The Vancouver Canucks are adding another veteran defender to their ranks, as Jamie Oleksiak signs with Vancouver on a two-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million. The Canucks are looking to add some grit to their team, and with the moves they have made today, they are achieving just that. Let us discuss.
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General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with defenceman Jamie Oleksiak on a two-year contract worth $5M AAV.
DETAILS | https://t.co/HStxLs5a9h pic.twitter.com/54otii98Cq
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 1, 2026
Jamie Oleksiak Signs With Canucks, More Grit Added to Team
Following the acquisition of Luke Schenn and Paul Cotter, the Canucks continue the trend of getting bigger and harder to play against, as they add a 6-foot-7 defender to the team. Call him a Tyler Myers replacement, if you will. He will likely play on the second or third pairing on the left side, being a mentor to Elias Pettersson, the defenceman, especially.
Oleksiak does not provide much in offence, scoring just five goals and ten assists for 15 points last season with the Seattle Kraken. In 758 career games, he has scored 45 goals and 116 assists for 161 points. He can use his massive and long reach to break up rushes and be a shutdown defender, similar to what Marcus Pettersson‘s role was before he got traded to the New York Rangers. He can also throw big hits and block shots, which bolsters the physicality that the Canucks lacked in previous seasons. Considering the team did not re-sign Curtis Douglas, pivoting to Oleksiak as a physical presence made sense.
“Jamie is a big body who moves very well on the ice,” said General Manager Ryan Johnson in a press release. “He’s a solid two-way defenceman who isn’t afraid to use his size and strength to his advantage, and we like his reach and athleticism. He competes very hard and has grown into a good leader in the dressing room. Adding him to the mix on the backend will help us in many positive ways.”
Main Photo Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports
