks front office sees Rodin as worth the trouble. If Rodin can stay healthy, it’s possible they’re rewarded for their belief. If not, they can bury Rodin’s contract in the AHL without any adverse impact on their salary cap figure. What’s there to lose?