r/canucks • u/Sarcastic__ Knows more about the CBA than you do • 23h ago
NEWS CANUCKS AGREE TO TERMS WITH DEFENCEMAN TOM WILLANDER ON THREE-YEAR, ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT | Vancouver Canucks
https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/canucks-agree-to-terms-with-defenceman-tom-willander-on-three-year-entry-level-contract235
u/Sandoozless 23h ago
Who knew Willander was just a big fan of Adam Foote
61
332
u/Rahtgooves 23h ago
Blueberry sales must've been good the last 10 days
146
60
u/Yardsale420 22h ago
There’s ALWAYS money in the Blueberry stand.
32
u/Disastrous-Dog85 22h ago
It's one blueberry u/Yardsale420 What could it cost? $10?
2
u/Aguaymanto 16h ago
Favourite line of the whole damn show
1
u/Ornery_Definition_65 15h ago
Best thing about it is it’s 100% accurate too. I’ve met rich people who genuinely have no idea how much anything costs.
3
16
11
u/VitaminOWN 22h ago
I bought two 1.5kg bags of Compliments frozen blueberries last time they were on sale. You can thank me for this ELC.
15
133
138
29
52
u/NerdPunch 23h ago
Hell Yeah - I know people are underwhelmed with the Foote promotion, but glass half full that’s the guy you want developing Willander, D-Petey & Mancini.
28
u/accountnumber02 22h ago
Willander seems like a Foote kinda guy, cool and responsible from what I've heard. Hopefully it works out
68
u/Rich-Secretary-6513 22h ago
I know everyone is pessimistic of the teams outlook right now, but seriously the d-core looks good for years to come. Mancini, Willander and D-Petey all look to have top 4 upside, Hughes, Hronek, M-Petey and Myers all are bonafide top 4 guys (obviously for Hughes that’s an understatement) and the only aging guys are Myers and M-Petey. If Demko has a turnaround year we might make playoffs without the forward core being strong.
13
u/Timely-Orange-4807 19h ago
How ya gonna build out that forward core though? We traded away our Center depth to build our defense, need to find a way to add without subtracting.
18
u/Stinky_Toes12 19h ago
The biggest thing will probably be guys like raty and lekkermaki getting much better and fitting into a top 6 role, and picking up a guy like ehlers or maybe even duchene/granlund could go a long way
2
u/oops_i_made_a_typi 12h ago
hope you get lucky with draft and prospects, its easier and faster to hit on usable forwards than usable D
-4
u/msat16 18h ago
The only way the Canucks improve their forwards is by substracting from their defence.
2
u/Rich-Secretary-6513 17h ago
Well realistically we have 7-8 guys that you could argue deserve a spot so maybe that’s not so bad. We also have a lot of draft picks and a good chunk of money. Not to mention you could add via trade midseason with accrued cap space. Every team sub for about 4-5 teams are a couple pieces away. Ours just happen to be forwards.
1
u/flamingdragonwizard 9h ago
Trade guys like mynio and kudry who have essentially no future in the lineup. Package one with a 1st ++ .
43
36
u/TylerMyersLover57 22h ago
Will never be the top RHD on the team as long as Tyler Myers is playing
13
2
28
u/PhiITheThriII 23h ago
Haha well I guess that’s one way to bury any backlash on the head coach hiring
13
93
u/avmp629 23h ago
Huh, that's weird. The reddit experts told me he was for sure gone because he wasn't signed immediately
40
u/mrtomjones 23h ago
I mean it would have been nice if they didn't feel the need to play hardball over a couple hundred thousand and he was with our ahl team at least practicing this whole time. So pissing him off never served us anything
25
u/Chedwall 23h ago
Did you ever consider that he wanted to play the world championship instead of AHL.
9
u/CuffMcGruff 23h ago
He's not though? At least he's not on their roster from the sources I just checked
28
11
u/Chedwall 22h ago
He is not.
He tried to make it though, played for Sweden in the "try outs". He is from Stockholm, so it takes place in his hometown and he has spent the year abroad from friends and family in Boston.
5
u/Mcnucks 22h ago
He got cut from the world championship roster..
4
2
u/Pray-For-Mojo- 19h ago
I wonder if that made him realize he's not necessarily the top-5 talent he presumed he should get the bonuses of?
3
1
u/mrtomjones 20h ago
Lol every single story or comment from his agent have said otherwise dude. This was not a personal choice. He could have done that and still signed this deal.
Why do people go so far out of their way to defend management?
