Ex-Canucks draft pick signs $46 million contract with Florida Panthers
Remember Gustav Forsling? You can be excused if you don’t. The defenceman wasn’t a member of the Vancouver Canucks for long.
Selected by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, Forsling was one of Jim Benning’s best draft picks. But seven months later, he was involved in one of Benning’s worst trades.
The Canucks traded Forsling, fresh off a terrific showing at the World Juniors with eight points in seven games, to the Chicago Blackhawks. They got Adam Clendening in return, which was one of those ill-fated speed-up-the-rebuild moves the Canucks were making in those days.
Today, Forsling is an important player on the No. 1 team in the NHL. The Florida Panthers have signed the 27-year-old blueliner to an eight-year, $46 million contract extension, paying the native of Linkoping, Sweden, $5.75 million per season.
Clendening hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since 2018-19 and is currently playing pro hockey in Finland.
FLA announces 8x$5.75M extension for Gustav Forsling
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 7, 2024
It’s a well-earned contract for Forsling, who leads all Panthers defencemen in points (31) this season and is second in average ice time (21:47). Forsling leads all players league-wide in plus-minus (+44) this season, ahead of Canucks defencemen Quinn Hughes (+33) and Filip Hronek (+32).
While the trade the Canucks made involving Forsling didn’t make much sense for a rebuilding team, they weren’t the only team to give him up. The Blackhawks traded Forsling to Carolina in 2019, and the Hurricanes actually put him on waivers in 2021.
That’s when Florida scooped him up, and he’s been a gem for them ever since.
Other former Canucks in the news
Forsling isn’t the only former Canucks draft pick that the Panthers signed today.
Jonah Gadjovich, who the Canucks drafted in the second round in 2017, has signed a two-year extension worth $775,000 per season.
We have agreed to terms with forwardĀ Jonah Gadjovich on a two-year contract extension! š
āļø Ā» https://t.co/3q9gMP4SWM pic.twitter.com/F1rOwppj4u
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) March 7, 2024
The Canucks lost Gadjovich on waivers to the San Jose Sharks before the 2021-22 season. The gritty forward was signed by the Panthers back in October and has registered four points and 90 penalty minutes in 33 games this season.
Anthony Beauvillier, meanwhile, is on the move again. The Blackhawks have traded the former Canuck to the Nashville Predators for a fifth-round pick. That’s the same return the Canucks got for Beauvillier when they traded him to Chicago back in November.
Beauvillier tallied six points in 23 games with the Blackhawks.
Full trade, per sources:
To #preds: Anthony Beauvillier
To #Blackhawks: 2024 5th Rd Pick@DailyFaceoff— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 7, 2024
It’s been a busy week of transactions in the NHLĀ as Friday’s trade deadline nears. Teams have up until noon Pacific Time tomorrow to make trades. The Canucks appear to be active, reportedly involved in trade discussions for Jake Guentzel, among other players. They’re also expected to sign Phil Kessel before the deadline.