Canucks News & Rumors: DeBrusk, Heinen, Sherwood & More – Hockey Writers – Vancouver Canucks

In this edition of Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, Jake DeBrusk is signing with the organization. Additionally, the Canucks added Danton Heinen and Kiefer Sherwood.

Canucks Sign DeBrusk

The Canucks' biggest move in free agency came in the form of signing DeBrusk. The 27-year-old signed a seven-year contract worth an estimated $5.5 million per year.

“Jake will be a great addition to our top six and gives us another offensive option,” general manager Patrik Allvin said. “He is a smart player who plays in two ways. He is not afraid to go to difficult areas of the snow and uses his powerful motor and determination to drive plays.”

DeBrusk brings speed and offensive skill to the Canucks top-six. The organization has been searching for a back six to play with Elias Pettersson and added a player they hope will do the job. DeBrusk spent seven seasons with the Boston Bruins, scoring 138 goals and posting 266 points in 465 games.

Other targets include Jake Guentzel and Sam Reinhart, who signed expensive contracts. The term of DeBrusk's contract could be the end of the case as the pitcher will be in his mid-30s. However, he has shown that he can score 25 goals, reaching this point three times in his career. His contract will be a steal if he can find a breakthrough in his game. Additionally, signing DeBrusk at an AAV of $5.5 million instead of signing Guentzel or Reinhart in the $8.5-9 million range allowed them to add more depth pieces.

Heinen and Sherwood Join Forward Unit

The two depth players the Canucks signed up front were Heinen and Sherwood. Heinen signed a two-year contract with AAV for $2.25 million. Heinen is 28 years old and has a lot of versatility on the team as he can play in the top six or the bottom six.

“Danton's ability will fit well with the way we want to play hockey,” said Allvin. “His speed and ability to kill penalties will greatly improve our team. We feel he can contribute offensively, move up and down the lineup at times, and use his body and size to his advantage.”

Related: Canucks Add 5 New Prospects to 2024 Entry Draft

Similar to DeBrusk, Heinen brings speed to the team going forward. The Canucks identified that they needed to speed up the front and added two Bruins forwards. Heinen has played in 387 regular season games, scoring 87 goals and putting up 212 points. He will likely play in the top six to start the season in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, Sherwood signed for two years with an AAV of $1.5 million. He played with the Canucks in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“We saw firsthand in the playoffs how difficult Kiefer is to play with,” Allvin said. “We like his quickness, toughness, and the way he competes in every situation. Adding another physical player to the mix would work well with the way our forward group is currently constructed. “

Lindholm and Zadorov Sign with Bruins

The Canucks re-signed all but one of their unrestricted free agents, as two of those three UFAs signed with the Bruins. Elias Lindholm signed a seven-year, $7.75 million AAV contract with Boston. The club has been interested in this center for a long time as it has needed help since the departure of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Coupled with the dearth of top-level talent in free agency, the two sides put together an excellent matchup. The Canucks tried to negotiate a contract extension with Lindholm at the beginning of their first season, but the two sides could not reach an agreement.

Meanwhile, Nikita Zadorov signed a six-year, $5 million AAV deal with the Bruins. The Canucks and Zadorov negotiated until the day of the 2024 NHL draft when Allvin announced that negotiations between the two sides had ended. The Canucks acquired both players during the regular season from the Calgary Flames in two separate deals. Lindholm and Zadorov played their best club hockey in the postseason.

Forbort and Desharnais bring size to the Blue Line

The Canucks are determined to add more size to their blue line after Zadorov's departure and have done so by signing both Derek Forbort and Vincent Desharnais. Forbort is the third player to join the Canucks this offseason after spending last season with the Bruins. He stands at 6-foot-4, 216 pounds and signed a one-year deal with an AAV of $1.5 million. He will likely play in the club's lower d-pairing, along with Vincent Desharnais. Desharnais signed a two-year, $2 million AAV deal—the 28-year-old stands at 6-foot-7 and 226 pounds.

“We are very impressed with the steps Vincent has made this year at the NHL level,” said Allvin. “Our team saw firsthand how big and powerful he is on the ice in our playoff series against Edmonton. The coaching staff is looking forward to working with him this year, helping him grow and develop as a hockey player.”

The Canucks surround Quinn Hughes with size on the blue line. Filip Hronek checks in at 6 feet, but along with Forbort and Desharnais, Tyler Myers stands at 6-foot-8 and 229 pounds, and Carson Soucy stands at 6-foot-5 and 208 pounds. However, the Canucks could use an extra mobility defenseman and may make a move to add one in the off-season.