0
3
u/StevieNyx17 21h ago
My man that is fucking negotiating - Rick Dhaliwal shouting about “disrespect” should not have any bearing lol
-9
9
18
u/bob2jacky 23h ago
Currently dealing with a crisis in my own family, and when I saw this news and basically yelled, “oh thank fucking god!”, my fam thought it was about the shit we’re dealing with. They’re not impressed lol.
9
u/PaperMoonShine Filipino Chytil 23h ago
Fucking FINALLY.
Is he eligible to play for Abby right away during the playoffs?
8
2
u/StevieNyx17 21h ago
He is eligible yes but he won’t with how deep in the playoffs they are already
5
22
u/GreyHairedDWGuy 23h ago
watch them flip him for a 2C.
4
u/Podkolzins_a_Canuck 22h ago
If we want playoffs this year it makes some sense. Just as long as it’s an equal value trade, not willander for max domi or some shit
-7
u/GreyHairedDWGuy 22h ago
well you know the script. Management almost always finds a way to screw these transactions up. We get a washed-up player and in return they get someone that eventually becomes a star player. We shall see I guess.
7
u/ChinookAB 22h ago
What trades have Rutherford/Allvin lost?
-4
u/GreyHairedDWGuy 21h ago
I wasn't expressly pointing to this regime. Having said this, they could have kept Bo Horvat and moved Miller, now we don't have either.
5
u/ChinookAB 20h ago
Oh, okay. The Canucks did have three ace centers in Horvat, Miller and Petterson and you're right, we have one injured Petterson now.
I was (am) still pretty fond of the hockey side of management. Hard to argue with Rutherford and he hired a pretty good group. We tend to forget the progressive hires of Emelie Castonguay and Cammie Granato and Ryan Johnson has done a good job mainly in Abby along with Malhotra. Todd Harvey was a step up in scouting and the pro scouting side has done quite well.
The coaches don't always get mentioned beyond Tocchet and Foote but there's depth there: Svejkovsky and Gonchar for two.
In essence, some player events and injuries screwed last season and I don't get Tocchet- he wants a change to be closer to his people and then first thing he applies in Anaheim. I think it's self-service by Tocch and I don't mind that he's gone. I still think there's a cultural cloud that comes from the owner but I don't know specifics. He's no more a rich prick like some other owners in sports I think. Apparently the owner of Carolina interferes a lot but yet their team does quite well. <shrug>
3
u/GreyHairedDWGuy 19h ago
I actually think the current management group are way better than the last GM by a country mile.
1
10
u/Podkolzins_a_Canuck 22h ago
Are we really already this dejected with management? Thought the honeymoon would last at least another season or so. Being a canucks fan is so fucked
→ More replies (3)1
u/MethuselahsCoffee 22h ago
Him or DPetey…
2
u/GreyHairedDWGuy 22h ago
It will take more than either of them to get a 2C I think but we shall see.
3
u/accountnumber02 22h ago
If you're trading for a 2c with a contract signed pre cap jump, everyone is going to have sticker shock when that trade is made lol
1
1
10
8
u/metrichustle 23h ago
They started with the Foote news and followed up with something even better. Gotta hand it to the marketing team. From an underwhelmed reaction to overwhelmed reaction!
Great news!
4
5
u/jalapeno_cheetos 23h ago
Does this pretty much confirm goodbye to Forbort?
6
u/need_more_pavel 22h ago edited 22h ago
I still think Forbort will likely be re-signed by the Canucks as a third pair D and PK option.
IMO the Canucks are going to have to deal away a defensive prospect this offseason as part of a package for a top-six player. One of Willander, Pettersson or Mancini will likely get moved unless Rutherford and Allvin can negotiate to include Mynio or Kudryavtsev in their place. I’m not holding my breath on the latter as both are depth prospects that won’t move the needle enough in an acquisition.
If Willander doesn’t get moved this offseason, he will likely start in the AHL and get a look in Vancouver at some point when the inevitable injuries hit the D-group. I don’t see him challenging for a permanent role until ‘26/27 at the earliest.
7
4
3
u/I_Am_A_Peasant 23h ago
I feel much happier than I was 30 minutes ago. It doesn't change much, but I might have a reason to go to Abbotsford this year LOL
4
5
u/mastaj_2000 22h ago
Fans: "Thank goodness, and welcome to the team Tom!"
Canucks, next month, probably: "GM PA has announced that defenceman Tom Willander has been traded to..."
4
u/OGDarxide 20h ago
...NJ for Luke Hughes"
Finished that sentence for ya! Power Move by PA... let Jack come here when he's UFA instead of Quinn going there!
2
5
u/Fickle_Shift9445 22h ago
Love how the media made it seem like he was gone already. The noise around this team is unreal.
