Michael Chaput avoids salary arbitration, re-signs with Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks will avoid salary arbitration with at least one of their players, reportedly re-signing centre Michael Chaput to a one-year, one-way contract that will pay him $687,500 on Thursday.

Have confirmed that Michael Chaput's deal at $687,500 is a one way deal#Canucks

— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) July 13, 2017

Chaput was one of two Canucks players to elect salary arbitration this summer and was scheduled to have his hearing on July 21. Teams and players are allowed to negotiate up until the arbitrator makes a decision though.

The 25-year-old centre earns a modest raise on the one-year, $600,000 contract he signed last summer. Last season was the most action the 6-foot-2, 204-pound forward has seen in the NHL, setting career highs in games played with 68.

Chaput will be in tough to reach that number of games next season, as the Canucks have improved their depth through free agency and emerging prospects. He scored just eight points (4-4-8) last season, so his role clearly isn’t as a point producer. Not in the NHL anyway.

Chaput has scored at the AHL level, amassing 13 points (2-11-13) in 10 games with Utica last season, and totalling 45 points (16-29-45) in 63 games with the Lake Erie Monsters the season prior.

Despite the one-way deal (meaning he will get paid NHL money regardless of if he ends up in the AHL) look for Chaput to be an injury call-up option next season, playing primarily with the Comets.

The Canucks are now left with one player scheduled for arbitration, winger Reid Boucher, whose hearing is scheduled for August 1.

See also