Canucks sign free agent goalie with NHL experience

The Vancouver Canucks have added a goaltender in free agency.

After losing Casey DeSmith earlier in the day, Canucks GM Patrik Allvin has signed 25-year-old Jiri Patera to a two-year contract.

The contract is a two-way deal, meaning Patera would get paid less money when he plays in the AHL.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announces that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with goaltender Jiří Patera on a two-year, two-way contract.

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 1, 2024

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, the Czech-born netminder can certainly fill the net. Patera was a sixth-round draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, and has worked his way up the ranks ever since.

Playing primarily in the AHL since 2021, Patera has six games of NHL experience, posting a 3-3-1 record and a .902 save percentage the past two seasons with Vegas. He appeared in 25 AHL games with Henderson last season, posting a .903 save percentage.

It remains to be seen who will back up Thatcher Demko next season, but Patera is just two years older than Arturs Silovs and has fewer games of NHL experience.

Canucks sign depth centre Nate Smith

Patera was the second organizational depth move of the day, as the Canucks signed Nate Smith to a one-year, two-way contract.

General Manager Patrik Allvin announces that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with forward Nate Smith on a one-year, two-way contract.

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 1, 2024

The 25-year-old right-shot centre from Tampa, Florida joins Vancouver after two years with the Arizona Coyotes. The 6-foot, 177-pound centre spent all of last season in the AHL, scoring 31 points in 60 games with Tuscon. Smith has 14 games of NHL experience, scoring four points (2-2-4).

Smith was a third-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2018, and went on to star at Minnesota State University – Mankato, scoring 50 points in 38 NCAA games in his final season of college hockey in 2021-22.

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