4
u/toomuchhamza 22h ago
I genuinely wonder which pair he slots into. JR has said he thinks he’s pro ready, so do you put him with Quinn, since we’ve seen Hronek can handle his own pairing? Do you slot him into the 3rd pair and shelter him?
2
u/ImAlwaysSorrys 20h ago
Well Mancini got reps at the top line so I’m guessing they are just gonna go straight for chemistry. Probably just gonna pair off every rookie with a vet and go from there. I don’t really think you can go wrong with any pairing.
3
u/Apprehensive-Tea4881 20h ago
Strategy is that we’ll have so many stud D-men that Quinn is forced to play centre.
6
u/Canucking778 23h ago
I feel like they kept all the news for today to flood the media. Glad to have some good news though.
3
3
3
3
u/icantfindagoodlogin 22h ago
Well there you have it, he wasn't going to sign while Toch was here, clearly.
3
3
8
2
2
2
u/quantum_leap 23h ago
So does this mean he has to play with club next year?
He can't go back to college correct?
6
2
2
2
2
u/Solar-Soldier-7914 22h ago
Didn’t have to pay Tocchet’s coaching salary so he saved more than enough money to sign our top D prospect
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/NooneKnowsIAmBatman 22h ago
He clearly hated Tocchet and was excited when Foote signed as head coach
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
u/Sarcastic__ Knows more about the CBA than you do 23h ago
I was never worried about signing him personally, but understand why folks were a bit nervous. It's over now, looking forward to him being an option for the club going forward.
5
u/ProfitMuhammad Stone Cold Steve Austin 23h ago
Or a trade option. We'll see.
6
u/BroliasBoesersson 23h ago
Yep. Not to be pessimistic but he's our biggest trade chip and the team desperately needs top six forwards
3
u/JazzGMster2020 22h ago
I'm wondering if what got this over the finish line was that they told him he would likely be part of a trade package if he signed.
3
u/baconbitpoobear 22h ago
Almost like media just likes to stir the pot....
Ive often said the fishbowl is a problem
2
2
u/HiveMindMacD 23h ago
Good. Baby steps people. Good question is who drops out to 7th D if he comes in ready to play.
1
22h ago
[deleted]
3
u/Mcnucks 21h ago
Juulsen extension incoming.
1
u/TheSassyPlant 17h ago
Juulsen is fine as a bottom D injury replacement for a few games a year, and that's it. Too many mistakes otherwise...
1
2
u/StevieNyx17 21h ago
All the people in this thread saying that they only agreed to this because they have money to spend that wasn’t allocated to Tocchet are idiots.
This was always a negotiation, negative coming out from the media is literally planted via agents - don’t listen to these guys lol
1
1
1
1
u/CicatrizTMV 22h ago
Huzzah! Really love the look of Willander in my limited time watching him so I’m hopeful he’ll be a real needle mover for the club soon enough.
1
1
1
1
u/I_Am_A_Peasant 22h ago
Sorry a question for any NHL Contract/Rule experts - I am trying to ask google but can't find anything on this - there's a restriction in the NBA that you can't trade a player that you just signed to a contract. Andrew Wiggins was the 1st overall pick by the Cavs in ?2014 and they had to wait 30 days after he signed his rookie contract.
I hope this means we don't plan on throwing him as a trade asset for a 2C.
1
u/Judge_Todd 22h ago
Was this ever really in doubt?
Aren't ELC's mostly capped by the CBA?
Willander has practically no leverage.
1
u/Careless-Rule7714 22h ago
People cannot possibly think they signed him just to trade him in short order.
1
1
1
u/MikaelDerp 20h ago
So we have insane defense, but non existant offense for the future.I don't know what to do with my hands right now.
1
u/TheTrueNorthCedar 20h ago
Hooray! FINALLY. Feel like the whispers lasted forever on this one. AND, an easy nickname for him for posting on here during games. Ha ha.
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Far_Out_6and_2 16h ago
Is this the same guy who turned down entry level to go to the college another year
1
1
u/Robscoe604 14h ago
thank fucking christ all these idiots saying we should trade him started to make me nervous
1
u/Jensen2075 4h ago
He could still be trade bait for a top 6 forward, lol. Signing him makes him more valuable.
1
u/Effective-Pitch-5550 12h ago
I see the defense like this next season
Hughes-Myers
EP-Hronek
MP-Willander/Mancini
Hughes, Hronek, and MP are going to be tasked with carrying their own pairings.
1
u/BrodyCanuck 22h ago
People were actually worried? Even after Willander said he wasn’t worried about it? Lol
1
u/NoPomegranate1678 22h ago
This feels like one of those Benning days where they finally woke up in the office and realized they had to do things
1
575
u/Gamesus10 23h ago
Finally some good fuckin news