The Canucks Are Nearing Deals With Elias Pettersson And Quinn Hughes

It looks like Friday could be a big news day for the Vancouver Canucks.

With the start of the 2021-22 NHL season right around the corner, the Canucks are finally nearing terms with their two top restricted free agents — Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.

While neither of the deals have been announced, it appears as though Hughes’ contract will be over six years while Pettersson’s will be a three-year bridge contract. Both cap hits will also reportedly come in at under $8,000,000 annually.

Hearing Hughes nearing a 6 year deal worth slightly above $7.75M per year with the Canucks

— Satiar Shah (@SatiarShah) October 1, 2021

Sounds AAV for Pettersson will be under $8 million on a three-year deal.

— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) October 1, 2021

Pettersson and Hughes represent a key part of the Canucks’ present and future and getting them locked up for under $16,000,000 annually combined would be a big win for Jim Benning, a general manager whose salary cap management has been criticized plenty in the past.

The Canucks selected Pettersson and Hughes with back-to-back top draft picks. Pettersson was selected No. 5 overall in the 2017 draft and Hughes was taken with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

After spending his post-draft year in Sweden, Pettersson broke into the NHL in 2018-19 with a 28-goal and 66-point season that ultimately netted him the Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie. Pettersson put up another 66-point season in 2019-20 but had his 2021 season derailed due to injury and scored 21 points over 26 games.

There was some worry that Pettersson would wind up signing an offer sheet with another team, but that never transpired. Instead, it appears as though he’s going to wind up setting a new precedent for bridge contracts among forwards. Pettersson’s annual salary will easily eclipse the three-year deal signed by Mat Barzal last off-season worth $7,000,000 per year.

This three-year bridge deal will also mean that the Canucks aren’t walking Pettersson right to unrestricted free agency, as he’ll be a restricted free agent with one more season of team control once the deal expires.

And then there’s Hughes, who’s quickly emerged as Vancouver’s top defenseman.

Hughes turned pro immediately upon the conclusion of his sophomore season with the University of Michigan in 2018. In a five-game cup of coffee with the Canucks, he impressed with three assists while logging 18:05 per night.

Hughes put together a breakout showing in his first full season in the league in 2019-20, scoring 53 points over the course of 68 games while popping off for 16 points over 17 games during the Canucks’ surprising playoff run. He finished second behind Cale Makar in Calder Trophy voting and also received some Norris Trophy votes for the league’s top defenceman.

The 2021 season was a bit more of a challenge for Hughes, as was the case for just about everyone on the Canucks as the team navigated a month-long battle with a COVID-19 breakout. Hughes scored 41 points over 56 games but his minus-24 rating was the worst on the team.

Hughes’ deal will match the term that Makar signed earlier this off-season with the Colorado Avalance but it’ll come in lower than his $9,000,000 annual salary. This contract will cover Hughes’ four remaining control years and will eat up two unrestricted free agency years.