On Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks announced that they signed unrestricted free agent Travis Hamonic to a one-year deal. Adding Hamnoic to their training camp last week on a professional tryout agreement, he agreed to a $1.25 million contract. 30-year-old defencemen Hamonic has played for the New York Islanders, the Calgary Flames, and now the Canucks.
Hamonic was the first player to opt-out of the NHL’s Return to Play Plan for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He did not participate in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers with the Flames.
OFFICIAL: #Canucks Sign Defenceman Travis Hamonic to a one-year deal worth $1.25M.https://t.co/jfyJFsEEzl
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 12, 2021
Travis Hamonic Signs With Canucks
After spending five seasons with the New York Islanders and some time with their AHL affiliate the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, it was announced that Hamonic requested a trade to Western Canada due to family reasons. The right-shot defender spent the next three seasons in Calgary.
Never quite reaching the point totals he achieved with the Islanders, Hamonic was a solid defenceman on the Calgary blueline. Unfortunately, the 2019-20 season was his worst since he entered the league. He was plagued by injury for the entirety of the season and dealt with coaching changes. He tallied just three goals and nine assists, while not exactly impressing on the back end either. Despite this, Calgary still ended up courting him this off-season, to no avail.
At full health, Hamonic has the talent to be a dependable shutdown defenceman. And that’s what the Vancouver Canucks are hoping he turns out to be.
Going Forward
Hamonic hasn’t played since February of last season but will start the 2020-21 season on the second pair with Quinn Hughes. The 6-foot-2-inch blueliner will add veteran experience and defensive toughness to Vancouver’s back end. Something they are in desperate need of. He will also, most likely, become a valuable player on the Canucks penalty kill.
The Canucks begin the season tomorrow in a game against the Edmonton Oilers.
