Canucks sign free agents Sutter and Halak to cheap 1-year contracts

Jul 28 2021, 3:41 pm

The Vancouver Canucks are poised to sign a pair of players at the start of free agency.

Brandon Sutter is returning to the team but at a reduced rate from his previous contract. The new contract is a one-year deal worth $1.125 million, the Canucks announced.

Sutter, who just completed a five-year deal worth $4.375 million per season, has been criticized heavily for not living up to his contract during his time in Vancouver by fans in media. That narrative should change as the 32-year-old slots into a fourth-line role. Sutter will also help kill penalties and win faceoffs.

Sutter has 770 games of NHL experience and scored 12 points (9-3-12) last season. As an assistant captain, the Alberta product is also valued as a leader in the dressing room.

The other free agent signing is Jaroslav Halak. The 36-year-old Slovakian has signed a $1.5 million contract to replace Braden Holtby as Vancouver’s backup goaltender. The deal also includes $1.5 million in potential performance bonuses.

Halak’s numbers took a dip last season, after two strong years previously in Boston. His save percentage fell to .905, a far cry from posting .919 and .922 save percentages in 2019-20 and 2018-19, respectively.

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