VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The Vancouver Canucks signed restricted free agents Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson to new contracts Sunday, getting the deals done midway through training camp.
Hughes got a $47.10 million, six-year contract with a $7.85 million annual salary cap hit that puts him among the highest-paid defensemen in the NHL. The 21-year-old had three goals and 38 assists in 56 games last season.
“Not easy to be at home the last week, but I’m glad we’re here now and we can put that behind us,” said Hughes, who had been skating with Pettersson in Michigan.
Pettersson, 22, signed for $22.05 million over three years with a $7.35 million annual cap hit. The skilled Swedish forward who won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2019 had 10 goals and 11 assists in 26 games last season and missed time with a wrist injury.
“I just wanted to get back to the team,” Pettersson said. “Both me and Quinn felt wrong being in Michigan while the team was having the training camp and in preseason. So, we just wanted to get the deal sorted as fast as possible. Maybe it took longer than expected, but both of us are really happy with our deals and just can’t wait to get started.”
Vancouver getting Hughes and Pettersson under contract leaves Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk as the last unsigned restricted free agent. Tkachuk and the Senators have so far been unable to agree on whether to sign a shorter “bridge” contract similar to Pettersson’s or commit long term like Hughes’ deal.
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