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Wrapping up the First Day of Free Agency for the Vancouver Canucks
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J.D. Burke
Jul 1, 2016, 19:14 EDTUpdated:
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By 2:30 PST just north of $420-million changed hands as the new league year started in earnest with free agency. The Vancouver Canucks, who exercised more than their fair share of prudence throughout the process, are responsible for a close to $37-million chunk of that pie.
The Canucks kicked off the proceedings by locking up prized free agent winger, Loui Eriksson, to a six-year contract valued at $36-million. With the impending threat of a labour dispute looming over every long-term deal, Eriksson’s contract is supremely bonus-laden and virtually buyout proof as a result. As far as NHL talent goes, the Canucks were also able to secure the services of their trade deadline acquisition, Philip Larsen, signing him to a one-year deal valued at $1.025-million.
Just as the dust appeared to be settling on today’s festivities, the Canucks submitted contracts for three depth players, all of which are likely bound for the Utica Comets. In case you couldn’t keep up with it all, I’ve collected everything that went down on the first day of free agency on the other side of the jump.

Canucks Army Roundtable: S.O.S.

You may have heard today is the beginning of the Free Agency Frenzy, and there’s a lot of teams across the league looking to improve themselves by spending a lot of money on players that they will regret signing 5 minutes after doing so. With that in mind, we went with a free agency themed topic this week. I didn’t want to do the basic “Who should the Canucks pursue?” question, because as you may have noticed our fantastic team of writers has tackled each and every option for the past few weeks.
The question instead focused on the teams in dire need of a new start. More after the jump!
This week’s question was: Which team do you think needs to make the biggest splash tomorrow and why?

Graphic Comments: Winter is Coming

The next six months are make or break for the Vancouver Canucks.
I know I’ve criticized one or two pretty much all of Jim Benning’s moves over the last year or so, but that has largely been because almost every one has been slowly whittling away their assets. Death by a thousand cuts, some might say.
But other than the Sutter contract, none of those moves can really be characterized as anchors that this franchise will have to drag around for years after Benning is finally, mercifully, sent to the farm…er, to the farm team. To do scouting and stuff. Yeah, I definitely didn’t mean to imply anything else there.
Anyway, my point is this: Jim Benning has done much to be concerned about, but at least he hasn’t caused any long term damage, or saddled the next GM, and there will be a next GM, with an inescapable contractual mess. At least not yet.
But the next six months could see that change. Winter is coming, and Jim Benning has money to spend.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Loui Eriksson

The Vancouver Canucks have made their first big splash in free agency, signing Loui Eriksson to a six-year contract valued at $36-million. Which means that Eriksson will carry a $6-million cap hit. This signing should come as no surprise, as the Canucks have always considered Eriksson to factor largely into their free agency plans as a primary option to add scoring and two-way acumen to their top line.

Taylor Fedun Signs with the Buffalo Sabres

Fedun will head to Buffalo with hopes of finally making the leap to the NHL after coming so close a few years ago with the Edmonton Oilers. He unfortunately broke his leg in a race for an icing, which ultimately set him back and arguably was one of the main reasons for the rule change.
I’ve always been a fan of Fedun’s game, and wish him nothing but the best in Buffalo.

Vancouver Canucks sign Michael Chaput

Chaput was a 2010 3rd round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, who was moved to Columbus for Tom Sestito. He has been a very serviceable AHL player but has never seemed to make it in the NHL, scoring 8 points in 58 games with Columbus over the past three seasons. Columbus boasts some serious prospect depth, so a player like Chaput gets pushed out.
He had 8 points in 17 games with Lake Erie this past spring on the way to a Calder Cup championship.
He will join the Canucks organization with hopes of getting a chance to make an impact at the NHL. It’s unlikely he makes the team out of camp, but he can quickly position himself as a call-up option when injuries occur.

Dan Hamhuis Signs with the Dallas Stars

If the Canucks had explored the option of re-signing him, it’s clear that he would’ve still be able to provide some stability on the back-end for a team looking to retool. But when the Canucks acquired Erik Gudbranson, it was clear that they were moving on.
From the Dallas side, adding Hamhuis will help provide depth for a team on the rise. After losing Goligoski to Arizona, the Stars were in market to add a veteran defenceman to help support their young defensive corps in John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Stephen Johns and Julius Honka. Hamhuis will be able to slide in and go under the radar for the Stars.
I wish nothing but the best for Dan Hamhuis in his new home in Dallas!

Yannick Weber Signs with the Nashville Predators

Looks like there will be a Weber on the Nashville Predators blueline this season, after all, just not the one everyone expected. The Predators announced today that they have signed now-former Canucks defenseman Yannick Weber. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Chad Billins

The Vancouver Canucks have signed 27 year old defenceman Chad Billins to a one year, two way contract.
The rearguard previous played for the Abbotsford Heat and Calgary Flames before heading to the KHL and SHL for the past two seasons.
This move is made to provide depth in Utica and add a left side defenceman to the young group in Utica.

Report: Canucks May be Interested in Kris Russel

Depending on the source, the Vancouver Canucks may or may not be in on unrestricted free agent defenceman, Kris Russell. Which shouldn’t be overly surprising, given that The Province’s Jason Botchford suggested the Canucks prefer Russell to Dan Hamhuis not all that long ago.
Given they’ve lost Hamhuis to the Dallas Stars in free agency, they could be looking to act on that interest and bring the controversial defenceman into the fold as a replacement. Or better still, what they might consider an upgrade. According to Nick Kypreos, the Canucks are one of the three remaining teams bidding for Russell’s services, with term and cash as the only holdup.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Philip Larsen

Larsen will come in and be competing for a spot on the Canucks blue line next season.
Jeff Veillette had a great breakdown on Larsen’s season as well as the potential player he could be for Vancouver. The 26 year-old is a dynamic offensive blueliner who put up great shot rates in the KHL. The right-handed shooting defencemen will likely get a look on the Canucks’ power play.
Larsen brings very little risk and the potential to solidify the Canucks defense core even more. He will very likely fill the role of Yannick Weber from two seasons prior if he can continue his success from overseas. If not, it’s a cheap one-year deal that bares little-to-no risk for the Canucks. 

Vancouver Canucks Sign Jayson Megna

For the Canucks, who didn’t tender Linden Vey a qualifying offer, this addresses a need for organizational depth down the middle of their lineup. Before signing Michael Chaput earlier and Megna now, the Canucks were looking a little thin at centre. The obvious hope is that the Canucks won’t have to delve too deep into their talent pool, but in the event they have to, they’ve set themselves up in a much better position than last season.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Borna Rendulic

Not long after the Vancouver Canucks announced they’d signed Jayson Megna, they locked up Croatian-born winger, Borna Rendulic. The Canucks haven’t released the terms of Rendulic’s contract, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not all that dissimilar to the ones they signed Megna and Michael Chaput to earlier in the proceedings. 

Eriksson on Sedins: ‘We Play the Same Way’

Henrik Sedin is usually the set-up man, but it sounds like Daniel Sedin earned an assist in luring Loui Eriksson to Vancouver as a free agent. Eriksson picked Daniel’s brain on all things Canuck during a telephone conversation on Thursday before putting his signature on a six-year $36-million dollar contract when the National Hockey League signing window opened Friday morning.

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