Vancouver Canucks sign defenseman Danny DeKeyser to professional tryout

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin has invited veteran defenseman Danny DeKeyser to training camp on a professional tryout contract. DeKeyser is a 6-foot-3 defensive defenseman who has spent his entire 10-year career with the Detroit Red Wings. He was initially signed by the Red Wings as an undrafted free agent back in March 2013.

Last season, the assistant captain registered 11 assists and was second on the team in blocked shots with 102. He also contributed 49 hits which ranked him fifth. Through 917:09 of ice time last season, DeKeyser averaged a Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 44.14 and a Fenwick-for (FF%) of 43.40. 

The Detroit, Michigan native does have a brief history of playing in Canada. In 2008-09 before DeKeyser joined Western Michigan University, he played for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He registered 25 points in 58 games. 

DeKeyser, 32, brings a lot of experience to the table. In 547 career games with the Red Wings, he collected 33 goals and 113 assists for 146 points. He amassed 266 penalty minutes and appeared in 19 career playoff games, totalling two points. Toiling on some bad Detroit teams during a rebuilding era, he has struggled defensively in recent seasons, failing to live up to a six-year, $30 million deal that was paying him a $5 million AAV. Internationally, he represented the United States at the 2014 and 2017 IIHF World Championships, appearing in 16 games.

Now, he gets a chance to reinvent himself and earn a roster spot on a team with playoff aspirations at an AAV that will bring more realistic expectations.