The Vancouver Canucks moved quickly to lock up their newest defensive star, signing Marcus Pettersson to a massive six-year deal worth $5.5 million per season.
It’s a big commitment after just a handful of games, but GM Patrik Allvin is clearly sold on what he’s seen.
"Marcus has already shown us the type of leadership, poise and character that we want in a top four defenceman," Allvin said. "He has a calming influence on the ice, uses his long reach and hockey smarts to break up plays and has a good first pass."
The quick signing makes more sense when you dig deeper. Allvin actually knows Pettersson well from their time together in Pittsburgh, where the 28-year-old defenseman really found his groove.
That connection helped spark last week’s trade, where Vancouver sent their newly acquired first-round pick from the J.T. Miller deal plus Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais, and Melvin Fernstrom to get Pettersson and Drew O’Connor.
Pettersson’s been having quite a year. Through 49 games with Pittsburgh and Vancouver, he’s put up 3 goals and 15 assists. He’s also been a force defensively with 86 blocks and 60 hits, while eating up more than 22 minutes per game.
Those 18 points have him on pace to match his career-best 30 points from last season. Talk about perfect timing – he was headed for free agency this summer before this deal came together.
The Swedish defender has come a long way since breaking into the NHL. Over 493 games with Anaheim, Pittsburgh, and now Vancouver, he’s developed into a rock-solid top-four defenseman over the past three years.
The new contract is a nice step up from his current $4M salary. Plus, he’s getting some serious job security – the deal includes a full no-move clause for the first three years, followed by a 15-team no-trade list for the final three seasons.
Vancouver’s really loading up on defense. They’ve now got almost $27M tied up in their top five blueliners through at least 2025-26, with Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, and Carson Soucy all locked in.
Speaking of Soucy – don’t be surprised if his name pops up in trade talks soon. With Pettersson now signed long-term, something’s got to give on that crowded blue line.
