VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks are beefing up their blue line as part of NHL free agency on Saturday.
The Canucks say they have reached agreements with defencemen Carson Soucy, Ian Cole and Matt Irwin, as well as forwards Teddy Blueger and Tristen Nielsen.
Soucy, 28, spent the last two years with the Seattle Kraken — as their expansion pick from the Minnesota Wild — and had three goals and 16 points in 78 games last season.
Vancouver lured Soucy north with a three-year, US$9.75M deal.
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin says the 6-foot-5, 208-pound defenceman will add a physical presence to the Vancouver defence corps.
"Carson will provide stability and size to our back end," he said. "He is a player who uses his big frame to his advantage, plays a sound defensive game and also has the tools to chip in offensively. His experience playing a man down will be a great asset for our penalty kill this coming season."
The Canucks signed the 34-year-old Cole, a veteran of 748 regular season NHL games, to a one-year, $3-million contract.
"Ian brings a lot of experience to our hockey team and will definitely bolster our blue line," said Allvin. "He knows what it takes to be successful in the NHL, knows how to compete, and he knows how to be a leader both on and off the ice. Bringing in someone with a Stanley Cup experience and pedigree is an important addition to our core group."
Irwin signed a one-year, two-way contract. The financial terms of his contract were not released.
The 35-year-old journeyman blueliner from Victoria played the last two seasons with the Washington Capitals. He has previously played for Buffalo, Anaheim, Nashville, Boston and San Jose.
Blueger committed to a one-year $1.9 million deal while Nielsen signed a two-year, entry-level contract.
Cole, 34, spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning while Blueger, 28, won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Nielsen, 23, spent the last two seasons with the Abbotsford Canucks, Vancouver's AHL affiliate.
He has 52 points in 105 regular season games for Abbotsford.
A former Canucks assistant coach has also found a new home.
Jason King, who worked as an assistant coach in Vancouver for three seasons before being let go at the end of the 2022-23 season, has signed on with the Minnesota Wild.
King was drafted by the Canucks in the seventh round of the 2001 NHL Draft.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 1, 2023.
The Canadian Press
