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Vancouver Canucks sign hulking Russian centre Ilya Safonov

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
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Jun 2 2026, 5:49 pm
Vancouver Canucks sign hulking Russian centre Ilya Safonov

It was a move that flew under the radar last offseason.

In that busy window between the draft and free agency, the former Vancouver Canucks GM acquired Ilya Safonov from the Chicago Blackhawks for future consideration. It gave the Canucks a chance to court a player who was buried in a deep Blackhawks prospect system.

With Safonov’s KHL contract expiring on May 31, 2026, the 6-foot-5 centre has decided to join the Canucks.

Daria Tuboltseva of RG Media first reported that Safonov is expected to sign a one-year, entry-level deal with the Canucks. Hours later, the Canucks confirmed they signed him to a one-year, two-way contract.

According to Tuboltseva, Safonov was set on joining the Canucks for quite some time, although the management overhaul added some uncertainty. That uncertainty was apparently unfounded, as Safonov became the first signing in Ryan Johnson’s tenure as Canucks GM.

“Ilya had a solid year in Russia and a strong playoff,ā€ Johnson said in a press release. “We like his size and player profile, and he will be given every opportunity to compete for a spot at training camp.”

PuckPedia reported that the deal is worth $950,000. It includes a signing bonus of $100,000 and a minor league salary of $87,500.

Safonov has spent the last six seasons as a full-time player in the KHL. The 2025-26 campaign was his second-most productive to date, recording 16 goals and 33 points in 68 games. He also added two goals and nine points in 20 playoff games. Safonov helped his team reach the Gagarian Cup Final before bowing out to Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in six games.

He’s certainly not the flashiest of players, but he can add a couple of elements to the Canucks organization.

The 220-pound centre doesn’t have great speed, but he can be physically imposing and isn’t afraid to stand up for teammates.

He’s also got a knack for using his big frame to score goals from right around the front of the net.

Safonov is known as a defensively responsible player who excels in the face-off circle. Last season, he won 56.7 per cent of his draws.

The Murmansk, Russia, native has also been lauded for his leadership. He’s worn an “A” on his chest for about half of his KHL career. Safonov was also briefly named captain as a 21-year-old back in 2022, as Ak Bars Kazan was going through a mini-leadership crisis.

If he does end up signing with the Canucks, Safonov will assuredly start in the AHL. His presence would be a big boost to Abbotsford’s centre depth, an area in which they lacked depth all of last season.

As of now, Abbotsford’s centres heading into next season could look something like: Braeden Cootes, Ty Mueller, Safonov, and Riley Patterson, if the big Russian signs in Vancouver.

Last year, injuries decimated Abbotsford down the middle, with Mueller, Nils Aman, Chase Wouters, and Nick Poisson acting as the four most common pivots down the middle.

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