The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Jayce Hawryluk to a contract. The two-way deal is for just one year and will carry a cap hit of $800,000 if Hawryluk is in the NHL. Elliotte Friedman reported the deal early Monday afternoon.
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Canucks Sign Jayce Hawryluk
The 24-year-old spent 2019-20 with two NHL franchises. He began the year with the Florida Panthers but the Ottawa Senators claimed him in mid-February. Hawryluk would ultimately score three goals and 10 points in 26 NHL games. He also spent some time with the AHL’s Springfield franchise where he posted one assist in six games. It was certainly not the season he might have wanted, even before the pandemic ended the season prematurely. Hawryluk might have been able to play a reasonable amount with Ottawa if the season had been played in its entirety.
The Panthers originally drafted Hawryluk in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He was an outstanding player in four seasons in the WHL. His 2015-16 season stands out in particular. That year is when the 5”11″, 196-pound centre scored 47 goals and 106 points in 58 games as an unstoppable force for the Brandon Wheat Kings. His professional career has not panned out, but there is still time for the 32nd overall selection to make some noise at the game’s highest level.
What This Means for the Future
This signing is all about potential. Nobody knows exactly what Hawryluk can do offensively, but his 52.9 percent Corsi for last year suggests some potential in the possession game. He probably starts 2020-21 with Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, but there is a chance he makes the team’s bottom-six at some point and plays a role in the penalty-killing unit.
The Canucks have also reached a deal with forward Adam Gaudette. Gaudette is the more important signing after scoring 12 goals and 33 points in 59 games. Vancouver has just $1.05 million in remaining cap space after addressing Gaudette’s status as a restricted free agent and adding Hawryluk. They have just Jake Virtanen left to re-sign at this point.
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